The HSBC Malta Foundation is supporting two new awards created by the JAYE Malta Foundation. The HSBC Green Entrepreneurship Award and the HSBC ESG Sustainability Award challenge students to focus on the twin aspects of innovation and new green business ideas, as well as the importance of establishing and maintaining a strong sustainability culture in every organisation.

Simon Vaughan Johnson, CEO at HSBC Bank Malta and Chair of the HSBC Malta Foundation, said: “HSBC is proud to have supported JAYE Malta for decades, helping thousands of young students build their entrepreneurial skills. In that time the importance of green entrepreneurship and sustainability has grown exponentially across all industries, including banking, where HSBC has led the way by committing itself to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. We, therefore, recognise how vital it is for young people who want to become business leaders to focus on these issues early on and that is why the HSBC Malta Foundation suggested and is supporting these new awards in close partnership with JAYE.”

The HSBC Green Entrepreneurship Award, part of the the JAYE post-secondary programme, will go to a student mini-company that embodies the principles and spirit of green entrepreneurship. Competitors are expected to present a creative and innovative solution that considers the challenges of today’s society, such as fighting climate change, reducing CO2 emissions and promoting energy efficiency, while striving to reduce social inequalities. Entries will be evaluated based on various criteria including whether the proposal addresses a real sustainability problem, how practical and scalable it is, how well it is visualised and presented, and how adequate the answers to the jury’s questions are. 

The HSBC ESG Sustainability Award, part of JAYE’s tertiary programme, will recognise young entrepreneurs who have incorporated sustainability strategies and practices into their business. These practices should be aimed at creating environmental and social progress through specific attention to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESGs) factors. Entries will be evaluated based on specific criteria: business sustainability, environmentally-conscious approach, technology and digitisation, scalability, and presentation and soft skills. The winning concept will receive €10,000 in seed funding should the team choose to take their idea forward beyond the JAYE StartUp Programme.

Matthew Caruana, CEO of JAYE Malta, said: “These awards are part of our efforts to continue instilling ESG and Sustainability principles as a key part of any project, and not simply an afterthought. We need to highlight the importance of a sustainable and responsible entrepreneurial mindset in our programmes to prepare our participants for their future working life and for our European Competitions.”