The Federation of Industry is launching a campaign to encourage micro and small enterprises to seek its services. The micro and small enterprises committee was formed last year and carried out a survey to establish how it could better serve this sector of the economy, which accounts for 96 per cent of companies on the islands.
It then set about making contact with the entities that could help in each area and is organising events like talks and seminars to disseminate useful information to each sector.
"Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) sometimes fail to see the benefits of networking or of being represented, even though they reap the benefits of lobbying carried out on behalf of the larger industries," committee chairman Joe Cortis explained.
"There are numerous MSEs that are not members of any organisation, whether national or sectoral. We need to communicate to them how they can benefit from being directly involved in things that affect their business."
Part of the problem is cultural: The tendency is for MSEs to sort out problems through personal intervention, often direct to politicians, which circumvents the system and identifies an individual problem - rather than a sectoral one.
Committee member Pierre Travers said that membership of an organisation or association set businesses apart.
"Someone who gets involved, who works for the good of the whole sector rather than to get one up on their competitors, is seen as a team player, which is very positive. And there is no doubt that two or more businesses from a sector can wield more pressure as a lobby group than one individual could," he said.
The FOI's approach is a response to the changes in the Maltese economy where for decades the focus was on attracing foreign direct investors, who brought with them new skills and experience. However, with time, Maltese entrepreneurs flourished. Malta's accession to the EU brought with it reams of legislation, which affected large and small alike, and which are constantly changing.
"Big organisations have the resources and finances to keep up to date but smaller ones do not. The demands imposed by EU legislation, for example those related to health and safety, are much stricter," Mr Travers said.
The MSE committee has already organised some events but was disappointed by the turnout. FOI executive Jeanelle Catania said that even the federation's members were not always as active as they could be.
"Companies should not wait to be fined before they realise what their duties are under the law. We fully appreciate that they often work very long hours and that there are many demands on their time but they have to know what the legislation is and how it affects them," Mr Cortis said.
"The FOI can help them network and identify the right organisation from which to seek information."
The committee last year carried out a survey among members and non-members asking whether the FOI was meeting the needs of its members and how it could better serve the needs of local industry. The respondents were asked to rate their priorities (Note: The ranking given by FOI members and non-members differed):
Manufacturing:
● Occupational health and safety matters
● Access to finance; contacts with local authorities
● Information about sector of operation
● EU funding
● Environmental standards
● Networking
● Sectoral representation Services:
● Information about sector of operation
● Access to finance
● Contacts with local authorities; environmental standards
● Occupational health and safety matters
● EU funding
● Networking
● Sectoral representation
It then set about making contact with the entities that could help in each area and is organising events like talks and seminars to disseminate useful information to each sector.
"Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) sometimes fail to see the benefits of networking or of being represented, even though they reap the benefits of lobbying carried out on behalf of the larger industries," committee chairman Joe Cortis explained.
"There are numerous MSEs that are not members of any organisation, whether national or sectoral. We need to communicate to them how they can benefit from being directly involved in things that affect their business."
Part of the problem is cultural: The tendency is for MSEs to sort out problems through personal intervention, often direct to politicians, which circumvents the system and identifies an individual problem - rather than a sectoral one.
Committee member Pierre Travers said that membership of an organisation or association set businesses apart.
"Someone who gets involved, who works for the good of the whole sector rather than to get one up on their competitors, is seen as a team player, which is very positive. And there is no doubt that two or more businesses from a sector can wield more pressure as a lobby group than one individual could," he said.
The FOI's approach is a response to the changes in the Maltese economy where for decades the focus was on attracing foreign direct investors, who brought with them new skills and experience. However, with time, Maltese entrepreneurs flourished. Malta's accession to the EU brought with it reams of legislation, which affected large and small alike, and which are constantly changing.
"Big organisations have the resources and finances to keep up to date but smaller ones do not. The demands imposed by EU legislation, for example those related to health and safety, are much stricter," Mr Travers said.
The MSE committee has already organised some events but was disappointed by the turnout. FOI executive Jeanelle Catania said that even the federation's members were not always as active as they could be.
"Companies should not wait to be fined before they realise what their duties are under the law. We fully appreciate that they often work very long hours and that there are many demands on their time but they have to know what the legislation is and how it affects them," Mr Cortis said.
"The FOI can help them network and identify the right organisation from which to seek information."
The committee last year carried out a survey among members and non-members asking whether the FOI was meeting the needs of its members and how it could better serve the needs of local industry. The respondents were asked to rate their priorities (Note: The ranking given by FOI members and non-members differed):
Manufacturing:
● Occupational health and safety matters
● Access to finance; contacts with local authorities
● Information about sector of operation
● EU funding
● Environmental standards
● Networking
● Sectoral representation Services:
● Information about sector of operation
● Access to finance
● Contacts with local authorities; environmental standards
● Occupational health and safety matters
● EU funding
● Networking
● Sectoral representation