As part of International Women’s Day celebrations, a morning of pampering and beauty therapy was organised for women from the domestic violence shelters Dar Merħba Bik, Dar Qalb ta’ Ġesu’, Dar Tereża Spinelli and Aġenzija Appoġġ, as well as those receiving support from St Jeanne Antide Foundation and Prison Fellowship.
The event, organised by the HSBC Malta Foundation and MCAST Institute of Community Services in collaboration with Banking on Women (BoW) and HSBC Malta’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, treated the ladies to a variety of relaxation and beauty therapies, including facials, makeovers, haircuts and hairstyling. These treatments were provided free of charge by students and lecturers from the MCAST Institute of Community Services, and gifts, donated by The Body Shop, were handed out. Similar services were offered to women who could not leave the shelters.
“International Women’s Day celebrates the importance and the achievements of all women in society. This Women’s Day activity reinforces this message while making the occasion a special one for women facing difficult life challenges.” said Catherine Gonzi, HSBC Malta Foundation Chairperson, who attended the activity together with Sarah Watkinson, HSBC Malta Foundation Deputy Chairperson; Louise Stanton, British High Commissioner and HSBC Malta Foundation Director; and Simone Mizzi, Director of The Body Shop, Malta.
Prof. Maurice Grech, MCAST Principal and CEO, thanked the HSBC Malta Foundation for collaborating with MCAST in this initiative. “It is an opportunity for our students to understand that while striving to achieve a successful career, they can also use their skills to improve the quality of life of persons in need,” he explained.
To further mark the value of Women’s Day among HSBC Bank Malta’s employees, HSBC Malta’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, together with HSBC’s inhouse organization Banking on Women (BoW), organised a seminar for employees on the 8 March. During the seminar, particpants linked up through video conferencing with a global HSBC activity hosted in London during which an interactive question and answer session was carried out with the participants discussing various aspects of gender equality and the importance of embracing diversity within society and the workplace. HSBC Malta’s CEO Mark Watkinson and his wife Sarah, who have recently been transferred to Malta, shared a personal account of their experiences as they have moved within the HSBC Group globally – both from a career perspective and from a family perspective.
The principles of Women’s Day are inherent within HSBC’s vision for women’s career development.