Minister Miriam Dalli today said that the difference between the two major parties is that the Labour Party incentivises businesses to reach ESG guidelines whereas the PN wants businesses to afford ESG (environmental, social, governance) guidelines.
Addressing a press conference, Dalli said that the Labour Party does not want to put more financial weight on companies during the recovery period after a pandemic, as “we want everyone to go back to business”.
PL candidate Rebecca Buttigieg said that although the PN’s manifesto might give the impression that it is going to give a lot to everyone, the majority of proposals come with terms and conditions, Buttigieg added.
She said that a total of 32 proposals out of the PN’s manifesto require that the beneficiary be compliant with ESG guidelines. Buttigieg said that one would hope that the PN does not want to put such stress on businesses that not even European regulators are considering.
Buttigieg said that in Europe the process for non-financial reporting, which is governed by a non-financial directive, covers only 11,000 big companies. She said that although the EU has plans to widen it to include other companies, it surely is not aiming at small businesses like the ones present in Malta.
Buttigieg emphasised that on the contrary to the PN, the PL wants for businesses to voluntarily adopt an ESG framework.
She said that one of the PL’s proposals states that it would be covering energy audits expenses for small businesses in Malta, which can amount to €2,000. Apart from that, a PL government would also be supporting the business in question to implement needed changes.
On other matters, Dalli said that when the next legislature starts there are plans for there to be specific number plates to distinguish electric cars. These will be followed by special privileges such as reserved parking and the use of the bus lanes.
Dalli said that it is not true, as PN Leader Bernard Grech claimed, that a PL government would be requesting the supplementary wage back from businesses.