HSBC Malta Foundation reaffirms long-term commitment to youth empowerment through EkoSkola Programme

The HSBC Malta Foundation has once again renewed its support for the EkoSkola programme, reinforcing a long-standing partnership with Nature Trust Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Malta that stretches back well over a decade. The collaboration reflects the Foundation’s commitment to empowering young people to become agents of positive environmental change in their schools and communities.

Since the early 2000s, EkoSkola has grown into Malta’s leading Education for Sustainable Development initiative, engaging students across all levels of education in hands-on environmental learning, democratic participation, and community-driven action. HSBC Malta Foundation has consistently supported this journey, recognising that meaningful, lasting sustainability requires long-term investment rather than short-term interventions.

Through this renewed contribution, the Foundation is once again enabling students to take on practical environmental leadership roles. Each participating school works through a structured process that includes assessing their surroundings, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing projects that address real sustainability challenges. Initiatives have ranged from sustainable mobility and biodiversity monitoring to responsible consumption campaigns and the strengthening of students’ environmental literacy.

The EkoSkola programme’s impact now reaches deeply into the national education system. Schools are increasingly functioning as sustainability hubs, where students not only learn about environmental issues but actively shape solutions. The most recent awards ceremony recognised schools that have excelled in this process, including both long-standing participants and new entrants to the Green Flag community. The event also marked a milestone with the introduction of a new initiative acknowledging collaboration between schools and local councils, celebrating partnerships that extend sustainability efforts into the wider community.

Speaking on behalf of HSBC Malta Foundation, Glenn Bugeja said that the Foundation’s commitment is rooted in the belief that environmental awareness must be matched by hands-on experience: “We are proud to continue supporting EkoSkola, a programme that empowers young people to take meaningful action. When students engage directly with sustainability, they develop not only knowledge but also confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility towards the world around them.”

Nature Trust – FEE Malta expressed its appreciation for HSBC Malta Foundation’s ongoing support, noting that the sustained partnership has contributed significantly to the programme’s long-term success and its ability to reach thousands of students across Malta and Gozo.

HSBC Malta Foundation looks forward to continuing this collaboration, strengthening the country’s pathway towards a more sustainable future and ensuring that the next generation has the tools, values, and opportunities to lead it.