For our third DMC creativity showcase, we head to the Mediterranean island gem of Malta, where inVOYAGER ECMeetings partnered with a UK agency to create a meaningful CSR event to inspire 300 delegates attending a Global Life Sciences conference and leave a positive legacy in the destination…

The Brief

High 5 Events in the UK partnered up with ECMeetings to organise the annual Kick off meeting in Malta for their client (Global Life Sciences company) with the main emphasis focused on their contribution to the community by organising a memorable and engaging CSR Activity for all their participants. For the client it was important to source a location or organisation where all 300 participants could work together in a given time frame to create a meaningful event, supporting a community, not only through funds, but also through on-site manpower.

The Solution

Before coming up with a creative concept for the CSR activity a large enough space had to be found, where all participants could interact at the same time, in the same place. There were a few options on the table, but after having discussed the requirements in detail the perfect match for this type of event seemed to be a large unusable and abandoned park for children at the Inspire Foundation.

The Inspire Foundation Malta helps over 1,000 individuals with disabilities to reach their fullest potential by providing educational, therapeutic and leisure services. The foundation also advocates for inclusion, educates the general public and raises awareness. The foundation very much welcomed the idea and ECMeetings, together with High 5 Events started planning the details for the day. In order to bring this park back to life within a short time frame a lot of detail went into logistics and getting everything right for the teams to work efficiently and maximise results.

On the day participants were split in 28 teams with each team designated to a specific area and fully equipped with tools, gardening supplies and dedicated staff for assistance. With a lot of cheer and enthusiastic teamwork the deserted space, which had been abandoned for many years, was transformed into a fully functional park for children to enjoy. The amazing “before” and “after” effects and the feedback received on all ends proved once again that being part of a good cause is the most rewarding form of team building.

The positive effect of the activity and the funds received encouraged the foundation not only to reopen the park to the public, but also to invest further and work on creative concepts in the park. In the meantime, the foundation has hosted several fund-raising activities to ensure the park is kept alive and well maintained.

The painted handprints of all the participants have been left on a wall at the park to symbolise all the time and effort that various volunteers have put into the regeneration projects in the park.

The Verdict

“In January, we had the privileged opportunity of welcoming 300 International Company employees to the beautiful island of Malta.  They travelled from all corners of Europe for their Annual Sales Conference which took place at the Inter-Continental Hotel in St.Julians Bay.  As with all motivational meetings, the focus was very much on maximising each attendee’s experience, so the overall schedule was full-on with educational content, company up-dates, country syndicates, individual networking opportunities, dine-around in Mdina, a wonderful CSR activity at the Inspire Foundation & finally a truly memorable Awards Dinner at the Montekristo Estate.  Many of the guests hadn’t been to Malta before and they were certainly not disappointed after these memorable few days!  From a Planners perspective, I can truly say that we were immersed by the professionalism, warm welcome & exceptional service commitment from the amazing teams at the hotel, the various off-site locations & last but not least, ECMeetings (too many names to mention!) and I would have no hesitation in recommending this unique location to other clients. I really look forward to returning one day soon” High 5 Events, Sue Turner

“For quite some years we’ve been encouraging our clients to incorporate some sort of CSR activity and have seen some really great initiatives taken on, but this particular one really got us excited  and I think it’s because everyone involved – the agency, the client, the local NGO and all the participants – worked so hard to create an amazing “before” and “after” in such a short time. The slogan of the Event became ‘Thank you Inspire for inspiring us’ and that’s exactly what CSR should be about – inspiring, motivating, and meaningful. Everyone wants to be part of a good cause and the possibilities to do so are endless and add so much value to the customer destination experience.” Mark Gatt, ECMeetings