The birth of CareMalta 29 years ago was a very important milestone for the Vassallo Group because through such development our group, which was previously known mostly for construction and building started building a reputation as a private company with a public conscience. In a few words, CareMalta gave our group a social mission.
Naturally, the primary aim of any business is to succeed by achieving its goals in line with its mission and vision fuelled by the core values that inspire it along the way. Throughout almost three decades CareMalta was able to assume pride of place as a flag-bearer for the group whose core values of integrity, respect, innovation, and excellence are all part of the day-to-day language across the operations of the company.
My position as CEO of the Group gives me the opportunity to meet many of the employees while going about performing their duties within all our care homes for the elderly as well as those for persons with disability, mental health issues as well as ALS and other degenerative diseases. As I speak to individuals who work as carers, receptionists, kitchen assistants or in some other capacity at CareMalta, I witness their enthusiasm, determination and sense of commitment towards their mission.
What amazes me every time is that each one of these individuals is fully aware that when they put on their CareMalta uniform they also represent a whole group with such a rich history going back to the early days after the end of the Second World War. They are aware that when they go the extra mile to deliver the best care or service possible, they are also reflecting Vassallo Group’s quest for excellence. The same applies to the other two important values of integrity and respect which are so much tied to the group’s reputation with the clients, their relatives, our group’s partners as well as with the community in general.
A few years ago, CareMalta took the initiative to create the iCare programme – described as the language of care. Through this initiative, the company is training all its employees to sing from the same hymn book, irrespective of their role and position, when it comes to the delivery of service. Since the programme was launched, I have been dreaming of launching this programme with the rest of the group. This will certainly be the natural step we should take now that we have seen the benefits of having such a programme being implemented.
I believe that iCare can be the driver that helps us up the service across the group. I see it working at Vassallo Builders, at CaterEssence, and at Vassallo Group Realty. The language of care will become the language of our group as well.
I started by mentioning how CareMalta had contributed immensely by gaining our group a reputation of being a private company with a public conscience. I also dare say that through our involvement in the care sector we were and are able to give our group a social mission. This mission took another dimension just a couple of years from CareMalta’s inception when it was the first company in Malta to join forces with government in providing care services in public homes. CareMalta led the way to a whole revolution in this sector which has helped resolve the great challenge of waiting lists in Care Homes.
As a Group, we are proud that this collaboration has now been extended to so many other areas in health and social care. CareMalta can keep leading the way for the group into a future where our social mission will keep making a difference to so many people particularly the most vulnerable.