The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) was awarded the Overall Highest Achiever title at the Malta Foundation for Human Resources Development (FHRD)’s annual conference held in October.

The MFSA received this year’s award upon obtaining the HR Quality Mark, which recognises the authority’s efforts “to place people at the centre of the organisation.”

The HR Quality Mark, established by FHRD in 2019, is a rigorous certification awarded to organisations that demonstrate exceptional standards in HR practices, strategic alignment, and workplace culture.

The MFSA joined another 13 organisations that obtained the HR Quality Mark this year, following a thorough audit by independent assessors who evaluated the authority’s HR policies and practices across six different categories. This included strategy, talent, engagement, career, efficiency and relations.

Commenting on this achievement, MFSA Chief Operations Officer Ivan Zammit said that “to achieve the MFSA’s broad and intricate mandate, it is vital for the authority to attract, retain and develop talent by aligning the people strategy to the changing needs and organisational objectives.”

Members of the MFSA People & Culture Team receiving the HR Quality Award

Mr Zammit continued that the authority’s HR strategy reflects its core values of integrity, trustworthiness, dependability, excellence, and independence, and aligns with its strategic priorities.

“The attainment of this FHRD certification underscores our commitment to nurturing a supportive and conducive work environment where employees can grow personally and professionally,” he added.

One of the institution’s flagship initiatives in talent management is the establishment of its Financial Supervisors Academy - an in-house training academy dedicated to enhancing the skills and knowledge of employees.

The Authority also sponsors tuition fees for certified courses as part of its self-development scheme, supplemented by study leave, enabling employees to acquire new qualifications relevant to their career goals.

MFSA’s Head of People & Culture Antoaneta Iossifova commented that achieving the HR Quality Mark is a testament to “the authority’s commitment to creating an environment where every one of our now 520 employees feel valued, empowered, and inspired to contribute their best toward our shared success.”

She noted that she is incredibly proud of MFSA’s HR team and grateful for their passion and hard work, which made this possible. “This recognition inspires us to continue setting the standard for HR quality and integrity,” she concluded.