EWA organized the second Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, a two-day event that brought together stakeholders, NGOs, and public entities from various sectors for the Retouch Nexus project meeting. The focus was on developing strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement in the Malta case study by increasing accessibility, targeting appropriate audiences, simplifying processes, raising awareness, and improving collaboration to effectively convey messages.
The workshop featured engaging keynote speakers from the digital world who shared valuable insights into modern engagement techniques. Mr. Frank Zammit, a station manager at a local radio station, highlighted the social media aspect during his presentation, emphasizing how to approach it from a marketing perspective. He stressed the principle that “less is more,” urging participants to ensure that promotional material effectively targets the desired audience. Additionally, Mr. Nikolai Smith, a representative from the Adelphi Research Centre in Berlin, explored innovative tools for stakeholder engagement and public participation as part of the Retouch Nexus Project.
In terms of public relations and stakeholder engagement, Fabian Demicoli, Head of Communications and EU Affairs at the Chamber of SMEs, along with Mr. Morgan Parnis, CEO of Esprimi Market Research Consultants, discussed strategies and messaging tailored to different societal groups. Mr. Manuel Sapiano, CEO of the Energy and Water Agency, provided insights into stakeholder engagement from a public sector perspective, focusing on the unique needs of groups such as women, youth, vulnerable populations, and other communities that often feel misrepresented or insufficiently engaged. He underscored the importance of reaching out to these individuals to ensure that the message is effectively conveyed.
On the second day, participants were divided into groups for a hands-on session, where they had the opportunity to apply the tools discussed on the first day. Each group was presented with specific thematic challenges, including marketing the House Visit scheme to young families, encouraging local SMEs to engage in an energy audit, and reaching out to smaller VOs with available schemes. Throughout the event, attendees were encouraged to voice their opinions and share ideas on advancing communication channels, fostering a collaborative approach to effective stakeholder engagement moving forward. The workshop aimed to bring everyone together to share knowledge, ideas, and experiences, and to learn from one another.
