The Malta Business Registry has just gone paper free, as part of a new environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy.

But in doing that, the MBR asked thousands of Maltese companies to send a printed letter identifying a new email address for the company, or else file an updated Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

When companies submitted the requested documents electronically, they were informed that this was not sufficient and were then instructed to submit a physical formal letter.

So it turned out that the MBR’s new green policy required tens of thousands of companies to send pieces of paper, apart from envelopes, to simply collect an email and make the shift to paper free possible. 

“Companies must provide an adequate electronic mail address that is accessible to all the company officers, by filing an updated Memorandum and Articles of Association, or sending a formal letter,” MBR outlined in the instructions.

“Let’s diminish the use of paper and increase efficiency in timely communication,” it said, next to a recycling illustration.

While it needs to be addressed that companies that had previously activated the electronic submission option could re-submit their M&As electronically, many were still forced to resort to the simpler but less environmentally friendly traditional mailing option.

The Malta Business Registry is a Maltese government agency responsible for the registration and regulatory compliance of companies and commercial partnerships within its jurisdiction.

What do you make of this?