On August 16, Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) organized a General Meeting with the aim to introduce the VBCSD’s Executive Board, share the detailed workplan 2011 (activities implemented for first 7 months and planned last 5 months) and the strategic plan for the 2011-2015 period, report joint work by working groups, and further popularise VBCSD to business community and related stakeholders.
Within its workplan, VBCSD establishes working groups with topics under four priority areas, namely energy and climate change, development, education and ecosystem. The working groups are aimed to be a platform where VBCSD’s members with the same interest share experience to and coordinate with others to develop joint case studies, initiatives and/or pilot demonstrations for broad application in future. Up to now, there have been two working groups established, namely Energy Efficiency and Inclusive Business. During the event, representatives of those groups report on their initial joint work. Especially, Mr Tom Derksen, Country Director of SNV Vietnam, introduced the Inclusive Business Fund in Vietnam which will be jointly sponsored and implemented by VBCSD, SNV, Asian Development Bank and related government agencies.
At the meeting, Dr. Vu Tien Loc, Chairman and President of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) stated that “Thanks to the General Meeting, VBCSD’s members will further understand its activities so that they have more active and efficient involvement. Besides, the event is also a chance for other delegates to discover long-term coordination or partnership with VBCSD after they better understand its detailed workplan and strategic plan”.
Furthermore, in the afternoon of the same day, VBCSD’s Executive Board led by VBCSD Co-Chairman, Dr Doan Duy Khuong and Mr Gary Schutz, General Director of Holcim Vietnam, visited Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, Chairman of National Council for Sustainable Development, to report VBCSD’s activities and got his direction ideas on the role of business community in implementation of the Vietnam Strategic Orientation for Sustainable Development.
Mr Gary Schutz said that the Council was devising cooperative plans in the fields of clean technology, energy and climate change, development, education and ecological environment in Vietnam, and planned to arrange a forum for its member companies to exchange and cooperate in building quality pilot initiatives and models of sustainable development.
VBCSD is a business-led organization including member companies within different areas, such as cement, iron and steel, coal, chemical, energy, pharmaceutical product, information technology, electronics, tourism, finance, banking, commerce, garment, etc. who are committed to sustainable development in Vietnam.
VBCSD is also a member of the Regional Network of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The WBCSD's Regional Network is an alliance of BCSDs in 61 countries or regions.
VBCSD’s mission is to promote the business community’s active role in and strong advocate on the implementation of Strategic Orientation for Sustainable Development in Vietnam, and strengthen close coordination and dialogue among business community, government and civil society for sustainable development.
Dang Yen
Vietnamese
