"An ideal ecosystem comes from a stable legal framework, suitable policies for social enterprises, training programmes and incubators for social entrepreneurship from the university, as well as proper public awareness about social enterprises through promotional activities and media."
This is a model that social enterprises need to develop in the future. This is also the theme of the conference on the ecosystem for entrepreneurship and social innovation, attracting more businesses as well as experts from the UK, USA, Israel, Singapore and other countries to share experiences. The programme was hosted by the National Economics University, Vietnam British Council, French Vietnamese Centre of Management Education (CFVG) and National Institute of Patent and Technology Exploitation (NIPTEX), with the participation of representatives of the state authorities, the National Assembly, the Government, and international organisations working on social entrepreneurship issues.
Social enterprises have business activities as all other business, but focus on addressing social and environmental issues. Therefore, social enterprises need a more specific ecosystem to promote the development of entrepreneurship and social innovation.
Social enterprises are defined in the Law on Enterprises in 2014 as enterprises with social and environment objectives, committed to reinvesting at least 51 per cent of profit on social and environmental goals. The ecosystem supporting social enterprises includes market competition, legal framework and policies, financial measures, labour market, educational and training activities, communication and intermediaries.
Social entrepreneurship and social innovation began to be widely discussed in academic and business circles in recent years. Social enterprises have become a movement in developed economies and developing countries. In Vietnam, social entrepreneurship has become a new business model to solve social problems. However, the academic publication of this content is rather limited. In Vietnam, despite the establishment of the legal framework, there is still a lack of supportive policies. Universities are trying to contribute to the development of social business.
Vietnam has recorded strong growth in the startup movement for social enterprises and social innovation with positive activities of many individuals, organisations, and enterprises that have been pioneering business initiatives to bring positive impacts on the environment and society. Completing a favourable ecosystem for the development of social enterprises is an important prerequisite to support and promote social business initiatives for sustainable development.
On this occasion, social entrepreneurship was spread to 200 university students in the seminar "Opportunities for young people with social entrepreneurship." Two speakers from the UK and Singapore, and group of social entrepreneurship consultants in Vietnam introduced to young people the opportunities and challenges of starting a business in the field of social business in Vietnam, as well as the tools and skills needed to implement their dreams.
The delegates also visited three social enterprises including KOTO, Green Generation and KymViet. In particular, KymViet and KOTO are social enterprises providing vocational training and employment opportunities or children with special circumstances (KOTO) and for the disabled (KymViet). The Green Generation has developed environment friendly products from agriculture such as firewood saving stoves and gas stoves with fans. The field trip to observe the local social enterprises helped the international participants be more realistic about the activities of social enterprises in Vietnam.
Quynh Anh
Vietnamese
