Sustainable development is an inevitable trend and has become a popular notion in the global business community and in Vietnam as well, especially in the current context of intense competition and strong economic integration. Better implementation of sustainable development will create many opportunities for businesses to enhance reputation and competitiveness, attract human resources and investors and please shareholders. Through sustainable development activities, companies will also improve productivity and reduce costs by using up resources, conserving resources, enhancing employee performance, reducing costs, raising corporate competitiveness and facilitating international economic integration.
As a national agency that represents and assembles the business community, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) always places a high priority on directing and supporting Vietnamese companies to pursue sustainable development. In 2010, with the consent of the Government, VCCI and some pioneering corporations set up the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). Since then, VBCSD has performed its duties in promoting the engagement and upholding positive roles of the business force in the cause of carrying out national sustainable development. After six years of operation, VBCSD was appreciated by the business community and the Government for its pioneering and creativity in communicating and disseminating policies on sustainable development to the business community and supporting businesses and associations to put forth and realise sustainable development policies. The council has also become a trusted liaison for government agencies and the business sector, raised the voice of the business community to the process of drafting and enforcing policies and programmes related to national sustainable development, competitiveness improvement, green growth and climate action.
To help governmental bodies and the business community of Vietnam to discuss and share experiences in best-practice sustainability models, VBCSD hosted a conference on “Sustainability - Trend and Practice in Vietnam” in Hanoi on September 22, 2016. The event brought together 100 participants, including officials and Vietnamese and foreign business leaders.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Nguyen Van Tai, General Director of the Vietnam Environment Administration, described environmental, social and economic development issues in Vietnam. He hoped that proposed solutions will engage the entire society, particularly civil society organisations, nongovernmental organisations and the business sector, in change climate response in the spirit of the Paris Agreement. In the last six months of 2016 and beyond, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will continue to perfect laws on environmental protection and biodiversity; apply technical and economic standards, norms and regulations on environment; and carry out resolutions, strategies, programmes, plans and projects on environmental protection and 2030 Agenda of the United Nations on Sustainable Development, he added.
Mr Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, said that the best solution to sustainable development and green growth is the formation of action plans from central to local levels; synchronous and appropriate deployment of awareness-raising; institution perfection; economic, sector, locality and corporate restructuring; and technological renovation in 2016-2020.
He particularly appreciated the role of enterprises and emphasised the importance of engaging the private sector, State public investment and ODA as a catalyst to lure investors and form a favourable environment for the private sector to invest in climate action, green growth and sustainable development. To achieve these goals, Vietnamese companies will need to research and define appropriate economic development models.
With a variety of exemplary sustainable development activities, Mr Leo Evers, Chief Executive Officer of Heineken Vietnam Brewery Limited (HVBL), introduced the “Sustainability Reporting 2015 - For a better Vietnam” to the conference. This was the second year HVBL made sustainability report which illustrates the company’s achievements in 2015, long-term objectives and commitments to sustainable development, contributions to economical, social and environmental development. HVBL’s Sustainability Report focused on six core areas: Responsible drinking communication; water resources protection; CO2 emission reduction; community support; sustainable supply; and health and safety. He said, “2015 was another great year for Heineken Vietnam Brewery Limited on the roadmap to sustainability. We are delighted to see that sustainable development increasingly receives due attention in the world and in Vietnam as well. In 2015, we held talks with internal and external stakeholders on material issues and receive important useful responses for our sustainable development roadmap.
We expect to receive support from all employees and stakeholders to go on with our long journey: For a better Vietnam.”
Huong Giang
Vietnamese
