Responsible Business Platform Needed
“Corporate responsibility not only involves employees, customers and suppliers who are directly engaged in daily business but, in a broader sense, embraces the community and the environment,” said Ms. Le Tu Cam Ly, Director of Legal and External Affairs, Coca-Cola Indochina at the “Responsible Business - Platform for Breakthrough” Forum.
The forum was organized by the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) in cooperation with Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Hanoi.
Coca-Cola has launched many initiatives and spent many resources on meaningful programs to create “shared values” based on four core pillars of the sustainable development strategy: Access to clean water, women empowerment, community life improvement, and plastic waste management and recycling. The firm has a strong belief that responsible business helps it achieve breakthroughs in the market and supports sustainable community development.
According to Ms. Truong Thi Mai, Member of the Politburo, Head of the Central Commission for Mass Mobilization, impressive figures illustrate huge contributions of women entrepreneurs to realizing local socioeconomic development goals. This feat comes from many years of hard work, effort and devotion, collective responsibility of employees from early days to current success. Behind a powerful company is the sacrifice, surviving struggle and fierce competition.
Dr. Vu Tien Loc, President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said, innovative and responsible development must be a steering wheel for business ships driven by women captains. If they want to have a breakout development, they must have professional governance, take the lead in digital technology, launch high-quality and distinctive products and services for the market. To have a responsible business, they must build good business culture; join forces in integration; take care of interests of employees, society and community; and protect the environment.
“It is the only path for sustainable development of each country and every business. We believe that businesswomen will be at the forefront on that glorious path,” he said.
Mr. Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, said, there are so many opportunities to simultaneously ensure profitability, social responsibility and our responsibility to this planet. Corporate social responsibility means embracing these opportunities and maximizing business contributions to achieve business profits as well as common interests, he added. And, if it is done well, we will be surprised by distinctive differences we make for better planet, people and company.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, President of the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council, said, responsible business features professionalism, honesty and creditability. Enterprises should not chase after profit for their own but should try for common social interests to build the name of entrepreneurs, the name of enterprises, the name of products - decisive factors to success and failure of each enterprises.
The forum was held ahead of the 109th anniversary of the International Women's Day (March 8) and the 1979th anniversary of Two Sisters’ Uprising and responded to the Government's Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP dated January 1, 2019. The event was also the message on sustainable and responsible business that VCCI wanted to deliver to Vietnamese enterprises. This is the stepping stone for breakout, a foundation for success.
Anh Mai
Vietnamese
