On 25^th May 2012, at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, VBCSD Executive Board meeting was organized in VBCSD Meeting Room. The meeting was chared by Dr. Doan Duy Khuong, Vice Executive President of VCCI cum Co-chairman of VBCSD with authorization from Mr. Gary Schutz, the other VBCSD Co-Chairman, who was absent.

 

At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, VBCSD Secretary General presented Progress Report of activities and budget over the last 5 months and Work plans and Budget till the end of 2012.

In particular, the activities completed to date include:

 

•     02 Consultation Workshops on National Green Growth Strategy, in collaboration with MPI organized

•     2 Workshop on Economic Growth: Managing the Environmental Impact (in collaboration with Viet Nam Holding Asset Management) organized

•     16 articles published

•     1 TV talk show and 1 interview about Sustainable Development (InvestTV) broadcasted

•     4 WBCSD publications translated : (1) Business & Development; (2) A world of sustainable cities; (3) Collaboration, Innovation, Transformation; and (4) A Vision for Sustainable Consumption.

•     The 5th CSR Award, in 2012 (under preparation)

 

•     05 training workshops organized on (1) Improving Capacity of internal controllers, in partnership with the State Auditoria; (2) Business and Climate Change: challenges and opportunities (in partnership with CERED); (3) Professional Sales Control; (4) Business and Recruitment from Universities and Colleges; and (5) Developing CSR strategy to enhance competitiveness of business.

 

02 research reports developed on “Economic Empowerment for Women in Vietnam” and “Promoting Green Buildings in Viet Nam”. The two reports have been submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister cum Chairman of the National Council for Sustainable Development in the afternoon the same day.

 

 

•     Developing proposals for long-term collaboration with USAID, EU, GIZ (Germany), BTC (Belgium), Danish Embassy, British Council…

•     Participated International Conferences “Businesses and Human Rights” (Oslo, 24/02-03/03/2012), “Businesses and Responses to Climate Change” (Bonn, 24-28/03). WBCSD Meeting (Montreux, 22-26/4/12)

 EB Members also discussed activities implemented and directions to the activities to be implemented in the time to come. In particular:

 

 

•     Organize CSR Award 2012

•     Organize a conference on Sustainable Cities on July 10 (jointly with Siemens)

•     Organize a workshop on Montreal Protocol on July 30 (jointly with DuPont)

•     Organize Sustainable Forum on September 4 (jointly with DuPont)

•     Develop 01 publication on CSR

•     Publish a series of articles (3 articles per month) on sustainable development

•     Conduct 01 talk show on Invest TV

•     Publish 04 WBCSD publications (to be printed and disseminated)

•     Produce 4 Newsletters

•     Regular updates through website, emails of information from WBCSD and other organization

 

Group 2: Training/Workshop/Conference activities

 

Conduct 01 training workshop for VBCSD members (intentively invite Philippo, WBCSD).

•     Conduct 15 training workshops for SMEs on Safety and Sanitation at work place in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh city, Vung Tau and Can Tho.

•     Conduct 01 consultancy workshop on applying SD practices or models for craft villages and business associations.

•     Conduct 02 Consultancy workshops on embedding CSR in university and colleges curriculum.

 

 Group 3: Research activities

 

•     Continue activities of WG Vision 2050: 

•     Finalize report on Economic Empowerment for Women and Green Building

•     Finalize report on Opportunities for an Aging Population

•     Start up WG Inclusive Business and WG Energy Efficiency and Climate Change

•     Include Climate Change to the WG Energy Efficiency

•     Conduct a research on Energy efficiency

 

 

Group 4: International cooperation activities

 

•     Develop proposals for long-term collaboration with USAID, EU, GIZ (Germany), BTC (Belgium), Danish Embassy, British Council and other donors

•     Organize VBCSD delegation to accompany Vietnam government to attend UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 (Brazil, Jun. 15-22)

•     Participate in WBCSD Meeting in (Seoul, Oct 31) and CSR workshop organized by ASEAN CSR Network

•     Assist Laos and Cambodia to establish their BCSDs

•     Invite international keynote speakers to organize workshops on SD in Vietnam

 

 

•     Signing MoU with Support Program to Respond to Climate Change (MONRE).

•     Training workshops on cleaner production with MOIT, under sponsorship of DOW Chemical (under preparation).

•     2 training workshops on Sustainable Development in collaboration with Dream House

•     2 training workshops on safety and sanitation at workplace in cooperation with National Program on Safety and Sanitation at Work Place.

 In the afternoon, members in the EB meeting and some EB members met with the Deputy Prime Minister cum Chairman of the National Council for Sustainable Development to report on results, orientations in the time to come, and especially hand-over the 2 reports and recommendations on “Economic Empowerment of Women in Vietnam” and “Promoting Green Buildings in Vietnam”. Details on the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister will be covered in the next news.

Photos of the meeting are in this link: http://vbcsd.vn/detail.asp?id=307..