In the context of regional and global economic integration, fulfilling requirements of exercising good corporate social responsibility (CSR) towards the sustainable development is a considerable challenge for developing countries like Vietnam. Starting in 2005, the Corporate Social Responsibility Award (CSR Award) has honoured, praised, polish images and contributed to the sustainable development of each enterprise.
CSR Award 2012 is jointly launched by the Office for Business Sustainable Development (SD4B) under VCCI, the Vietnam Business Council for the Sustainable Development (VBCSD), and the UNIDO-VCCI CSR Project (the project helping Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises improve awareness and implementation of CSR to strengthen links with the global supply chain for sustainable production).
CSR Award is a driving force for businesses make constant endeavour to improve working conditions and living standards for workers, protect the environment, encourage employees to join this process, thus facilitating their successful integration into world economies. In reality, exercising good corporate social responsibility is a must-do task on the path of international integration and an inseparable business activity because it benefits both businesses and the society, and especially it helps enhance the competitiveness of businesses and of the nation and better supports the implementation of labour laws in Vietnam. However, this requires persistent efforts of businesses and encouragements of authorities and the entire society.
Addressing at the award launching ceremony in late August, Mr Nguyen Quang Vinh, Director of SD4B and General Secretary of VBCSD, said the objective of the award is honour organisation which recognise and fulfil CSR issues in the right way towards sustainability, reliability, respectability, and success. CSR Award also recognises enterprises with comprehensive, multi-dimensional stances on corporate responsibility and successfully integrating corporate social responsibility into their day to day operations.
Mr Florian Beranek, Chief Technical Advisor of the UNIDO-VCCI CSR Project, said, apart from labour and environment - two key criteria, this year’s award also takes into account enterprises’ efforts to integrate CSR as an inseparable part of their production and business strategies. Criteria are the same as in previous years, including employment, environment and others. This year, the judging panel will take into account new contexts, and add new factors into scoring sheets to encourage companies with good achievements in efficient energy use, companies with good business initiatives in applying climate change response solutions, companies with good anti-corruption policies, etc. With these new criteria, the CSR Award not only means an award or any recognition but also aims for long-term development and sustainable growth of every company.
Mr Nguyen Tien Tung, Deputy Chief Inspector at the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs
Prize-winners’ working environment has improved a lot
Labour is one of two categories of CSR Award. This is adjusted every year to meet actual conditions because working conditions in prize-winning companies have improved a lot, especially wages and law compliance.
As regards occupational hygiene and safety, like previous CSR Awards, we place high expectations in this criterion. In fact, from what we have seen in the past years, we know that, through self-judging process, businesses will review and refer to legal regulations in order to get self-improved. As soon as they file candidate documents to the Organisation Board, they are self-aware of implementing or fixing fundamental contents of laws on occupational hygiene and safety. With these activities, working conditions for labourers will be made better and risks of occupational accidents and occupational diseases will be diminished.
Mr Nguyen Quang Vinh, Director of Office for Business Sustainable Development (SD4B) - VCCI
Difficulty does not reduce the success of CSR Award
CSR Award 2012 takes place when businesses are facing numerous difficulties but this will not affect the success of this year's award because the hardship against an enterprise is an opportunity for another. In times of crisis, a number of companies will probably have to leave the market but many newcomers will fill in the room. Taking part in CSR Award will help businesses improve their competitiveness and prestige on domestic and international markets.
The awarding in the face of the current economic slowdown is an encouragement and stimulation for enterprises to keep faith and withstand hardships while confirming their resilience in the stormy circumstances to pursue sustainable development. At present, VCCI is urgently deploying the CSR Award 2012 and will stop receiving applications in the first week of November 2012. The awarding ceremony is expected to take place in late March 2013. This will be one of activities in commemoration of the 50th VCCI establishment anniversary.
Colonel Nguyen Si, Deputy Director of Environmental Crime Prevention Department under the Ministry of Public Security
CSR Award candidacy helps reduce environmental crimes.
A company needs to achieve at least two objectives to reach sustainability: Economically profitable to survive, and responsible to the society and environment. CSR Award is intended to encourage companies to be responsible to the society, good at employment works, and responsible to the society and environment. In recent years, this award has high effect and very practical impact as it significantly reduces environmental crimes and contributes to sustainable development.
Environmental crime is not only a matter of a single country but also a global problem. This requires all countries to unite together to fight this crime. In the coming time, it is necessary to promote CSR-joining movement because the more companies join, the less environmental crime is found.
Ha Vu
Source “ Viet Nam Business Forum”
