Green growth and sustainable development is a considerable challenge for developing countries like Vietnam. To address global challenges of low-carbon growth, climate change response, water resource preservation, biodiversity, urbanization and sustainable cities among others, the roles of both government agencies and businesses are very important. To learn more about this issue, the Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Nguyen Quang Vinh, Director of the Office for Business Sustainable Development (SD4B) under VCCI and Secretary General of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). Thu Ha reports.
How do you assess sustainable development trends in the world today?
Sustainable development is a vital trend in the world development process. This trend not only brings economic benefits, but also looks towards the restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems and the mitigation of climate change.
At the recent meeting of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in Seoul, South Korea, the vast majority of participants agreed that sustainable development is a key factor in business development strategy, and that business’s sustainability reports are an important strategy for motivating changes.
The WBCSD’s cornerstone report, Vision 2050, calls for a new agenda for business, laying out a pathway to a world in which nine billion people can live well, and within the planet’s resources, by 2050 through elements, including: One World - People and Planet; True Value; Forest Recovery and Generation; Zero-net Energy Buildings; and Zero Waste.
Another factor in the world’s current sustainable development trend is the concept of “inclusive business”, or doing business with low-income people. This business type creates benefits for both businesses and community, creates added value and enhances product value chain. Vietnam also pays attention to this form in recent times. Some inclusive business models include “Improving Shan tea value chain in Ha Giang,” and “H'mong cassava or beef.”
Trends in the twenty-first century lean toward green businesses; using less resources, generating less emissions, being environment friendly, exercising CSR, sustainable consumption and value chains.
How are businesses in Vietnam practising CSR today?
In fact, Vietnamese enterprises have been practising corporate sustainability and social responsibility since early 1990s and the social responsibility has been implemented within business’s capabilities and industries involved. In the past few years, more and more businesses have realised the importance of this issue and incorporated social responsibility activities into their long-term development strategies. Many businesses consider exercising social responsibility as a “must” on the path of integration, because it benefits not only businesses, but also society. It also particularly improves competitiveness and supports better enforcement of Vietnamese labour laws.
However, a vast majority of Vietnamese enterprises still lack long-term vision for corporate sustainability, as they have not really believed that it is the most effective and economic investment channel. Due to this understanding, many businesses overlook, and even neglect, their social responsibility.
What are the measures to address this perspective?
To resolve this reality, we must have the combined efforts of both government and the business community. First, the government needs to introduce policies on sustainable development based on evaluation criteria. The issuance of sustainability strategies and national target programmes has created a premise for businesses to better understand their own social responsibility. In particular, the government must build long-term institutions rather than individual projects, so as to guide the business development environment and create social capital at a large scale.
Additionally, businesses need to regard the implementation of CSR as an investment for the future, for their own sustainability, because this investment will, in the long term, help them build their image and maintain the trust of partners, customers and shareholders, thus helping them improve their competitiveness and product quality.
What did VBCSD do in 2012 to support businesses and business associations in effectively exercising CSR?
While the economy was still in difficulty, VBCSD made every effort to assist businesses to perform their social responsibility. Its major activities like communication and awareness-raising activities, training activities and research activities and international cooperation obtained good results.
In communication and awareness-raising activities, the Council held 11 conferences with more than 1,000 participants, including one extended meeting between VBCSD’s Executive Board members and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan in Hanoi on January 25, 2012. Other meetings focused on hot issues of green growth and sustainable development, such as "Economic growth, environmental impact management," "National strategy for green growth"; "Sustainable cities: Challenges and Opportunities", and “Responsible tourism business in protected areas".
As regards training activities, VBCSD organised 16 training courses for 961 people. Typical courses were “Promoting CSR implementation to improve competitiveness in the context of international economic integration" and others.
Besides, VBCSD completed two reports, "Improving women's economic capacity" and "Green project", and continued with four reports on opportunities for an ageing population, effective energy use, and others, in the framework of the Working Group in Vision 2050.
Representatives of the Council also attended many international conferences like "Business and Human Rights" in Oslo, Norway; the WBCSD Annual Meeting in Switzerland; supported Laos to set up its BCSD...
What are VBCSD’s plans for 2013?
In 2013, the Council will continue with communication and awareness-raising activities; training activities; research activities; international cooperation; and joint action programmes. Besides, it will maintain communication activities, including designing, printing and distributing posters to businesses; publishing written articles on Vietnam Business Forum Newspaper, Vietnam Business Forum Magazine, and Vietnam Potentials; and organising talk shows.
As regards the UNIDO-VCCI CSR Project, the Council will continue its coordination with VITV to carry out two talk shows themed “Consumer issues” and “Honest business” in January and March 2013; cooperate with VBCSD to organise CSR Awards 2012. The awarding ceremony will be aired live in March 2013.
In addition, VBCSD will actively promote the agendas of its Working Groups in Vision 2050, Inclusive Business, Energy and Climate Change.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
