The poster of the event (Source: UNDP Vietnam) Hanoi (VNA) – The UN Development Programme (UNDP)and the Embassy of Sweden in Vietnam announced key findings of the Study onCorporate Awareness and Implementation of Responsible Business Practice inVietnam in 2020 at an event in Hanoi on April 22.
The studyfound that the level of awareness of business enterprises on responsiblebusiness practice (RBP) remains low, especially among domestic small privatebusinesses, with less than half of the small domestic enterprises fullyunderstanding of RBP whereas 81 percent of the State-owned enterprises (SOE)understanding the concept and its implications fully.
The studyalso shows that 84-90 percent of respondents comply fully with existingregulations dealing with labor issues (e.g. insurance; bonus and benefitsschemes; safety and hygiene). The corresponding percentage for environmentalprotection was 50-73 percent. Less than 68 percent of respondents fully adhereto regulations on business governance such as transparent bidding andpurchasing, and consumer protection.
TheSwedish Ambassador to Vietnam, Ann Mawe, said UNDP in Vietnam, inpartnership with the Government of Sweden, has been driving forward responsiblebusiness practices since 2019 as part of the regional programme “Promoting Responsible BusinessPractices through Regional Partnerships in Asia”.
Thestudy focuses on labour, environmental, and governance issues, with the databeing collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and asurvey with 279 respondents.
In the years ahead, the study aims to assist Vietnam in buildinga national plan of actions on RBP by 2022, which will help the country achievesustainable development goals and bring its legal framework on a par with internationalstandards.
UNDP Deputy ResidentRepresentative Sitara Syed said despite Vietnam’s rapid, yetrelatively inclusive economic growth, and an influx of investment that havebrought opportunities, many problems remain. She highly appreciated theMinistry of Justice for leading the design and adoption of Vietnam’s firstNational Action Plan on Responsible Business Practices by 2022. /.
