Representatives of 40 Vietnamese and German companies in Vietnam pledge to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on wildlife crime at a workshop on June 29 in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Representatives of morethan 40 Vietnamese and German companies in Vietnam pledged to adopt azero-tolerance policy towards wildlife crimes at a workshop in Hanoi on June 29.
They agreed to take a public stand against the illegaltrading, transport and consumption of wild animals and related products, and passon the message to their clients and staff throughout their companies.
The event, organised by TRAFFIC with funding fromWWF-Germany and Intelligentmedia behavioural change communication company, aimsto encourage the business community to step forward to handle social andenvironmental issues.
“Wildlife trafficking is transnational by natureand bears repercussions that are felt worldwide. It is an issue that resonateswith the German people, and we are pleased with this opportunity for German andVietnamese companies to come together and spread a united message against thiscrime,” said Katharina Trump, programme manager, anti-poaching, WWF-Germany.
Through the workshop, participants were given anopportunity to learn how to enact a corporate social responsibility (CSR)policy to attract environment-conscious clients, increase competitiveness andmitigate potential risks.
The workshop featured discussions on how companiescould construct meaningful messages and incorporate them in CSR activities thatwould be effective in combating wildlife crimes and lead to a change ofpractices among their colleagues and customers.
Participants learnt that adopting thesepolicies could strengthen the reputation of their businesses by ensuring theywere not inadvertently participating in wildlife crime.
The event is the latest in a series of activitiesorganised by TRAFFIC with different companies and civil society organisations,such as Vietnam Chamber for Commerce and Industry, Vietnam E-CommerceAssociation and the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association, which worktowards the eradication of animal trafficking by encouraging companies to takea strong stand against wildlife crimes.
TRAFFIC’s efforts to encourage companies tointegrate wildlife protection into their CSR activities have spanned thebusiness, tourism and hospitality sectors. Anti-trafficking messages have beenput up on buses, websites, events and other platforms, reaching some 250,000people.-VNA
VNA
