In Viet Nam, the Government has signed Decision No. 167/QD-TTg approving a programme to support private sector and enterprises to do sustainable business in the period of 2022-25.

The programme aims to support about 10,000 businesses to develop sustainably by 2025.

ESG or sustainable development is adopted as a key strategy in all business and operational activities of many companies in the world and Viet Nam.

Therefore, the programme “Top 50 Corporate Sustainability Awards 2023 – CSA” by Nhip Cau Dau Tu Magazine is an opportunity for the business community to reflect their journeys towards environmental protection, social and governance promotion within the organisations.

This year, Unilever Vietnam is an FDI enterprise honoured in the category “Pioneer in Circular Economy” of the awards programme.

Unilever Vietnam receives the honourary “50th Anniversary Recognition Award” at “The Great Awards”. Photo courtesy of Unilever Vietnam

The FMCG business has won the title thanks to its seamless attempts and pioneering role in initiating and driving the circular economy model in plastic waste management.

Specifically, since 2020, Unilever Vietnam has cooperated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and two partners Dow and SCGC to launch the Public-Private Collaboration (PPC).

Over the past 3 years since the establishment of PPC, the private sector has got opportunities to study and understand the plastic waste context in Viet Nam, and cooperated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Women's Union, NGOs, businesses, etc. to deploy many specific action programmes and welcome more members to join PPC - current total number of 30 members - to join hands in promoting the circularity of plastic.

Speaking at the CSA awarding event, head of Communications, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Unilever Viet Nam Le Thi Hong Nhi said effective plastic management is also a strategy that contributes to greenhouse gas reduction.

According to a study, for every one tonne of plastic produced, about five tonnes of CO2 are released into the environment.

“Therefore, using recycled plastic will save energy and reduce carbon emissions compared to using virgin plastic, thereby helping to reduce Unilever's impact on climate change and move towards a more sustainable system,” she said.

The partnership with Duy Tan Recycling towards the goal of collecting and recycling 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste by 2027 once again affirms Unilever's long-term commitment to promoting the plastic circularity and tackling environmental pollution in Viet Nam.

Unilever also actively brings the plastic circular economy model to life, facilitating people to become an essential part of the circular economy.

Specifically, the programme “Segregation at source, collection and recycling of plastic waste towards the circular economy model”, in collaboration with the People’s Committee of District 7 in HCM City, aims to build and maintain the habit of sorting plastic waste in people’s daily routines.

The programme will implement communications and education activities to raise people’s awareness and change their habits on plastic waste treatment, organise programmes of exchanging plastic waste for gifts, in parallel with equipping the system of multi-compartment waste sorting bins made from recycled plastic to encourage plastic waste sorting among the community.

Unilever also received the honourary “50th Anniversary Recognition Award” at “The Great Awards” presented by BritCham on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Viet Nam.

This award recognises significant contributions of the company and its brands to the business environment in Viet Nam and longstanding commitment to the country’s sustainable development, the consistency in strategies, actions and values which the UK-based FDI enterprise has pursued and implemented during their 28 years of presence in Viet Nam.