Lưu Thị Thảo, Standing Deputy CEO and Senior Executive Vice President of VPBank (centre) accepts the award at the ASEAN Corporate Governance Awards Ceremony. — Photo courtesy of the bank

KUALA LUMPUR — VPBank has been recognised among the top five Vietnamese companies with the highest ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) in 2024, affirming the bank’s consistent efforts to adopt international best practices and marking an important milestone in its journey to expand its regional and global presence.

Last week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, VPBank (VPB) was honoured among the top five companies in Việt Nam with the highest ACGS rating in 2024.

The prestigious award reflects VPBank’s long-standing commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability and adherence to high corporate governance standards. It also underscores the bank’s strategic progress in strengthening investor trust and promoting best practices across the ASEAN region.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in VPBank’s efforts to enhance its position in Southeast Asia and underscores its pioneering role in promoting modern governance and sustainable development. 

The ceremony was attended by Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Dato' Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia, representatives from ASEAN securities commissions and senior executives from leading regional companies.

Award recipients were evaluated using the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS), an initiative launched in 2011 by the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ACGS was developed to assess governance practices among listed companies in six ASEAN countries, aiming to improve standards, increase transparency and boost investor confidence. Assessments are based on publicly available information such as annual reports, company websites, corporate governance policies, sustainability reports, charters and meeting minutes. Over the years, ACGS has helped shape a governance culture in the region, encouraging best practices, board accountability, shareholder rights and sustainability.

VPBank's headquarters in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of the bank

In Việt Nam, VPBank is among the pioneers in applying international governance standards. As a result, its ACGS score exceeds the national average and is approaching regional benchmarks.

Earlier, in June, VPBank was also named among the top five companies with the highest ACGS scores during a workshop held in Hà Nội on implementing Resolution 68-NQ/TW regarding private sector development.

Strong governance forms the foundation for VPBank’s ambitious goals

The ASEAN Corporate Governance Award comes at a symbolic moment, as Việt Nam’s stock market marks its 25th anniversary (July 28th, 2000 – July 28th, 2025). This milestone signals the country’s continued integration and the growing momentum for an upgrade to emerging market status, promising greater transparency, fairness, efficiency and international capital inflow to drive the economy and listed firms forward.

In this context, VPBank’s early adoption of international governance and sustainability standards is becoming a springboard to realise its long-term vision: to become one of Việt Nam’s top three banks and among the top 100 largest banks in Asia by size.

At VPBank, corporate governance goes beyond regulatory compliance and is a strategic foundation for stability and sustainable growth. The bank has proactively built a modern, transparent governance system guided by the principle of “Beyond Compliance,” ensuring prudent, principled decision-making that balances the interests of shareholders, stakeholders, and the broader community.

In addition to the ACGS, VPBank applies a corporate governance framework aligned with best practices issued by the State Securities Commission of Việt Nam and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The bank also integrates the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its core business strategy.

Recently, VPBank published its first standalone Sustainability Report, prepared in accordance with the latest GRI Standards issued by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB). The report was well received by the investment community. Dragon Capital, one of Việt Nam’s leading investment funds, rated VPBank’s environmental and social (E&S) performance as 'Excellent' for its comprehensive ESG disclosures and valuable data.

Beyond governance and sustainability, VPBank places strong emphasis on investor relations. The bank maintains regular and transparent communication with both domestic and international investors through earnings calls, investor conferences, and global forums. Its 2025 Annual General Meeting recorded a record number of attendees, demonstrating the strong confidence and interest from the market.

With this solid foundation, VPBank successfully raised a record syndicated loan of US$1.56 billion in just the first half of this year from leading international financial institutions.

VPBank also remains committed to shareholder value. In the second quarter, the bank paid nearly VNĐ4 trillion in cash dividends, reflecting its strong financial health and its long-term dedication to shareholders. Over the past three years, VPBank has distributed nearly VNĐ20 trillion in cash dividends. 

These efforts and accomplishments reflect VPBank’s strategic vision and commitment to sustainable growth, reinforcing its mission of 'For a Prosperous Việt Nam'. — VNS