Workers produce tiles at the Viglacera Hạ Long Company. Building sustainable business models in Việt Nam is challenging, and for Vietnamese and international companies the road to sustainable development is still bumpy. — Photo baoxaydung.vn

HÀ NỘI – Building sustainable business models in Việt Nam is challenging, and for Vietnamese and international companies the road to sustainable development is still bumpy, according to experts at a seminar.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)’s Việt Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development, organised a seminar on “Building Sustainable Business Models in Việt Nam” yesterday in Hà Nội.

This seminar was part of the “Tomorrow is Green” campaign initiated by the Embassy and Consulate General of the Netherlands in Việt Nam. The campaign calls for joint solutions for a sustainable and prosperous future.

The seminar was an opportunity for participants to get inspired and learn experiences from real Dutch and Vietnamese business cases and to discuss how to build sustainable business models, which were the first factors to develop and retain competitive ability.

Đoàn Duy Khương, VCCI deputy chairman, said that in fact, many Vietnamese enterprises faced difficulties in building sustainable business models, due to lack of capital, low management ability and lack of policies of the State.

Exchange of views and experiences on developing sustainable business was necessary and contributed important parts to improve knowledge of the local enterprises about social responsibility and friendly-environmental production activities, he said.

During the seminar, as pioneers in building sustainable business models in Việt Nam, FrieslandCampina, Unilever and Viettel, shared their first hand insights on their achievements and challenges. ING bank also shared its experiences in financing circular business models.

At an interactive discussion under the seminar, participants questioned and debated with policy makers, business leaders and civil society representatives on how to overcome challenges in developing sustainable businesses.

The seminar attracted local and foreign socio-economic organisations, the Dutch Business Association Việt Nam, leading Dutch companies in Việt Nam, including FrieslandCampina, Unilever, ING bank, and Việt Nam’s telecommunication group, Viettel. – VNS