Hanoi (VNA)☂ - To build confidence and ensure the successful implementation of the elusive net zero goal, a comprehensive transformation is needed from awareness to action, along with coordinated efforts from the Government, businesses, consumers, and other stakeholders.

So said Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in his speech at 11th Vietnam Corporate Sustainable Forum held in Hanoi on September 10. He said that the forum is an opportunity for the business community to reaffirm their trust and efforts in realising the goal of bringing net emissions to zero by 2050. Cong mentioned Typhoon Yagi – the most devastating super typhoon to hit the country in the past three decades which brought terrible destruction in level, intensity, and scope, with record high flood water. The natural disaster has caused enormous damage to the people and the business community. Preliminary statistics from business associations in the Red River Delta in the north show that the damage to businesses has reached trillions of Vietnamese dong. Typhoon Yagi is a testament to the fact that climate change has caused increasingly extreme weather events that seriously impact human survival, he said. Now more than ever, sustainable development and the effort to slow climate change have become urgent global priorities. Given this context, sustainability is not just a goal but a strategic necessity for all businesses today, Cong continued.

Participants at the forum were provided with updates from representatives of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The topics included those related to green growth orientations, the progress of implementing sustainable development goals (SDGs) of Vietnam, and key policies on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to adapt to climate change, along with strategies for building a low-emission agricultural sector. From the international perspective, representatives from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) shared valuable insights on global business trends in the green transition and recommended ways for companies to contribute more effectively to concerted efforts toward the Net Zero goal.

Changing mindset

Binu Jacob, General Director of Nestlé Vietnam and Co-Chairman of Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development, said that sustainability should be viewed as a value-creating driver, not a burden for businesses. He pointed out that the green transition still faces numerous challenges. One of these bottlenecks is aligning sustainability efforts with core decision-making drivers for brand selection. Therefore, businesses must adapt their strategies and engage with consumers to make sustainable initiatives a key factor in value creation. Additionally, strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration through platforms like the VCSF Forum is crucial for effectively advancing the green transformation and fulfilling net zero commitments.

In discussing the green transformation through diversity and inclusion, Milly Cheng, General Director of Coca-Cola Vietnam, mentioned the company's sustainable development strategy, 'Our choice, our future', which revolves around three main pillars: products, planet, and people. This strategy serves as a guide for the company's long-term development. With nearly a decade of community support through the EkoCenter project, Coca-Cola Vietnam has continually innovated to build resilient communities in the digital age through STEAM education programmes, e-commerce skills training, solutions to promote circular economy, and climate change mitigation efforts, all carried out at Coca-Cola Community Support Centres across the country, she said./.