Responsible Supply Chains in Asia - Viet Nam

Partners

• Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with its HCM City branch
• Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and its provincial affiliates (DOLISAs)
• Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and its provincial affiliates (FOLs)
• Bilateral chambers of commerce including EUROCHAM, sector business associations (national and international) and FDI firms/MNEs operating in Viet Nam

About the programme

Encouraging and ensuring corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and responsible business conduct (RBC) among the business community for sustainable and inclusive growth is an important element of Vietnam’s development agenda, especially as it is committed to entering into a series of free trade agreements.

This project will contribute towards equipping the stakeholders such as government agencies, policy makers, and social partners’ organizations including employers and workers representatives, to engage in multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and to jointly advance decent work through promotion of socially responsible labour practices.

The project’s operations are active in four areas: Research, to produce a map of current policies and practices as well as potential improvements; Outreach, to provide a platform for dialogue among key stakeholders to share experiences and peer learning. Policy advocacy to address government and business approaches to labour issues in supply chains, and; Training courses to strengthen the institutional and operational capacities of these stakeholders and help them implement responsible business principles to all levels of Vietnam’s supply chains.

Geographical focus

Hanoi and HCM City; provinces with large clusters of wood processing companies (Binh Duong, Binh Dinh, Dong Nai) and aquaculture/seafood processing companies (An Giang, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Khanh Hoa)

Principles and guidelines

As a platform for this work, the project is based on internationally agreed principles and guidelines on corporate responsibility, principally the OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy.

Expected Outcomes

The project will contribute to decent work opportunities for women and men in the agricultural and seafood/aquaculture industries as responsible business practices are implemented.

The overall objective of this action is to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by supporting CSR/RBC practices and approaches adopted in global supply chains in Asia in line with internationally agreed guidelines and principles.

The project also aims to create policy environments conducive to promoting responsible conduct in part through increasing the opportunities for sectoral and national dialogue on the challenges and opportunities around the issue.

Ultimately, this project will contribute to enhancement of the long term CSR/RBC implementing capacity of business community in Viet Nam, to improving their market access in the context of country’s increasing integration into the international economy.

Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) and Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) are ways in which enterprises consider the impact of their operations on society. They are rooted in the UN principle that businesses have a responsibility to uphold and protect human and labour rights, even in environments where there are gaps in the relevant national law. Through CSR and RBC, firms affirm their principles and values in their internal and external methods and processes. The Responsible Supply Chains in Asia programme believes that CSR/RBC are an integral part of corporate management that can help businesses manage risk, promote inclusive growth and ensure decent work in international supply chains.

For more about the programme’s activities, please visit our regional programme overview.