A workshop was held in Hanoi on November 13 to discuss the enhancement of businesses’ engagement through promoting their integrity pledge, which is said to be useful to create a fair and transparent business climate in Vietnam.

The garment factory of the Duc Giang Corporation
in Long Bien district of Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 

At this event, certificates were presented to 11 business associations to recognise their commitments to helping build a culture of integrity in business practices in Vietnam.

They include six Hanoi-based associations, namely the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association; the Vietnam Association of Consumer Goods Development; the Hanoi Association of Small and Medium Enterprises; the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association; the Hanoi Business Association; and the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Companies Association.

The six others are organisations of Ho Chi Minh City, namely the business association; the rubber – plastic manufacturers association; the food and foodstuff association; the textile, garment, embroidery and knitting association; and the plastics association.

Addressing the workshop, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Vu Tien Loc said professionalism, ethical practices and integrity form indispensable parts of business activities.

He expressed his hope that following this workshop, business associations will strongly promote business integrity in the enterprises and sectors they represent, and together take actions to minimise and prevent risks relevant to bribery and corruption in business transactions.

Caitlin Wiesen, Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, spoke highly of the country’s approval of the Anti-Corruption Law in 2018.

She said it takes time to make changes, so clear objectives for each period is necessary to monitor the implementation of commitments so as to ensure that commitments are not only promises but also an effective tool to promote a fair and transparent business climate in Vietnam.

Applauding the associations’ commitments, Stephen Taylor, Second Secretary at the British Embassy in Vietnam, congratulated them on having been taking the lead in consolidating the country’s future success through improving the business environment. He hoped that more enterprises will follow their example.

The workshop was attended by more than 70 representatives of government agencies, companies, business associations, and social organisations. It was part of the Government – Business Integrity Initiative implemented by VCCI within the framework of an UNDP project named “Promoting a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN”.