The world is facing increasing challenges of environmental, social and economic issues; which raise the urgent need to find collaborative solutions across sectors. Vietnam is also amongst the countries that are heavily affected by climate change, environment degradation and resource exhaustion. In this context, the government of Vietnam has identified Circular Economy as the key solution in the National Agenda, with the development of the National Action Plan on Circular Economy (NAPCE) from 2022.

At the Vietnam Circular Economy Forum 2023, led by MONRE, for the first time, the NAPCE - contributed by various sectors in the country will be introduced to the communities of Government leaders, Leader of development partner organizations Ambassadors, Representatives of major enterprises, Non-government organizations (NGO), Universities, Research institutes, leading experts in Circular Economy. The forum aims to facilitate robust discussions, strategic planning, and concrete actions to implement Circular Economy to attain the Nationally Determined Contribution (NCD) target of Vietnam. It will also shed light on financing mechanisms such as promoting carbon markets, mobilizing innovative financing for biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as engaging private participation in waste management activities.

At the event, SCG collaborated with various stakeholders to share its expertise on ESG principles and their relevance to promoting the NAPCE in Vietnam. Mr. Roongrote Rangsiyopash, President and Chief Executive Officer of SCG also gave a speech highlighting the crucial role that ESG factors can play in driving the circular economy transformation. By adopting ESG practices, businesses can minimize their environmental impact, enhance social well-being, and strengthen corporate governance, all of which are essential for a thriving circular economy.

“With the National Action Plan For Circular Economy, I believe that there will be more and more businesses adopting ESG strategy into their operation, to comply with the new direction and together work toward one common goal. To accelerate the impact of CE and drive progress, collaboration across industries will lead to greater results. We are looking forward to collaborating with our local partners to embrace ESG principles and hence promote circular economy practices. Our aim is to grow stronger and more sustainable together, therefore enhancing our ASEAN competitiveness against other economies in the world.” Mr. Roongrote Rangsiyopash spoke at the Plenary session of the Forum.

In Vietnam, SCG actively works together with the government and other sectors in promoting the Circular Economy from the national level to the local level. Circular Economy 2022 “National Plan Launch Conference for Circular Economy 2022” was organized with the collaboration of SCG, Thai Supply Chain Network and MONRE. Before that, Public-Private Collaboration (PPC) towards Circular Economy in plastic waste management with MONRE and other leading enterprises in Vietnam, which has been implemented since 2020. To assess a long-term solution for improving waste infrastructure and the waste management system, SCG Chemicals and MONRE, the Vung Tau City’s People Committee, The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, Cities Development Initiative for Asia and Innovation Norway collaborate to create a solid waste management project in Vung Tau.

Across the region, SCG also fosters collaborations toward Circular Economy, including the joint venture agreement with Braskem - the leading global biopolymer producer in Brazil to produce bio-ethylene (Green-Ethylene) from agricultural-based ethanol; and the acquisition of Peute - the Netherlands’ largest independent packaging materials recycling and trading company.

Currently, SCG, with its three business units—Cement-Building Materials Business (CBM), SCGC (SCG Chemicals), and SCGP (SCG Packaging)—is proactively putting its commitment to the strategy ESG 4Plus principal “Set Net-Zero – Go Green – Reduce Inequality - Embrace Collaboration”. To implement this strategy, SCG puts collaborative efforts among stakeholders and partners with diverse suppliers aiming to minimize resource consumption and waste generation. This approach not only reduces carbon emissions but also advocates for the use of sustainable materials and energy sources. Moreover, it fosters the development and promotion of eco-friendly products with a lower environmental impact. These activities align seamlessly with the goals of the National Action Plan on Circular Economy (NAPCE):