At the awarding ceremony of UN Women WEPs Awards 2024 (Source: VNA)

The award ceremony was held in Hanoi within the framework of the WE RISE Together project funded by the Australian Government through the Mekong-Australian Partnership and implemented by UN Women. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), an initiative of UN Women and UN Global Compact, encourages businesses to adopt practices that encourage gender equality.

Award-winning entrepreneurs and businesses included Kaowsiri Purin, CEO of Crystal Martin Vietnam; Cao Thi Ngoc Dung; Chairwoman of Phu Nhuan Jewelry; Tran Thi Thu Thuy, member of the Board of Directors of VPS Securities JSC; Coca-Cola Vietnam; and Vietnam Airlines, among others.

Addressing the event, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nguyen Quang Vinh said that equality and prosperity are not only goals but also driving forces for sustainable development of businesses and society. The UN Women WEPs Awards highlight the relentless efforts of businesses and individuals to promote leadership roles, gender equality commitments, and the creation of fair and progressive business environments, he stated.

Meanwhile, Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, UN Women Representative in Vietnam, emphasised that women-led businesses play a critical role in narrowing gender gaps in the workplace, the market, and the community. She expressed her hope that the WEPs Awards would usher in a transformative era, setting new standards for businesses to follow and ensuring no one is left behind, including the businesses themselves.

More than 100 participating delegates representing businesses and Government agencies shared lessons learned in promoting gender equality through community and partner relations, building sustainable supply chains, and implementing financial initiatives for gender equality. The event also reviewed the outcomes of the "WE RISE Together" project after three years of implementation.

Christine Arab, Regional Director of UN Women for Asia and the Pacific, noted that empowering women-led businesses and those practicing gender equality through diverse suppliers and responsible procurement not only promotes gender equality but also drives economic growth and sustainable development. The "WE RISE Together" project has shown that investing in women and gender equality is a smart investment for the future, she said.

The UN Women WEPs Awards, initiated in 2020 and held annually since, aim to recognise the pioneering role of businesses and business leaders in promoting gender equality and supporting the WEPs. In the 2024 edition, awards were given across six categories, including Leadership Commitment to Gender Equality, Gender Equality in the Workplace, and Gender Equality in the Market. In 2022, 15 Vietnamese businesses received the awards. To date, 222 businesses in Vietnam and 10,296 globally have committed to these principles.

The "WE RISE Together" project, underway in Vietnam from March 2022 to February 2025, has generated significant results. It contributes to the policy-building process for small and medium-sized enterprises, while training 653 leaders and employees, 98% of whom are women, from 261 women-led businesses.