At the 11^th Vietnam Corporate Sustainability Forum (VCSF) held in Hanoi on September 10, the chairman and chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Tan Cong stated his belief that Typhoon Yagi is evidence that climate change is causing increasingly extreme weather events. He called on the business community to unite and accelerate the sustainable transformation process.

"This forum will be an opportunity for the business community to continue to work together to realise the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050," said Cong.

Binu Jacob, CEO, Nestlé Vietnam

Binu Jacob, CEO of Nestlé Vietnam and co-chair of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD), noted that this year’s forum was taking place at a pertinent time following the recent passing of Typhoon Yagi, which has caused severe damage to the northern provinces.

"More than ever, everyone can see the clear impact of climate change, and sustainable development is the key to contributing to mitigating, reducing, and adapting to the new normal," he said.

In his presentation on the bottlenecks in the green transformation process and how to turn sustainability into a value driver, Binu Jacob proclaimed that sustainability and profitability are not two sides of the same coin, but rather two parts of an equation with equal results. However, for businesses, one of the bottlenecks in the transformation process is connecting the sustainability with the core motivations of consumers in making brand choices.

"Businesses need to change their approach and connect with consumers based on an understanding of customers through their behaviours, needs, and preferences, so that sustainable initiatives truly become value drivers," he added.

Khuat Quang Hung, director of External Relations and Communications at Nestlé Vietnam, shared strategies for developing human resources with knowledge and expertise related to sustainable development issues.

Hung also introduced the Green Ambassador Programme, an initiative of Nestlé Vietnam, aimed at building a core team of employees in activities to raise awareness and launch internal communication campaigns to promote green living.

As a longstanding company recognised by the VCCI and the VBCSD as the most sustainable enterprise in the manufacturing sector, Nestlé Vietnam has consistently been at the forefront of sharing and disseminating best practices in this field to promote sustainable development in Vietnam and to realise the country's commitment to net-zero by 2050.