This is the sharing of Pham Chi Lan, an economic expert and former Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), at a training and knowledge enhancement conference for VCCI's leadership and management personnel in 2023.

Economic expert Pham Chi Lan - former Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shares about VCCI's 60-year journey for businesses.

According to Ms. Pham Chi Lan, VCCI has an immensely significant mission and spirit. The organization's operations are characterized by flexibility, openness, and collaboration. The leadership and members of VCCI have a strong learning mentality, willingly proactively embracing change, innovation, and adaptation to new contexts. They have the determination to rise, think boldly, act decisively, and pioneer in various new endeavors.

Particularly, with the aforementioned mission and spirit, from the very beginning, VCCI has continuously strived and maintained the spirit and determination to build an increasingly comprehensive strategy aligned with the development momentum of businesses and the national economy.

Delegates attending the VCCI Leadership Training and Development Conference in 2023

"VCCI has been and continues to develop steadily in its role as a national organization representing the Vietnamese business community in both domestic and international relations. The position and voice of the business community are increasingly clearly affirmed," shared Ms. Pham Chi Lan.

According to Ms. Pham Chi Lan, within the three pillars of the State - market - society, VCCI plays a role that belongs to both the market and society, connecting the two sides with each other and with the State.

Particularly, with its mission to serve the business community and promote trade, VCCI needs to embrace openness and collaboration with businesses and relevant partners both domestically and internationally as a natural approach. It recognizes the importance of listening to the environment, understanding changes in the working environment, and adjusting, adapting, and enhancing work efficiency. Embracing flexibility, dynamism, and readiness to promptly meet diverse and new demands from businesses is the best way to engage businesses, create a healthy working environment, ensure the organization's activities align with this approach, and construct a VCCI that is knowledgeable, professionally capable, enthusiastic, objective, selfless, and effective in its tasks...

"So, what constitutes VCCI's fine tradition?" Ms. Pham Chi Lan raises the question and explains that throughout various periods, the majority of VCCI's staff have been enthusiastic, dynamic, passionate about their work, and possess a service-oriented attitude, cooperative awareness, and a friendly demeanor. The leadership of VCCI across different eras holds significant qualities: a strong sense of responsibility, an understanding of VCCI's mission, dedication, serving as role models in their work; rational organization and management of tasks, valuing the quality and effectiveness of work, supporting innovation, and being ready to adapt to new contexts/requirements; respecting, listening, empowering, and creating favorable conditions for lower levels to work; valuing and fostering good cooperative relationships with businesses and related entities.

Additionally, the organizational structure and working methods at VCCI are scientific and suitable for the nature and requirements of the job: fitting the characteristics of a business community organization, non-governmental, non-profit, self-governing; creative, capable of arranging and adjusting based on the context and demands of each era; structured yet not rigid; transparent, flexible, adaptable, and accessible to businesses; evaluating activities based on the quality and effectiveness of work.

At the conference, addressing the opportunities and challenges of the times, Ms. Pham Chi Lan stated that VCCI needs to select strategies, focal points, and appropriate steps in line with the unchanging principles while also being prepared for various contingencies. Creating consensus to unite efforts, ensuring coherence and synchronization in defining strategies, constructing action plans, and implementing them. Building capacity, primarily through human resources, to be ready to progress in every aspect of work.

"Innovate or die - Time waits for no one," emphasized economic expert Pham Chi Lan.

Mr Dau Anh Tuan - Deputy Secretary-General, Head of the Legal Department, shared at the conference.

Mr. Phan Duc Hieu - Economic expert, Standing Member of the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission, and Deputy of the 15th National Assembly, suggests several solutions to support businesses.

Sharing the same viewpoint as Ms. Pham Chi Lan, Mr. Phan Duc Hieu - Standing Member of the Party Central Committee's Inspection Commission and Deputy of the 15th National Assembly, also believes that in recent times, the Government has continuously proposed policies aimed at improving the investment and business environment and enhancing competitiveness. However, the current reality still demonstrates that there are many business conditions that pose difficulties for enterprises.

According to Mr. Phan Duc Hieu, there are two roles that VCCI has demonstrated very well: policy advocacy and advisory functions, disseminating good practices in implementing regulations. Therefore, considering VCCI's roles and mission, Mr. Phan Duc Hieu suggests that in order to support businesses and promote institutional and business environment reforms, VCCI needs to further enhance these roles.

Dr Nguyen Dinh Cung - Former Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM)

According to Dr. Nguyen Dinh Cung - Former Director of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), the research team's capacity in designing reform programs is currently lacking. We need a more specialized team to support reform proposals, thus a strong research force is necessary. Simultaneously, there should be more coordination between research and policy advocacy to enhance responsibilities. I hope that VCCI will continue to be a cornerstone for the business community.

Ms. Pham Thi Thu Hang - Former Secretary General of VCCI sharing at the conference

At the conference, Ms. Pham Thi Thu Hang - Former Secretary General of VCCI, acknowledged that VCCI plays a role in policy advisory and provides support services for businesses. Identifying new services suitable for businesses in the current context poses a significant challenge. VCCI always has new tools to support businesses, especially during the period from 2000 until recently. However, recently, our services have encountered many challenges. Therefore, we need to make efforts to identify new characteristic services with the VCCI brand and meet the demands of life.

"I hope that in the near future, VCCI will involve other committees and centers under VCCI in activities supporting businesses," Ms. Hang suggested.

The VCCI Executive Committee coordinates dialogues: "VCCI confidently advances, creating value"

Taking note of the opinions of experts and leaders of affiliated units, delivering closing remarks at the conference, Chairman Pham Tan Cong expressed, "Through this training session, we've had the privilege of hearing experts share their insights, particularly regarding VCCI's 60-year tradition. This has been truly inspiring for the new generation of VCCI. Additionally, during this training, we've also exchanged further on the development of human resources, financial management, and international relations. It is our hope that through this training, we not only gain more professional knowledge but also garner inspiration to collectively lead the growth of our respective units. The Executive Committee has also decided that, starting from this year, VCCI will annually organize similar training sessions to enhance the cohesion among our VCCI members."

"We have committed to spearheading the development of a business culture; pioneering the establishment of an ethical foundation for business and a business philosophy. VCCI has the mission to promote the development of the Vietnamese business community and entrepreneurs. Vietnamese entrepreneurs have a mission to contribute to the development of the nation. With the spirit of VCCI as a family, we will collectively strive to achieve the highest goals, thereby contributing to society and the nation's growth," Chairman Pham Tan Cong emphasized.

Source: Business Forum Magazine.