In the 2015-2020 term, despite facing many difficulties and challenges, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has successfully completed the directions and main tasks set out by the 6th VCCI Congress. and other tasks assigned by the Party and State, towards a strong business community, a thriving Nation.

Meet the development requirements of the business community

Through the main activities of VCCI, the development of laws and policies, improving the business environment, promoting trade and investment, training, consulting, providing information for businesses, ... have been achieved, generally increasing by 20% compared to the previous term, achieving an average growth rate of 7.5%/year. All aspects of work are implemented comprehensively and the quality is improved in the direction of professionalism.

   The role of VCCI in participating in the development of institutions, policies and laws, improving the business investment environment, and promoting administrative procedure reform has been increasingly affirmed and promoted. VCCI has focused on strengthening the linkages and improving the capacity of associations, ensuring to promote the synergy of the nationwide business association system, basically completing the establishment and implementation of activities of provincial business associations; promoting the function of representing the employer... In addition to the traditional activities, VCCI has implemented many new creative and flexible activities to meet the development requirements of the economy and the business community. The position and reputation of VCCI has been enhanced domestically and internationally.

   In addition, VCCI also performed its duties well in terms of self-financing salaries and recurring costs, the State only partially supported funding for investment and trade promotion programs/projects. It was a great effort to show the enthusiasm and responsibility for the country, the business community of the Executive Board and the VCCI staff.

   In which, the activities of commenting on formulating policies and laws, and improving the business environment are promoted in both quantity and quality. VCCI actively participates in providing comments as well as developing many important legal documents and has great impacts on the business community and the economy. VCCI also regularly appoints members to directly participate in Drafting Committees and Editorial Teams, the Appraisal Board to develop and evaluate many legal documents at the request of the National Assembly, the Government, and ministries, including many very important documents and has great impact on the business community, industry and the economy; focusing on implementing many review and research activities on the development and implementation of legal documents.

   VCCI also proposes many initiatives to promote the improvement of the business environment such as: chairing the survey, survey and publication of the annual Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) (which is maintained annually from 2005); assumes the prime responsibility for developing working programs and plans of the Administrative Procedure Reform Committee (Board II) according to the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister; focuses on reviewing inadequacies in the policy implementation process of ministries, sectors and localities; coordinates with ministries and sectors to conduct surveys to assess the level of administrative procedures in a number of important specific fields such as Tax, Customs, Construction... VCCI is also a pioneer in supporting businesses to develop sustainably, and in promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs).

   Research activities and practical summaries of VCCI have increasingly focused on improving quality. VCCI has conducted and published investigations, surveys, annual reports of enterprises, reports on labor relations, SMEs, sustainable development; prepare reports on the implementation of the Government's resolutions on solutions to improve the business environment, enhance national competitiveness, and support and develop businesses... These reports have been considered as important reference documents by the National Assembly, Government, ministries, branches and localities, serving as a basis for amending and supplementing laws, mechanisms and policies on economic development, enterprises, improving business investment environment.

   Representing the business community, VCCI actively consults and contributes to finalise the country's top integration policies. Every year, VCCI provides many recommendations, suggestions and policy comments on integration issues, notably provides recommendations to the Government on the new generation Free Trade Agreement negotiation plan between Vietnam and the EU (EVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), recommendations to the Government on how to act in the context of US-China trade tensions; on the implementation of market opening of services under the CPTPP…

   In addition, the work of gathering and connecting businesses has been strengthened and expanded, achieving many positive results. Up to now, the Central Council of Business Associations has been established to perform the function of coordination, association and support for over 400 business associations, and clubs nationwide; guided the establishment and operation of 53/63 business associations at provincial and city levels. VCCI also developed a set of indicators to assess the competitiveness of Vietnam Business Associations to strengthen the capacity of business associations. During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its serious impact on production and business activities in the two years 2020 - 2021, VCCI proactively grasped the business situation through organizing online briefings with businesses, business associations; conducting surveys to consolidate, classify and propose to solve over 600 initiatives of enterprises to the Prime Minister, ministries, branches and localities.

   VCCI prioritises practical needs and captures new trends in regard to training and business development activities. Connecting training institutions with enterprises in vocational training is also focused through coordination activities with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. VCCI has actively established and expanded cooperative relationships with partner organizations to develop specialized training programs for businesses such as WB, GIZ, ILO, USAID, UNIDO, UN, WEF, WBCSD. ..

   It can be said that VCCI is the leading organization in launching the "National Startup Program" and building a network of support centers for SMEs and start-ups throughout the country. With the rapid growth in the number of businesses in recent years, VCCI has also actively developed programs to improve competitiveness for businesses to improve and improve productivity and quality of Vietnamese products, contributing to conquering Vietnamese customers and serving export; VCCI has launched and promoted the program "Vietnamese goods conquer Vietnamese people". VCCI is also actively coordinating with the Ministry of Science and Technology to prepare and complete the proposals to submit to the Government for the Program to improve the productivity and quality of Vietnamese goods in the period of 2020 - 2030.

   The activity of building a team of entrepreneurs has changed dramatically. VCCI has actively implemented the Action Program to implement Resolution 09/NQ-TW dated December 9, 2011 of the Politburo (term XI) on building and promoting the role of Vietnamese businessmen in the current period of accelerating industrialization, modernization and international integration. In addition to training programs for entrepreneurs and capacity building for employers, VCCI has implemented many programs that contribute to building a strong team of Vietnamese entrepreneurs such as: organizing and mobilizing entrepreneurs, enterprises have well implemented the "Study and follow Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style", the campaign "Vietnamese people prioritise using Vietnamese goods", "Vietnamese goods conquer Vietnamese people" and other campaigns launched by the Party, State and Vietnam Fatherland Front...

   VCCI also performs well the role of the national employer's representative, supporting the building of harmonious labor relations; actively participate in the National Labor Relations Committee, the National Wage Council, the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health, the Management Council of the Social Insurance Fund; participate in the process of formulating policies to improve the organizational structure of the employer's representative agency in Vietnam. For the first time, the role of representing, protecting legitimate rights and interests and participating in building progressive, harmonious and stable labor relations of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and representative organizations of employers have been legislated and specified in the Labor Code 2019.

   Supporting businesses in integration, sustainable development, improving social responsibility

   In particular, trade and investment promotion activities are fostered by VCCI in key markets such as the US, EU, Japan, Korea, China, Russia...; Organize trade and investment promotion activities through Vietnamese business forums and strategic partners and business councils; actively develop and implement a number of important trade-investment promotion programs and projects assigned by the Government such as trade and investment promotion scheme with strategic partners, key markets according to Resolution 25/NQ-CP of the Government, projects to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve their competitiveness…

   VCCI also promotes international economic integration through outstanding external events. As a national organization representing the Vietnamese business community, VCCI has contributed ideas at meetings of international and regional organizations such as the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) in the United States, Indonesia and China; GMS Business Council in Thailand, Philippines, Japan…; has represented the business community to participate in bilateral and multilateral committees on economic cooperation, international and regional economic organizations. A notable event during its tenure was that VCCI successfully organized business events before and within the framework of APEC 2017 Summit, in which, the Vietnam Business Summit (VBS) was held for the first time. ); Enterprise Summit (APEC CEO Summit); successfully organized major activities in ASEAN 2020.

   Supporting and protecting businesses in business and integration is concerned and promoted by VCCI. In the context of difficult world market conditions and increasing trend of trade protectionism, VCCI has carried out plenty of direct activities to guide, support and protect Vietnamese enterprises in international trade relations through agencies established by VCCI including: Advisory Council on Trade Remedies, Advisory Committee on International Trade Policy, Office of Intellectual Property and Vietnam International Arbitration Centre.

   Pioneering in supporting businesses to develop sustainably and improve social responsibility, VCCI has proposed and successfully implemented the annual "Business Forum for Sustainable Development" (from 2014-2017) ), was assigned by the National Council on Sustainable Development and Enhancement of Competitiveness as the focal point to organize the National Conference on Sustainable Development (years 2018 - 2020); Developing the Sustainable Business Index (CSI) and organizing the annual program "Evaluating and announcing Sustainable Enterprises in Vietnam". VCCI has developed and implemented a project to support Vietnamese enterprises in implementing social responsibility towards sustainable production and consumption; As one of 69 partners in the Global Network of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); member of the Working Group of the National Cooperation Program on Decent Work (DWCP) within the framework of cooperation between the ILO and Vietnam for the period 2017 - 2021.

For a strong business community, a thriving nation

   The report summarizing the work for the term VI, 2015-2020 and working directions for the term VII, 2021-2026 of VCCI also mentions the updated, supplemented and completed contents. The new draft adds the title: "Promoting building a favorable business environment, promoting linkages between businesses and business associations, pioneering in building business culture and implementing digital transformation. Strongly renovate the organization and operation efficiency of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry".

   Accordingly, the vision and mission, supplementing the vision and mission of the business community and VCCI with the message: "With the view that the operation orientation of VCCI must be in sync with the development orientation of the country, the VCCI's vision is: Strong business community – thriving nation. The mission of VCCI is to connect, promote business and business associations to become sustainable, civilized, integrated and world-class. Together we strive to build Vietnam to become a developed, prosperous and happy country by 2045”.

   Along with that, the draft sets out 5 general goals and sets out some specific targets in the coming term such as: Organizing the annual assessment and ranking of the provincial competitiveness index (PCI); Promoting the improvement of business environment in provinces and cities; Attracting 5,000 businesses and business associations nationwide to apply a set of sustainable business indexes, build and deploy a set of green indicators, promote environmental protection and climate change adaptation in localities and businesses; Organizing at least 20 events a year to support businesses in international integration. Developing and implementing conventions and rules on business ethics, forming a value system of Vietnamese business culture; Increasing from 10% to 15% the number of official members and attracting 40% of business associations operating across the country to join the collective membership of VCCI.

To achieve the above goals, the new Draft also identifies three strategic breakthroughs.

   Firstly, participating more deeply and effectively in the process of formulating laws and policies, improving the business environment, promoting business environment facilitation, creating attraction for foreign investment capital and motivation for the establishment and development of enterprises, creating favorable conditions for enterprises to restore and expand production and business.

   Secondly, pioneering in promoting the building of business culture, corporate culture and entrepreneurial culture in Vietnam become the spiritual foundation of goals and development motivation of enterprises. Paying attention to the development, promotion and implementation of business ethics standards, culture of behavior of entrepreneurs and enterprises.

   Thirdly, promoting assistance for businesses to implement digital transformation, technology application, innovation strategy and business model. Focusing on supporting the development of technology enterprises, prioritising digital technology enterprises, industries with high readiness such as information technology industry, electronics and telecommunications, network safety and security, finance. banking, e-commerce, digital agriculture...

(Series of the 7th VCCI Congress)

According to Business Forum Magazine