VCCI Vice President Bùi Trung Nghĩa speaks at the Forum

In his opening remarks, VCCI Vice President Bùi Trung Nghĩa highlighted a fundamental shift in the way businesses approach competition: from “having products to sell” to “having data to prove”. This is not merely a slogan, but a reality that is unfolding as the European Union, the United States and Japan tighten technical barriers through the European Green Deal, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the “Farm to Fork” Strategy, and mandatory ESG reporting requirements.

For Lâm Đồng, where coffee, pepper, vegetables, fruits and textiles are key export products, these pressures are being felt directly. The EU’s Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) requires the geolocation of individual plots of agricultural land, while the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA 204) requires food traceability within 24 hours. These requirements present potential bottlenecks that could result in Lâm Đồng’s agricultural products being excluded from supply chains if businesses fail to adapt in time. At the same time, however, they also present an opportunity for first movers to establish sustainable competitive advantages.

A key highlight of the Forum was that SMEs were provided with specific action roadmaps rather than general warnings. The five-step framework introduced by Deloitte suggests that businesses should begin by assessing their ESG maturity, leverage existing certifications such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and prioritize meeting the specific requirements of major customers before moving toward comprehensive implementation. The four-layer Digital Governance Model presented by FPT IS points to a practical approach: ESG data should be generated automatically from day-to-day production and business operations through ERP systems, rather than manually compiled at the end of the year – a costly and less reliable approach.

Of particular note, BIDV’s green finance solutions, including preferential credit rates starting from 4.4% per annum, the “3 NOs” export financing package, and an ESCO model for rooftop solar power requiring no initial capital investment, directly address the biggest challenge facing small businesses: limited access to capital and a lack of collateral.

The overarching message of the Forum, encapsulated in the “5L” principle – “Make the Right Choices, Quantify with Data, Connect, Spread, and Grow” – serves as a reminder that ESG does not require immediate perfection, but rather represents a continuous journey of improvement and upgrading. With the support of local authorities, banks and consulting organizations, businesses in Lâm Đồng have a solid foundation to turn green barriers into a sustainable gateway to global value chains.