The trend of sustainable development, green transformation, circular economy, and eco-industrial parks are the top concerns of countries and businesses around the world. Photo: S.T

Towards sustainable development

Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh, national technical expert of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said that the world business community is transforming very strongly towards the goal of "net zero" on the sustainable business, so Vietnamese businesses cannot stand outside this trend. Participating in sustainable development goals brings many benefits to businesses, such as improving production and business results, attaching employees to the business, enhancing position, competitive advantage, attracting investment from enterprise…

Talking with reporters, Ms. Le Thi Hong Nhi, Director of External Communications for Sustainable Development of Unilever Vietnam International Company Limited, said that Unilever's factory in Vietnam has achieved sustainable green development standards since 9 years ago. The enterprise achieves "net zero" in production activities at factories in Vietnam by 2021. "We have used biomass, solar energy, planted trees, and have committed to planting 1 million trees to 2027. Currently, up to this point Unilever has planted about 630,000 trees, each year, the business plants about 250,000 trees in Vietnam," Ms. Nhi said.

Mr. Trinh Tien Dung, General Director of Dai Dung Group, said that the enterprise has boldly invested in production lines, improved the quality of supply chain management, promoted export markets, reinvested, and Maintain capital; focus on training and fostering technical skills, constantly innovate and progress.

Thanks to applying certificates according to international standards for sustainable development in production and business since 2018, at this time, when many businesses are facing difficulties, Dai Dung Group is still developing steadily; increasing Growth is 30-40% each year. Currently, Dai Dung's projects are being constructed and supplying all products to the world that meet the criteria of sustainable development in materials, technology, and green.

New picture for the industrial park

In the context of the country's increasingly deep integration and the 4.0 Industrial Revolution taking place very quickly in all fields; especially when the world economy and Vietnam are recovering after the pandemic has placed demands on export processing zones and industrial parks (EXP, Industrial Parks) of provinces and cities and Ho Chi Minh City must innovate. Especially the trend of eco-industrial parks and high-tech industrial parks through technological innovation, value enhancement and environmental friendliness...

Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park is being transformed following the approach of the Global Eco-Industrial Park Program for the period 2020 - 2023, supported by the Swiss Government. There are currently 24 businesses here registered to participate in the program to convert to cleaner production models to effectively use raw materials and fuel and be environmentally sustainable. With new industrial parks, Ho Chi Minh City orients development according to the provisions of Decree 35/ND-CP and will pilot the construction from the beginning of an ecological industrial park associated with technological innovation.

However, according to experts, the eco-industrial park model only truly promotes its positive role in the country's sustainable development strategy when it is replicated across the country, with support on policy, technology, finance, information and close connection mechanisms between domestic agencies and international organizations. At the same time, adding preferential financial policies for industrial parks, ecological zones, and ecological enterprises, such as tax exemption and reduction, land rent, priority credit loans... is necessary to encourage self-implement businesses on the conversion and construction of new eco-industrial parks.

Mr. Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Research, said that Ho Chi Minh City is a pioneer in building and developing export processing zones, industrial parks, and high-tech zones. But after more than 30 years, Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks are gradually becoming outdated as they still develop and base on labor intensiveness and are slow in technological transformation. Therefore, the issue of converting the type of industrial park at the end of the land lease term is raised. According to Mr. Pham Binh An, to promote green production transformation, there needs to be a synchronous policy mechanism to mobilize domestic and foreign resources. Besides, the legal framework for green economic development should be based on regional and world standards.

Mr. Dao Xuan Duc, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Industrial Park Business Association (HBA), said that currently, many businesses in industrial parks are very interested in sustainable development activities, including the application of sustainable development standards of ESG. Accordingly, in the future, the Association will also coordinate with partners to support businesses in EPZs and Industrial Parks with solutions and models so businesses can apply green transformation and sustainable development. The Association will also propose that Ho Chi Minh City have policies to support businesses in investing in more equipment and technology to treat waste and wastewater into the environment to meet sustainable development criteria.