At the 12th Vietnam Business Forum for Sustainable Development (VCSF), held under the theme "Sustainable development in the new era: Turning aspirations into action", Mr. Binu Jacob, General Director of Nestlé Vietnam, Co-Chairman of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) was honored to receive a commemorative medal recognizing outstanding achievements in promoting the business community to implement sustainable development initiatives in Vietnam.

Mr. Binu Jacob - General Director of Nestlé Vietnam, Co-Chairman of VBCSD, was awarded a Commemorative Medal by VBCSD in recognition of his positive contributions to the 15-year journey of promoting sustainable development in Vietnam. (Photo: Vietnam+)

On this occasion, VietnamPlus interviewed Mr. Binu Jacob about Nestlé Vietnam's breakthrough strategy in nurturing the young generation, accompanying them to become the driving force for sustainable growth for the country, especially in the context of Vietnam's Vision 2045 to become a developed, high-income country.

Enhancing the capacity of young people by giving them opportunities

- In the context of strong digital transformation and the need to improve the quality of human resources in the spirit of Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Party and Government, how has Nestlé Vietnam shaped its strategy for developing capacity and empowering the young generation to become the driving force for sustainable growth?

Mr. Binu Jacob: The young generation of Vietnam is the core force in creating the sustainable future of the country. We believe that for Vietnam to become a developed country by 2045, young people play a very important role. This is where businesses can contribute their responsibility to help young people be ready to take on this great challenge and role. Nestlé Vietnam's strategy is to identify the challenges that young people in Vietnam are facing and help them overcome them such as: The gap between training and reality; Entrepreneurial thinking and technology application; Market access opportunities and international competitiveness. Since 2020, we have implemented the global initiative Nestlé Needs YOUth (supporting young people in developing skills and career opportunities). This is a series of programs aimed at students from first to final year, from Business to Engineering, on online and offline platforms, such as the Nesternship Program with practical internship opportunities at the company; Nestlé #SparkTheNext Leaders Program - a challenging management trainee program; NestGen - an online learning platform to develop skills and connections; Technical Apprenticeship - an intensive technical vocational training program...

As a result, from 2020 to present, our programs have attracted more than 100,000 young Vietnamese people, helping them increase their job opportunities, confidently start a business and improve their knowledge and skills, thereby actively contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.

Creating the future: Nurturing young human resources for sustainable development

- Going beyond conventional training programs, Nestlé Vietnam has specific initiatives and programs to truly empower and create an environment for young people to maximize their potential. Could you share how they are encouraged to participate in key projects, come up with innovative initiatives and even take on early leadership roles, directly contributing to the digital transformation goals and improving labor productivity of the business?

Mr. Binu Jacob: We do not just stop at training but also create an environment for young people to directly create value. This is clearly demonstrated through the initiatives "Promoting entrepreneurial thinking". Every year, Nestlé Vietnam sponsors at least 3 startup competitions (such as Hult Prize, Young Lions, Future Entrepreneurs and Start-up Vietnam), contributing to nurturing young business talents and supporting them to start and develop their own businesses. These competitions have attracted 60 startups in 2024 and aim to increase to 200 startups by 2025.

In particular, we also support the startup program in the agricultural sector - an economic sector that supports the country. Recognizing the dual challenges in the agricultural sector when the workforce in this sector is aging, less likely to attract the next generation of young people, and the farms are also aging, under pressure from climate change, we focus on training coffee growing skills for young farmers and inspiring the application of science and technology in agricultural cultivation. Our goal is to help young people see how agriculture can change their lives, thereby encouraging them to take over their family farms and gain confidence in sustainable farming methods. That is why I shared the story of Mr. Y Hung Nie, a young farmer and also the leader of the Nescafé Plan farmer group in Dak Lak. By applying science and technology, digital tools and sustainable farming methods, he became an agricultural entrepreneur with tripled profits and a farm that met Net Zero standards.

 Mr. Binu Jacob - Co-Chairman of VBCSD, General Director of Nestlé Vietnam speaking at VCSF 2025. (Photo: Vietnam+)

In addition, to increase the opportunities for young people to access and compete internationally, we nurture and train a generation of global technical experts (global SME engineers). Through the process of learning and working in international factories, young Vietnamese personnel narrow the skill gap with the world. For example, the story of the first Vietnamese personnel to become a performance supervisor of Nestlé factories globally, young engineer Nguyen Van Tien. From the very beginning, Tien showed his acumen, intelligence and eagerness to learn. However, the biggest limitation and obstacle in Tien's work is foreign language. Therefore, we have supported Tien to gradually improve this skill and given him the opportunity to work and improve at Nestlé factories in the region. Currently, Tien has become the first Vietnamese person to assume the position of supervising the performance of Nestlé's global factories. I believe that there will be many more young Vietnamese talents like Tien, if given the opportunity, who will become high-quality human resources, bringing their knowledge, skills and international experience back to help develop the country.

National Vision 2045 and the role of young people

- Investing in the development and empowerment of young people brings strategic value to businesses in the long term and, more importantly, how does it contribute to the country's sustainable growth goals, especially as Vietnam moves towards 2045? Could you share the messages you want to convey to the business community and policy makers about the role of the young generation?

Mr. Binu Jacob: Investing in the development and empowerment of young people brings great strategic value, both to businesses and to the country.

For businesses, the message I want to share is: Business leaders need to have a clear priority for youth development and systematically monitor these indicators. Invest in young people – not only financially but also with trust, opportunities and companionship.

At the national level, human resource development, especially young human resources, plays an important role in realizing Vietnam's vision to 2045. When the young generation is fully equipped with skills, knowledge and opportunities, they will become the pioneering generation to create a green, prosperous and sustainable Vietnam.

Sustainable development is a goal that no single business or country can achieve by its own efforts. Therefore, the Government, businesses and social organizations need to cooperate closely. As young people are an important driving force for the country's comprehensive sustainable development, the government, businesses, and social organizations must work together to build an ecosystem to support young people - from education to employment and entrepreneurship./.

Thank you!

The new law also encourages businesses to provide clear mechanisms for risk-free scientific research. (Photo: Vietnam+)