According to a recent report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), after the technology sector, the green economy is currently the fastest-growing sector globally, with an estimated size of over USD 5 trillion each year. Within the next five years, this figure could reach around USD 7 trillion per year, opening up an enormous development space for businesses that take the lead in green transition.

Experts also point out that delaying investment in emissions reduction and strengthening resilience today will cause governments and businesses to pay a far higher price in the future. The green economy, therefore, is not only a matter of responsibility, but one of the greatest growth opportunities of the planet in this century.

From the world to Vietnam

Another very notable global trend is the increasingly clear role of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology in this process. AI, big data, and digital platforms not only help businesses operate more efficiently, but also support the measurement, management, and transparency of Environmental – Social – Governance (ESG) factors.

In particular, the concept of green AI is gradually taking shape: that is the development and application of AI in a direction that saves energy, reduces emissions, optimizes resource use, and directly serves sustainable development goals (SDGs). When properly oriented, AI not only enhances competitiveness and productivity, but also becomes an important tool helping businesses manage energy intelligently, forecast climate risks, optimize supply chains, and reduce environmental costs.

Returning to the national picture, Vietnam enters 2026 with a highly valuable foundation, built from strong and decisive steps, together with resolutions and policies of strategic vision issued by the Party and the State in recent times.

Those orientations have clearly affirmed that sustainable development, green growth, digital transformation, and innovation are the pillars of the new growth model, while placing businesses at the center of the implementation process. The message delivered is very clear: the State creates institutions – businesses take action – society accompanies.

Unlocking mindset – Unlocking action

Within that picture, the Vietnamese business community is standing before a new opportunity. But that opportunity will only become reality when each enterprise dares to ask itself a fundamental question: will we continue to follow the familiar path, or proactively open up a path of sustainable development based on knowledge, technology, and innovation for ourselves?

In my view, the most important starting point is still unlocking mindset. Sustainable development should not be viewed as a compliance burden or an additional cost, but should be recognized as a strategic investment for the future. In the context of increasingly fierce global competition, any business that knows how to leverage technology—especially AI in a green and responsible direction—to use resources more efficiently, manage better, and improve productivity will gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

That new mindset needs to be transformed into concrete actions. Not every enterprise can deploy complex technological solutions from the outset, but every enterprise can start with steps suitable to its own scale and capacity.

These may include reviewing governance models to enhance transparency; investing in improving energy efficiency and reducing waste in production and operations; gradually applying digital technology, data, and AI to improve management efficiency; or building basic ESG reporting systems to meet the increasingly high requirements of partners and investors. What matters is not doing something big from the beginning, but doing it correctly, doing it smartly, and doing it persistently and effectively.

Together with the country to seize a new opportunity

I strongly believe that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the Vietnamese business community to shift from a state of “passive adaptation” to “proactive creation.” When businesses not only wait for policies but proactively participate together with the State in the implementation process; when large enterprises not only optimize for themselves but also lead and support smaller enterprises in the supply chain; when technology is developed and applied in a green, resource-efficient, and humane direction, then the strength of the entire economy will be multiplied in a truly substantive way.

In that journey, the role of accompanying organizations is extremely important. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) will continue to steadfastly pursue their mission of connecting policy with practice, providing tools, training programs, and platforms for dialogue and cooperation so that Vietnamese enterprises can gradually enhance their capacity for sustainable development in accordance with international standards, while effectively seizing opportunities from digital transformation, innovation, and the green economy.

More than ever, the Vietnamese business community should together unlock mindset to see opportunities in transition, unlock actions to create sustainable value, and together embrace new opportunities with their own capability, intellect, and responsibility.

When each enterprise transforms, the entire economy will transform.

When the business community is strong enough and green enough, the country will gain a stronger foundation to enter an era of rise, an era of knowledge, innovation, sustainable growth, and prosperity.

Mr. Nguyễn Quang Vinh - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Chairman of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD)