Speaking at the award ceremony in HCMC, Nguyen Thi Hong, vice chairperson of the People’s Committee of HCMC, praised the significance of the award. The seventh annual award was organized by the Saigon Times Group’s two English-language publications – The Saigon Times Daily and The Saigon Times Weekly – and endorsed by the Vietnam Environment Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Foreign Investment Agency of the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The city leader said, “Discovering and glorifying foreign-invested enterprises that have effectively applied green ideas to their production and business activities and have actively contributed to the community is well worth appreciating at a time when the environment is seriously deteriorating with many enterprises found to be seeking short-term gains at the expense of the environment.

“It is a reminder that business efficiency should go along with sustainable growth.”

Asked what their environmental protection programs usually face in the implementation process, some of the award winners said budget constraints were just a minor thing but raising awareness among stakeholders was most difficult.

Following are the thoughts shared by a number of award winners at the award ceremony at the Caravelle Hotel in the center of town:

Khoo Teck Chong, general director of Setia Becamex JSC:

“We got ideas from township development in Malaysia and thought that township development was of potential in Vietnam. We think the eco element is very important for a township and we have brought the eco concept to Vietnam. Eco comes with a lot of challenges. The most important thing is earth work and infrastructure, so we try to maintain the original habitats and fauna. That is most challenging. Of course, when we do environmental protection, it requires cost. However, I do not think it is a very expensive thing. It’s just a real effort from us. As an eco-sanctuary project, we are not forced to do it, but it is our objective, our mission.”

Thomas Tobin, chief executive officer of HSBC Bank Vietnam:

“We have two main areas for corporate sustainability and education environment. In Vietnam, we do a lot of education programs and recently do more environmental programs. We look at some NGO partners that we could tie up with to do something meaningful in Vietnam. HSBC has a worldwide agreement with WWF, so we contact them for environmental education programs in the Mekong Delta provinces to learn about how climate change is impacting people in the delta, farmers and agriculture.

I think building awareness is a problem. It is the most difficult thing. Everybody has heard about ‘We should do something for the environment?’ but not so specific. We have run a lot of programs for our staff members like seminars to explain how climate change is, about what individuals can do, what steps they can take to help improve consumption, reduce demand of waste. Then we widen out the program to customers.

We have been here for many years, and in all countries and communities where we operate we expect to be here for many years to come. We understand that it is not a one-day program going to be sustainable. I think the stage of development here in Vietnam is to start building awareness and education, but then do longer term programs. Vietnam will be one of the countries most affected by global warming, by climate change.

The authorities have come out and said it is a major issue for Vietnam and we should take some actions. So I think companies have a role to play and if everyone takes a similar view, the whole problem will start to be tackled.

We see responsibility to engage our staff in the program, making them feel more than just a place to go and work than go home, but a place they do something for the community, do something for education, and do something for the environment. They will feel proud of contributions they have made. If a company can cooperate with this, it is a win-win situation.”

Le Viet Hung, marketing director of Philips Electronic Vietnam Phillips Vietnam:

“We always apply green ideas in production and research activities. In our main businesses including marketing and trade promotion, we always raise the awareness of environmental protection among our clients. That is a key target for Phillips Vietnam to contribute to effective energy use as well as save limited natural resources. However, since many people do not have full awareness of power saving, sometimes campaigns for saving electricity nationwide are faced with difficulties.”

Andrew Scown, vice president of RMIT Vietnam:

“Because the students are young people, a lot of students come in and out of the school every year, we are having totally 6,000 students in RMIT Vietnam at the moment, so what we want to do is to make each of our students be a very good example for planting trees at their families and their friends, set good awareness of contributing to a greener environment to the community. We will make our building greener and planting more trees in the community, using power economically and other activities, not just for the economy, but for the sustainable environment as well.”

Nguyen Xuan Hai, managing director of Big C:

“As a retail chain, we have an environmental protection policy factored into our business in countries where we do business. In addition to raising awareness about environmental protection, we take specific actions through a program to offer customers reusable bags, instead of nylon ones that are proven to do harm to the environment.

We are mulling using degradable nylon bags at our supermarkets, and giving out such containers in the coming time. We are also putting on a program in which we collect used batteries for proper treatment, instead of letting them be emitted into the environment.”

Le Vinh Thai, director of engineering of Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon: “Every year our hotel works out some plans and programs for sustainable development, including making the hotel environmentally friendly and carrying out environmental activities. For instance, we have just completed a new electric pumping system to replace the old one. The new system will help the hotel save some US$140,000 within two and a half years on expenditures like electricity and petrol. Moreover, the system will create a fresh and clean working environment for staff. We are also making some plans for months to come. The basements will be renovated to create fresh air for staff to work. The central air-conditioning system of the hotel will also be renovated to make it power-efficient. In July, August and September this year, a series of activities within the ‘Clean The World’ campaign will be taking place, including collecting garbage in the Saigon River. We do something new for the people and environment everyyear.”

Source: Saigontimes