HCMCity (VNA) - Business leaders, representatives of civil society,international organizations and consumers all agreed that promoting diversityand inclusion makes business sense at an event on inclusive business on October11.

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI),the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association (VUSTA), the UN DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP) and the Centre for Social Initiatives Promotion (CSIP) jointlyheld the InclusiveBusiness Forum in Ho Chi Minh City on the eve of the Vietnam Entrepreneur’s Day.

“UNDP believes in leaving no one behind, that isthe best and the only way forward to achieving sustainable development andprotecting our single planet,” said Dao Xuan Lai, UNDP Assistant Resident Representativein Vietnam.

“Many Vietnamese businesses are already greeningtheir investments, generating decent jobs, creating opportunities to reduceinequalities in the workforce and challenging stereotypes, including forPersons with Disabilities and LGBTI persons. The Inclusive Business Forumprovides a space to recognize and promote these leaders in business,” Lai said.

Participantsat the forum said with a diverse work staff, regardless of their background,sexual orientation, gender identity, or being differently abled, businesses inVietnam can tap into a pool of new talents and innovative ideas to keep up withrapidly changing markets.

TheInclusive Business Forum showcased examples of the innovation, business, andequality case for diversity and inclusion and discussed how these seeminglycompeting interests could not only complement but mutually reinforced eachother.

CEOs,directors, managers and business leaders of multinational corporations,Vietnamese businesses, SMEs discussed the challenges and solutions associatedwith integrating diversity and inclusion into business operations, and toexplore potential areas of collaboration for future endeavours.

PhuNhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ)talked about their progressive marketing campaigns in using same sex couples tomodel their jewelry. This messaging helps to challenge stereotypes and combatdiscrimination against LGBTI, while PNJ can develop their consumer base byopening up their product and service lines to niche market segments.

Meanwhile,Francesco Tran Van Lieng, President of Vinacacao, said: “Vietnamcacao focuseson enhancing the social responsibility by keeping pace with 4.0 technologytrend to help the disabled and less competitive labour forces to integrate intothe working environment and contribute to the business growth, therebyredistributing benefits to society.”

Theforum is part of the En Xanh (Blue Swallows) programe, the first in Vietnam to seek andhonour business initiatives for sustainable development.

The programme, jointly held by the VCCI, VUSTA,UNDP and the CSIP, runs from August to October 2019./.