A team of Vietnamese entrepreneurs to take virtue as the root: Chairman of VCCI
Vietnamese entrepreneurs represent the will and energy of a nation that does not endure poverty, rises to wealth, and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with developed countries. Building a team of entrepreneurs means building a team of virtuous and talented people who take virtue as the root.
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| Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). (Photo: THT) |
Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), shared with the World and Vietnam Report about business ethics on Vietnam Entrepreneurs Day on October 13, 2022.
In the current context of the country's extensive international economic integration, the role and position of Vietnamese business people are increasingly enhanced. In your opinion, how has the business team promoted their roles and responsibilities for the country's socio-economic development?
The team of Vietnamese businessmen is growing stronger and making significant contributions to the success of the renovation, construction, and defense of the Fatherland in many aspects. Vietnam has nearly 880 thousand businesses and over 5 million business households. Vietnamese entrepreneurs have a team of millions of people, most of whom have university degrees (almost 79.9%), wisdom, bravery, business acumen, high national spirit, and social responsibility.
Some entrepreneurs have been listed as the world's billionaires. The business sector contributes over 60% of GDP, about 70% of state budget revenue, and about 30% of the total number of employees.
In particular, currently, the Vietnamese business people crystallize and represent the will and energy of the nation, not resigned to poverty, rising to get rich, and standing shoulder to shoulder with developed countries. Society admires and honors entrepreneurs as a "central fi gure" of the period of economic construction and development of the country according to the goal of rich people, a strong nation, and a democratic, fair, and civilized society.
Building a team of entrepreneurs means building a team of virtuous and talented entrepreneurs who take virtue as the root; if the core is strong, the development of entrepreneurs and businesses will be sustainable.
The business world has a significant role and influence on culture and morality in society. At the 7th VCCI National Congress in December 2021, building business ethics and culture was a critical task by VCCI and one of the three strategic breakthroughs of the new term. Can you share more about this?
With the vision that our country will become a developed country by the middle of this century, VCCI considers building business ethics and culture a strategy task in the coming period. The vast majority of Vietnamese business people do genuine, brave, and creative businesses, contributing to the country's development.
But there are still some businessmen who do not work ethically, violate the law, and cause damage to society and the reputation of the business world in the country. Vietnamese businesses have not built their brand of business culture as a soft power like developed countries such as Japan, the US, the EU, etc.
Therefore, building business ethics and culture should be considered urgent, strategic, and long-term tasks to develop a sustainable and integrated business community.
Business culture has three floors associated with three main subjects: entrepreneurs, businesses, and the business community. Their thinking, perception, and behavior help us realize entrepreneurs' personalities, corporate culture, and national business culture.
In building business culture, the entrepreneur is the central subject, the nucleus of building corporate culture and thereby forming the national business culture. Therefore, in this term, VCCI determines that building business ethics and culture is a strategic task in promoting the development of a team of Vietnamese entrepreneurs.
On May 19, 2022, on the occasion of the 132nd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, the Executive Board of VCCI announced and launched business people nationwide to implement the Vietnam Code of Business Ethics with six specific articles. These rules are built on the nation's traditional values, combined with the business ethics standards of international business people.
Can you share more about the Vietnam Code of Business Ethics issued by VCCI?
The set of six rules includes: (1) Creating economic value for society; (2) Complying with the law; (3) Transparency, fairness, and integrity; (4) Creativity, cooperation, and mutual development; (5) Respecting the nature, protecting the environment; (6) Patriotism, responsibility to society and family.
In particular, the first two rules are ethical principles and are also essential obligations of entrepreneurs to ensure the legitimacy and existence of the business. Entrepreneurs must contribute to economic development, create jobs, improve social welfare, and contribute to the state budget.
In particular, with the second principle, the observance of the law is a fundamental quality required in consciousness and action. Comply with the law to ensure the stability and solid development of the business.
The following two rules are considered standards for doing and operating the business and interacting with domestic and international partners. And the last two rules are the qualities required in dealing with nature, the environment, the Fatherland, society, and family.
What does VCCI expect by announcing the Code of Business Ethics?
The Code of Business Ethics will raise the awareness of business people about ethics, build of ethics-based business culture, and ensure the sustainable development of the team of Vietnamese entrepreneurs; making a significant contribution to the implementation of the policy set forth by the Party and State on building a team of entrepreneurs with a national spirit, business culture and high social responsibility.
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| In this term, VCCI determines that building business ethics and culture is a strategic task in promoting the development of a team of Vietnamese entrepreneurs. (Photo: THT) |
VCCI believes that implementing this set of rules will strengthen trust and increase the credibility of society and the market for Vietnamese entrepreneurs and businesses, thereby enhancing the prestige and competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises and products. This is a source of soft power in integration.
With 200,000 member businesses and nearly 200 member business associations, VCCI believes this will be essential for the code of ethics to come to life.
You have just mentioned the program of commenting and awarding the title of "Typical Vietnamese Entrepreneur 2022". Can you share about the new feature of this year's program?
The title of "Typical Vietnamese Entrepreneur" in 2022 highlights the criteria for practicing standards according to the Vietnam Code of Business Ethics and the requirement to be excellent in production and business. This is the first time ethical criteria have been brought to the forefront.
Honored entrepreneurs must be those who are not only good at doing business but must have ethics, business culture, law complacency, high social responsibility, and be respected by society.
In terms of quantity, implementing "reduce in quantity to increase in quality," the number of titles awarded this year will be reduced by 40%, and up to 60 entrepreneurs will be honored this time (compared to 100 previously). From this list of 60 entrepreneurs, this year will continue to vote and give special honor to the TOP10 "Typical Vietnamese Entrepreneurs" in 2022.
In addition, the Program will honor typical business models that have made outstanding contributions to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Another new feature is that this year's Review Regulations provide transparency and maintain the title's reputation.
Entrepreneurs participate in the review voluntarily and are selected and nominated by the People's Committees of the provinces, cities, ministries, branches, business associations, or press agencies. Candidates are not required to pay any fees or charges and are not allowed to give gifts of any kind to anyone involved in the review.
Thank you very much.
