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I
n recent years there have been many
forums, conferences and seminars
on corporate social responsibility
(CSR) in Vietnam. Along with compa-
nies, these events have often attracted
the attention and participation of Viet-
nam’s government ministries.
This is because lots of major prob-
lems remain in Vietnam, including the
gap between rich and poor and envi-
ronmental degradation.
One key move to handle these
problems by the Ministry of Culture,
Sports and Tourism was the issuing of
the Green Lotus Label two years ago.
This is a tool to evaluate the environ-
mental protection values of tourist ac-
commodation establishments. It also
helps to improve awareness and knowl-
edge about environmental protection
and sustainable development in the
tourism industry.
The Environmentally and Socially
Responsible Tourism Capacity Develop-
ment Program (ESRT) funded by the
European Union is also working to im-
prove tourism standards. ESRT often or-
ganises surveys, workshops and events
in order to support the local tourism au-
thorities and in developing the industry.
Currently, the ESRT program is con-
ducting guest surveys in five destina-
tions: Sapa, Halong Bay, Thua Thien
Hue, Danang and Quang Nam. These
will provide the Vietnam National Ad-
ministration of Tourism (VNAT) and the
tourism sector more broadly with infor-
mation to help enhance the quality of
tourism products and services, as well
as strengthen tourism development
planning and destination management.
ESRT has also thrown its support
behind the Vietnam International Travel
Mart (VITM) 2014 in Hanoi. With its
mandate to spread the message of Re-
sponsible Tourism, ESRT will be present
at VITM 2014 with a responsible tour-
ism booth to disseminate information
about principles and practices. It also
has three slots at the VITM 2014 confer-
ence on responsible tourism.
In addition, the United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation
(UNIDO) has joined forces with the Viet-
namese government to establish the Vi-
etnam Cleaner Production Center which
helps Vietnamese enterprises install en-
vironmental management systems and
follow green procurement practices.
Along with the efforts of govern-
ment and NGOs, many local and inter-
national hospitality groups and compa-
nies are engaged in CSR efforts aimed at
addressing Vietnam’s social problems.
Accor is a leading hospitality group,
also known for its commitment to the
development of the local community and
environment. With more than 20 years
in Vietnam, Accor is well-known for its
many philanthropic activities in the coun-
try. It has raised approximately $51,000
for the Operation Smile campaign.
Accor is now implementing a new
sustainable
development
strategy:
PLANET 21, which refers to Agenda 21
- the action plan adopted by 173 heads
of state at the 1992 Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro. It also echoes the urgent
need to focus efforts in the 21st century
to change production and consumption
patterns with the goal of protecting our
planet, its people and their environment.
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timeout
Corporate social responsibility is becoming increas-
ingly important in Vietnam’s tourism industry given
the nation’s serious environmental concerns, writes
Duc Hanh
Positive
business
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY