VINASME co-operates with UNESCAP to find and support "Special" Inclusive businesses

This morning, the economic development expert, representative of UNESCAP, Dr. Armin Bauer said that enterprises with an "inclusive" model are those who operate commercially but consume products and create great opportunities for low-income people. Up to now, UNESCAP has implemented some successful support models in some Asian countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar and China.

As an example of inclusive model, a coffee company in the Philippines is associated with thousands of farmer households, generating a lot of profit for that enterprise as well as paying a higher price than the market for the households' products. Such enterprises are considered "Inclusive", explained expert Armin Bauer.

Or in India, a business supported cataract surgery for the poor at a cost of only US $6/time, and the number of people receiving this preferential service amounted to one million cases/year, while the company still works well with good profits.

As expected, a committee including: UNESCAP, Government and associations, will be established in Vietnam and they will build a transparent and public selection system with the most appropriate criteria. Accordingly, about 50 potential businesses will be invited to interview.

Dr. Armin Bauer said that the prefered businesses should be: medium-sized, high-profit margin, lawful and socially responsible, transparent, conscious and acting. The criteria will be very specific, in addition to an effective business model, social responsibility, and innovation are also important.

Enterprises participating in the project will have 2 benefits, firstly they will be widely promoted on the mass media; and the second is to receive priority incentives such as capital, support to build facilities and techniques, trade promotion activities... for their production and business. Thereby, UNESCAP representative expressed his wish that VINASME would participate in the project to support "Inclusive" enterprises by searching and providing information of member enterprises of VINASME who have met the conditions for participating in the project.

Thanks to Dr. Armin Bauer for taking the time to discuss with VINASME, Mr. To Hoai Nam - Standing Vice Chairman and General Secretary of VINASME, said that the association agrees with UNESCAP's proposal and will seek and select the most suitable companies to coordinate with UNESCAP.

“We not only wish to introduce qualified enterprises but also want to act with the UN to contribute to the implementation of this idea. Therefore, VINASME hopes to have further access to the project information ", Mr. To Hoai Nam expressed.

It is expected that in August 2019, UNESCAP will organize training sessions for committee members on how to deploy enterprises, and at the same time organize workshops in provinces of Vietnam to propagate the project.