VinaCapital Group has published its first environmental, social and governance annual report on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. — VNS thitruongtaichinhtiente.vn
VinaCapital Group has published its first environmental, social and governance (ESG) annual report on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.
It details the investment company’s initiatives and practices in this regard, including building an ESG culture as a core corporate value, its investment policies and its support for businesses and partners in raising awareness and building capacity for ESG practices.
Don Lam, its CEO and founding partner, said: “We recognise the importance of ESG and set a mission to fully incorporate ESG into our business and our culture.
“As a responsible investor, VinaCapital is proud to play a pioneering role in helping Vietnamese companies better understand the importance of ESG, as well as apply it to their business management and operations to be more successful and develop sustainably."
VinaCapital developed a responsible investment policy for listed companies several years ago, and it defines how ESG issues are incorporated into the investment decision-making process.
It also collaborates with its investee companies and helps them improve their ESG application capacity in a number of ways, including liaising with them to push for the establishment of clear ESG strategies and encourage the implementation of ESG initiatives.
It has an internal ESG rating system, and has completed assessments of 112 businesses in its portfolio.
It has tied up with global energy companies such as GS Energy and EDF Renewables to invest in clean energy such as solar power, onshore and offshore wind power, liquefied natural gas, biomass, and hydrogen to help Việt Nam fulfil its commitment to achieve net zero by 2050.
In the real estate sector, it applies sustainable design techniques and pursues World Bank/IFC's EDGE green building certifications to save energy, water and energy used in producing construction materials.
In its venture capital activities, it prioritises investment in start-ups that create solutions and can achieve breakthrough developments to address environmental and sustainability issues.
It is a founding member of the Institute for Circular Economy Development.
Internally, it has gradually established ESG as a culture in the daily working and behaviours of its staff.
Employees are encouraged to participate in voluntary activities and contribute to the community, something VinaCapital Foundation has been doing for 17 years.
“CSR initiatives have been a cornerstone of VinaCapital almost since the day we started the company 20 years ago,” Lam said.
“We have always felt that we have a duty to help Việt Nam’s less fortunate and vulnerable communities and help ensure they have opportunities to participate in the rapid economic development the country has been undergoing.
"We started the VinaCapital Foundation in 2006 and it is now one of the leading NGOs focusing on health and education for Vietnamese children and women from poor families thanks to the generous support from corporate and individual donors in Việt Nam and around the world."
Over the past 17 years the VinaCapital Foundation's sustainable development programmes have saved the lives of more than 10,000 children with congenital heart disease and helped improve the livelihoods of thousands of people across the country.
For its pioneering ESG investment activities, in 2022 the company was given the "Most Responsible Investor" award by the Pacific Basin Economic Council. — VNS