The businesses that received award national trademark 2012. This year, 63 businesses from various sectors will be awarded at the Hanoi Opera House on December 23. — File Photo

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The National Trademark Council will award Vietnam Value 2014, or national trademark, to 63 domestic businesses that achieved sustainable development and managed to maintain the prestige of their products at home and in foreign markets.

The awarding ceremony will be held at the Hanoi Opera House on December 23.

Speaking at a press conference to introduce the Vietnam Value 2014 ceremony on December 16, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said that the awarded businesses operate in various areas, including engineering, garment and textiles, leather shoes and electricity. Some of the awardees are from the information technology, telecommunication, seafood and financing sectors. Other enterprises recognised are from the banking, beverage and trade and service fields. Businesses from the tourism transportation and real estate sectors are awarded as well.

Hai, who is also the deputy chairman of the National Trademark Council, announced that more than 1,500 businesses vied to be recognised in the Vietnam Value 2014, but only 63 met its criteria.

Several aspects were considered in the selection of the awarded businesses. The winners were determined based mainly on their payment of taxes to the State budget, social insurance and their responses to their responsibilities to the community. Possessing a certificate on quality management, which indicates their adherence to international standards, sustainable development schemes and environmental protection strategies, was considered as well.

"We have co-ordinated with different sectors to scrutinise the businesses' operation to ensure fairness among all the contenders," guaranteed Hai.

Among the businesses examined this year, 23 have consecutively won the prizes four times, while 11 have been awarded three times. Meanwhile, 15 businesses registered for the award for the first time this year.

The deputy minister said that building the national trademark plays an important role in the country's economic development, along with the implementation of the commitments made with the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the World Trade Organisation. The Vietnamese businesses' products will have to fiercely compete with imported ones. Meanwhile, if Vietnamese businesses do not bolster their trademarks, then they will be unable to gain access to the world market once it opens.

The State will support the awarded businesses to achieve a firm stand on the domestic market. It will also create conditions to aid these enterprises to develop their trademark in the world market.

The director of the ministry's Trade Promotion Department, Bui Huy Son, pronounced that the theme, Quality – Innovation – Leadership, indicates the goal of the national trademark programme to become a tool to help market the country's image. Therefore, the awarded businesses will have to prove their capacity at a global scale.

"The businesses themselves will have to continuously carry out activities following the national trademark programme's criteria," said Son. "If they fail to follow such criteria, they will be out of the list," he added.

The programme organises a ceremony to announce the awarded businesses presented with the national trademark symbol. This event occurs once every two years.

Previous reports show that the number of businesses awarded in 2008, 2010 and 2012 were 30, 43 and 54, respectively.— VNS