Representatives of 40 Vietnamese and German companies in Viet Nam pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards wildlife crimes at a workshop here today.

They agreed to take a public stand against the buying, gifting and consumption of wild animals and pass on the message to their clients and staff throughout their companies.

The event, organised by TRAFFIC with funding from WWF-Germany and Intelligentmedia behavioural change communication company, aims to encourage the business community to step forward to handle social and environmental issues.

“Wildlife trafficking is transnational by nature and bears repercussions that are felt worldwide. It is an issue that resonates with the German people, and we are pleased with this opportunity for German and Vietnamese companies to come together and spread a united message against this crime,” said Katharina Trump, programme manager, anti-poaching, WWF-Germany.

Through the workshop, participants were given an opportunity to learn how to enact a corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy to attract environment-conscious clients, increase competitiveness and mitigate potential risks.

The workshop featured sessions on how companies could construct meaningful messaging to incorporate CSR activities that would be effective in combatting wildlife crimes and lead to a change of practices among their colleagues and customers. Participants learnt that adopting these policies could strengthen the reputation of their businesses by ensuring they were not inadvertently participating in wildlife crime.

The event is the latest in a series of activities organised by TRAFFIC with different companies and civil society organisations, such as Vietnam Chamber for Commerce and Industry, Vietnam E-Commerce Association and the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association, which work towards the eradication of animal trafficking by encouraging companies to take a strong stand against wildlife crimes.

TRAFFIC’s efforts to encourage companies to integrate wildlife protection into their CSR activities have spanned the business, tourism and hospitality sectors. Anti-trafficking messages have been put up on buses, websites, events and other platforms, reaching some 250,000 people.

“Support and leadership from the business community are integral to the fight against wildlife trafficking. We are pleased that today these companies have stepped forward and are ready to be the champions of a very important cause,” said Sarah Ferguson, head of office for TRAFFIC in Viet Nam. — VNS