SMEs’ responsibility for environment management highlighted
A workshop on pollution control and corporate social responsibility of Vietnam’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) took place in Hanoi on April 28.
The event was co-held by the Research Institute for SMEs (RISME) to discuss challenges and opportunities of the country’s SMEs in complying with environment protection laws and map out policy- and technology-related measures to help them improve capacity of pollution control and environment protection.
Addressing the workshop, Pham The Hung from the RISME said the SMEs today are demanding more access to environment management information and training courses on environment management to learn about legal environment requirements.
Aside from training courses, associations and research institutes should design other kinds of support for the enterprises in the field, he said.
Hung cited the fact that the enterprises have struggled to ensure the environmental laws are enforced due to a lack of knowledge on the laws and human resources capable of environment management in line with limited funding and outdated technology.
Furthermore, little support from the government and unstable legal regulations in the matter have posed difficulties for the enterprises to act within the law, putting them at risk of being fined or suspended for breach of environment regulations, he added.
Meanwhile, Director of the Centre for Environment and Community Research (CECR) pointed out that many firms have not paid enough attention or neglect training courses on pollution control technology and solutions, even though most of which were free. They appeared to prefer those on taxation and customs procedures.
Surveys indicates that big brands or foreign-invested firms, like Vinamilk, Dow and Pepsico, have complied with the laws better and put many efforts in energy saving, waste recycling and wastewater treatment.
The training courses on corporate social responsibility and legal environment management need to provide the SMEs with clear benefits, for example, environment-related benefits that help them enhance power and performance efficiency, save cost and bring better opportunities.
Addressing the workshop, Pham The Hung from the RISME said the SMEs today are demanding more access to environment management information and training courses on environment management to learn about legal environment requirements.
Aside from training courses, associations and research institutes should design other kinds of support for the enterprises in the field, he said.
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Furthermore, little support from the government and unstable legal regulations in the matter have posed difficulties for the enterprises to act within the law, putting them at risk of being fined or suspended for breach of environment regulations, he added.
Meanwhile, Director of the Centre for Environment and Community Research (CECR) pointed out that many firms have not paid enough attention or neglect training courses on pollution control technology and solutions, even though most of which were free. They appeared to prefer those on taxation and customs procedures.
Surveys indicates that big brands or foreign-invested firms, like Vinamilk, Dow and Pepsico, have complied with the laws better and put many efforts in energy saving, waste recycling and wastewater treatment.
The training courses on corporate social responsibility and legal environment management need to provide the SMEs with clear benefits, for example, environment-related benefits that help them enhance power and performance efficiency, save cost and bring better opportunities.
