Vinamilk bags two int'l awards for sustainable development

The world's leading sustainable development event, the "Global CSR & ESG Summit and Awards 2022", was held for the 14th year, and for the first time in Vietnam. More than 200 delegates, mostly leaders from various industries, representing government agencies, organizations and enterprises from many countries, attended the event.

The theme of this year’s event, "Beyond net zero and ESG," inspired participants to discuss and discover ESG and CSR strategies by corporations and stakeholders, as well as the challenges and climate friendly solutions and technologies.

In the Global CSR & ESG Awards 2022, Vinamilk was recognized in two major categories: "CSR & ESG leadership award" (Gold) and "Best country award for overall CSR excellence" (Platinum).

Vinamilk's Green farm model was also selected to present a typical example of global sustainable development initiatives at the conference.

Trinh Quoc Dung, Executive director of Dairy Development at Vinamilk (R) at the event. Photo by Tung Dinh

Launched in 2021, Green Farm, Vinamilk's ecological dairy farm system, extensively applies circular economy, regenerative agriculture, and technology to minimize environmental impact and emissions, utilize renewable resources, and protect the ecosystem.

This green farm model has garnered recognition from the Global ESG and CSR Awards 2022 judging panel, with the gold award in the "CSR & ESG Leadership Award" category.

Talking about the journey of deploying Green Farm, Tran Minh Hoang, Marketing director of Vinamilk, said that the system is based on three key pillars toward a sustainable dairy industry.

The first is selective sourcing. The three Vinamilk Green Farms in Tay Ninh, Quang Ngai and Thanh Hoa are part of a system of 13 Vinamilk farms in Vietnam, equipped with modern facilities and comply with globally recognized G.A.P standards.

The three farms are located in strategic regions of Vietnam, connected to Vinamilk’s modern factories nearby to preserve the highest quality of raw milk during transportation.

Breeding dairy cows are purebred imported from the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand and their feed meets 100% Global G.A.P standard.

The second pillar is adopting regenerative farming practices. Vinamilk Green farms deploy organic farming without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, applying soil regeneration to manage resources. All farms use renewable energy. Modern waste treatment systems with biogas technology significantly reduce CO2 emissions, turning waste into resources. In addition, the application of organic atomic carbon technology helps to reduce methane emissions and odor.

A Vinamilk Green Farm. Photo by Vinamilk

Vinamilk has paid attention to applying advanced technology to sustainable agriculture. The company places a high value on animal welfare, with no growth hormones on dairy cows. The factories that produce 100% Vinamilk Green Farm Fresh Milk products meet strict international standards and have a waste treatment system to ensure that 100% of wastewater is processed to meet applicable environmental standards before being discharged to the environment.

At the same time, all farms are applying PAS 2060 on emission management and carbon neutrality.

Vinamilk Green farms also offer thousands of jobs to local residents, thereby improving labor skills through training and access to cutting-edge technologies.

By cooperating with farmer households, purchasing corn and grass for dairy cow feed while providing organic fertilizers, Vinamilk Green farms contribute in driving local economic development through sustainable agriculture, thereby helping farmers improve their household income.

"With Green Farm, Vinamilk affirms its commitment to sustainable development through responsible business, care for the environment, and a focus on community and stakeholders. Vinamilk, in particular, helps consumers feel better not only by using our high-quality products but also by contributing to environmental protection and pollution reduction," Hoang said.

Tran Minh Hoang, marketing director of Vinamilk. Photo by Vinamilk

Vinamilk was also honored in the category of "Best Country Award for Overall CSR Excellence" for its community activities, particularly during the pandemic.

Vinamilk was also honored in the category of "Best Country Award for Overall CSR Excellence" for its community activities, particularly during the pandemic.

The dairy manufacturer has contributed over VND100 billion to the government's pandemic prevention and control activities over the last two years, as well as to the vaccine fund, which has empowered frontline medical forces, and strongly supported the community, especially children during the Covid-19.

In its 15-year journey, the Stand Tall Vietnam Milk Fund has provided nutritious milk to disadvantaged children, ensuring the nutrition of over 500,000 Vietnamese youth.

Professor Dr. Geoffrey Williams, a member of the judging panel, said that the award criteria are based on environmental, social and governance performance, through programs and community activities of enterprises and organizations. The council assessed the impact of these programs on various stakeholders, including employees, communities, the environment, and investors.

Discussion panel about "Building a sustainable and resilient supply chain." Photo by Vinamilk

According to Williams, Vinamilk's Grees farm system has widely served the community. "Vinamilk's programs are innovative, continuously improved from year to year, and operated methodically. The company is also open with stakeholders in sharing information about the program's impact and benefits."

ESG, an acronym for environmental, social and governance, are a set of standards to assess related factors of sustainable development and the social impact of businesses. In Vietnam, the government has committed to "net-zero" target by 2050 at COP26. This is a challenging goal, but also a motivation for businesses to focus on developing their own sustainable development strategies that promote ESG.