Last week was a good week for our Race to the Top program in Vietnam. First discussions on wastewater and chemical usage in the industry, the uptake of renewable energy, creation of Eco Industrial Parks as well as how to facilitate worker – management engagement, and a new partner to support and scale the work of the program.
At a Race to the Top gathering hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, collaboration partners came together for the first time to discuss wastewater and chemical usage in the industry, the uptake of renewable energy, creation of Eco Industrial Parks as well as how to facilitate worker – management engagement. IDH will now, together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade develop an action plan to follow up on the discussion items.
Participants included the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, as well as other key partners of the Race to the Top platform such as Better Work, UNIDO, and Vitas.
Last week ended with a meeting between USAID and IDH, where they closed a Cooperation Agreement, making USAID the newest partner in the Race to the Top initiative, who will support and scale the work of the program.
IDH facilitates since 2015 the Race to the Top program in Vietnam, a collaboration between the Vietnamese government, local associations, apparel & footwear brands, international organizations and civil society organizations, seeks to catalyze sustainable growth of the apparel and footwear sector in Vietnam. Since October 2016 the Vietnamese government together with sector associations, the private sector and development organizations launched a Public Private Partnership Cooperation Agreement as part of Race to the Top. This platform serves as a hub to foster collaboration and drive further improvements in the sustainability performance of the sector in Vietnam.
The Race to the Top program works through a public private platform for dialogue on policy, undertakes capacity building on social and environmental performance improvements in over 20 factories, mills, and laundries, as well as that it creates access to finance for sustainability improvements.