Vietnamese manufacturers need to focus on sustainability in order to take a bigger stake in the global supply chain, according to the head of the international trade association, Amfori.

Christian Ewart, director-general of Amfori, told a conference in Ho Chi Minh City said suppliers had to respond to increasing demands for improved sustainability from brands and retailers, as well as from consumers.

Ewart told the Amfori Asia Sustainability Forum, which gathered about 100 delegates from Asian countries and territories, that the main products sought in Vietnam were textiles and footwear, along with fast-moving consumer goods.

Suppliers needed to respond to growing international efforts to implement the UN's sustainable development goals, along with pressure from consumers who were becoming more increasingly concerned about environmental protection, .

Businesses in Vietnam, and many other countries needed to become pioneers in sustainable development, especially issues such as climate change, the environment, global supply chains and trade wars, Ewart said.

Vo Tan Thanh, deputy director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), told delegates the number of Vietnamese suppliers providing goods and services to the EU and the US was still very limited.

He said Vietnamese manufacturers needed to identify sustainable development as one of the key tools to join the global supply chain, which would provide more opportunities for them to expand their businesses.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, most Vietnamese private enterprises sold goods and provided services to domestic partners. Only 15 percent exported to foreign partners.

Delegates agreed that encouraging domestic enterprises to meet international standards would help them join the global supply chain, as well as contribute to Vietnam's commitment to the UN's sustainable development goals.

Meanwhile, Amfori has launched ‘agenda 2024’, a policy statement outlining its advocacy priorities to advance economic prosperity as well as environmental and social sustainability for the  European Union (EU).

It lists the 14 priorities that Amfori believes should be at the top of the EU agenda in order to build open and sustainable trade policies to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

They include:

• Human rights due diligence in the EU to prioritize a harmonized approach to maximize the protection of workers
• A solid regulatory framework to enable companies to adapt and take action to mitigate climate change
• Trade agreements which commit to implementing the Paris Agreement and core International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions

Courtesy: EcoTextile News