Enterprises lead plastic circularity innovations

At the roundtable discussion at the launch ceremony for the "Plastic Circularity Innovation Solutions 2026" competition, organized by Unilever Viet Nam in collaboration with the Environment Agency (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), representatives from four enterprises across the technology, recycling, and project implementation sectors shared multidimensional perspectives. Their contributions highlighted opportunities and challenges while also proposing concrete pathways to promote sustainable development in Viet Nam.

Data - Core foundation of the circular economy

According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Minh, CEO of GRAC Technology JSC, data plays a central role in any sustainable development model. He noted that an effective circular economy ecosystem cannot operate without a transparent, synchronized data platform that enables connectivity among all stakeholders.

Currently, many enterprises are paying attention to the green transition; however, they still face difficulties measuring its effectiveness. This stems from fragmented data, a lack of common standards, and insufficient digitalization. Without accurate data, businesses find it difficult to make strategic decisions or optimize their operations.

Drawing on practical implementation experience, Mr. Minh emphasized the need to develop digital platforms that integrate multi-source data across production, consumption, and recycling. These platforms should be designed as open systems that allow enterprises, management agencies, and relevant organizations to participate and share information jointly.

When data is made transparent and traceable, market trust will be strengthened. This is a key factor enabling green products to become competitive and expand their markets, particularly amid international integration.

However, the biggest challenge today does not lie in technology but in the lack of synchronized standards and coordination mechanisms. To address this issue, strong involvement by the State is needed to establish legal frameworks, data standards, and information-sharing mechanisms.

Innovation must start from practical needs

From a technology enterprise perspective, Ms. Do Hong Hanh, Co-founder and Director of BUYO Technology Solutions Co., Ltd., said that one of the biggest barriers to green transition is the gap between solutions and practice. Many technologies are developed with great potential but are difficult to implement because they do not align with the specific conditions of businesses.

Ms. Hanh emphasized that innovation must place users at the center. This means technological solutions need to be simple, easy to access, and capable of integrating into the business’s existing processes without causing significant disruption.

According to her, one effective approach is to develop "plug-and-play" technology platforms that can be rapidly deployed without requiring major infrastructure changes. Such solutions enable businesses to gradually transition to a greener economy without incurring excessive risks. In particular, when enterprises can clearly see benefits from solutions such as cost reduction, emissions reduction, or improved efficiency, they are more strongly motivated to continue investing.

Additionally, Ms. Hanh noted the need for dedicated support mechanisms for small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for a large share of the economy but have limited resources. She proposed establishing cooperative programs between technology businesses and manufacturing enterprises, in which the parties share costs, risks, and benefits. At the same time, the role of intermediary organizations should be strengthened to facilitate connection and implementation support.

Design for recycling – Key to a sustainable product life cycle

Representing the recycling sector, Mr. Lam Hoang Hao, Head of Research and Development at Duy Tan Plastic Recycling Corporation, offered insights from practical production and material processing. He argued that one of the core issues today is that products are not yet designed for efficient recyclability.

According to Mr. Hao, many packaging products currently use composite materials, making sorting and recycling processes difficult. As a result, treatment costs increase while material recovery rates remain low. He argued that this issue needs to be addressed right at the design stage.

He shared several solutions that the company is implementing, focusing on simplifying material structures, using highly recyclable plastics, and designing labels that can be easily separated. Another important factor is coordination among stakeholders throughout the supply chain. From raw material suppliers and packaging designers to recycling companies, all parties need to share common standards and objectives.

However, he also pointed out that Viet Nam’s recycling market still faces numerous shortcomings. Collection systems remain asynchronous, waste sorting at source has yet to be widely implemented, and consumer awareness remains limited. To address these challenges, it is necessary to introduce policies that encourage the use of recycled materials while raising public awareness through communication and educational programs.

He also emphasized the importance of international collaboration initiatives, which help domestic enterprises access advanced technologies and learn from developed markets. Recycling is not only an environmental solution but also an economic opportunity. When implemented effectively, it can generate added value and contribute to building a sustainable economy.

Multi-stakeholder collaboration – Decisive factor for successful green projects

From a project implementation perspective, Ms. Nguyen Le Tuong Vi, Project Manager and representative of Hai Nam Co., Ltd., emphasized that human factors and stakeholder cooperation play a decisive role in the success of environmental projects.

According to Ms. Vi, many projects with good technologies and adequate resources still encounter difficulties during implementation due to a lack of consensus among stakeholders. This demonstrates that the green transition is not only a technical issue but also a matter of governance and coordination. A project can succeed only when all parties clearly understand their roles and aim at a common goal.

She stressed the need to establish clear cooperation mechanisms that define the responsibilities, benefits, and modes of collaboration among stakeholders. This solution helps minimize conflicts and improve implementation efficiency. In addition, she highlighted the importance of communication in raising public awareness. When people fully understand the benefits of environmental projects, they are more willing to participate and support.

Another noteworthy point is the need for public–private partnership models. According to Ms. Vi, this is an effective way to mobilize resources, share risks, and leverage the strengths of both the public and private sectors. She also proposed establishing transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure that projects are implemented on schedule and achieve their objectives.

"In the current context, no single enterprise or organization can solve environmental challenges on its own. Only through close cooperation among all stakeholders can we create substantial and sustainable change," Ms. Vi affirmed.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Country General Manager of Unilever Viet Nam, stated that the green transition and the circular economy are no longer optional but have become an inevitable requirement for the business community. As a co-organizer of the "Plastic Circularity Innovation Solutions 2026" competition, Unilever Viet Nam aims to create a platform that connects management agencies, businesses, innovation organizations, and communities to identify and nurture solutions with high potential for practical application.

According to Ms. Bich Van, the challenges posed by plastic waste cannot be addressed by a single organization or enterprise. Therefore, the partnership with the Environment Agency is particularly important in providing policy direction, mobilizing resources, and spreading effective models.

"Through the competition, we hope to discover more new initiatives that will contribute to advancing the circular plastics economy in Viet Nam, while also demonstrating the power of multi-stakeholder collaboration in addressing environmental challenges," Ms. Bich Van emphasized.

The collaboration between Unilever Viet Nam and the Environment Agency in organizing the competition not only reflects the business’s long-term commitment to sustainable development but also contributes to building an innovation ecosystem for the circular economy. The initiative is expected to serve as a bridge that moves circular plastic ideas and solutions from the pilot stage to practical application, thereby supporting Viet Nam’s goals of green growth and sustainable development.