ESG transparency drives NGOs–private sector partnership

On December 19, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Viet Nam, in coordination with the Business Office for Sustainable Development (SD4B/VBCSD) of VCCI, organized a dialogue on promoting private sector engagement in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation to strengthen ESG compliance.

"Cost of conservation is lower than that for restoration"

As ESG is an environmental, social, and governance criterion becoming a benchmark for business success and competitiveness, it is no longer merely an option to enhance brand value, but a foundation for sustainable growth, risk management, and the creation of long-term value.

At the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Tien Huy, Director of SD4B/VBCSD (VCCI), emphasized that nature is changing in unprecedented ways.

Statistics on biodiversity loss are not merely environmental warnings but also signals of economic risk. As biodiversity declines, supply chains, livelihoods and markets are increasingly threatened.

According to a PwC report published in 2025, only 3 percent of businesses prioritize biodiversity conservation and 9 percent focus on water conservation, while many companies place greater emphasis on climate change and waste management under the circular economy model. In addition, 82 percent of businesses cite brand image and reputation as the primary motivation for pursuing ESG, with maintaining competitiveness ranked second. This indicates that ESG is still not fully understood or comprehensively addressed, particularly the environmental pillar linked to nature conservation and restoration.

Mr. Jake Brunner, Country Representative of IUCN Viet Nam, noted that as official development assistance for conservation continues to decline, mobilizing private-sector investment with a long-term conservation vision has become an inevitable solution to balance economic development with environmental protection.

He added that the growing demand for green tourism experiences and nature-based activities is also opening up new opportunities for sustainable investment models.

From IUCN’s perspective, conservation is not only a financial or technical issue, but a transformation in mindset and business culture. Whether directly or indirectly, all economic activities affect the environment, and business engagement is indispensable, as the cost of conservation is always far lower than the cost of restoration once nature has been degraded.

ESG transparency drives collaboration between NGOs and the private sector

Businesses depend heavily on nature yet are also the most powerful force, with the potential to invest, innovate, and lead the transition to a green economy.

In recent years, many businesses have partnered with IUCN to implement nature-based solutions in Viet Nam. Notable examples include the Developing a sustainable value chain of products from lotus silk in Vietnam to support the flood storage strategy for the Mekong Delta by Coca-Cola; the restoration of 17 hectares of special-use Melaleuca forest by Pan Group and C.P. Group; and large-scale responses to coastal erosion in the Mekong Delta through the restoration of mangroves inside sea dikes by converting shrimp ponds into integrated RAS and shrimp-mangrove models, supported by Hyundai and GNI.

These models demonstrate that direct engagement by businesses on the ground, working alongside local communities and partner organizations, generates clear added value for collaboration between the private sector and civil society organizations.

According to a TH Group representative, partnerships between businesses and NGOs are mutually reinforcing and complementary, but must be built on transparency, fairness, standardized measurement, and public disclosure in ESG reporting.

In addition, public-private partnership models based on a four-stakeholder approach also highlight the critical role of multi-stakeholder coordination, linking scientists with businesses, particularly in applying technology to conservation and sustainable development. A durable multi-stakeholder collaboration space will serve as a point of convergence between business needs, organizational objectives, and the tangible interests of local communities.

The event also served as a pilot initiative to develop plans for strengthening cooperation between the private sector and conservation organizations in Viet Nam in the future, with support and coordination from the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) of CEPF. Participants included members of VBCSD/VCCI, members of VB4E, as well as CEPF partners and grantees.