Three national high-tech parks collaborate to promote business integrity to improve investment environment

Transparent business environment helps attract more investments and ensure healthy competition for the businesses to thrive. The collaboration between the Government of Vietnam, businesses and civil society organizations in anti-corruption is the key element to reach transparent business environment.

Hanoi, September 29, 2016 – In the seminar “Sharing the experience: Collective action promoting business integrity, creating transparent investment environment” organized in Hanoi, representatives from three largest national high-tech parks (HTP): Saigon, Hoa Lac and Da Nang Hi-tech parks have exchanged the experience in implementing Collective action at SHTP, and discussed the method, road map to replicate the model at Hoa Lac and Da Nang HTP.

“Integrity and transparency are the key elements to create a healthy business environment. Integrity and transparency motivates the creativity, quality and productivity of businesses for their international integration and sustainable development. Current policies and direction of the Government on development with integrity require motivations and integrity commitments from both the Government and the business sector.”

Pham Dai Duong, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Nevertheless, businesses in Vietnam have been facing many challenges in their efforts to do business with integrity. Although Vietnam has developed a comparatively comprehensive legal framework on transparency and anti-corruption, the implementation assessments of various laws have revealed weak law enforecement, and business community have not been really convinced to participate in anti-corruption and practice business integrity. For businesses expecting to build up corruption-free business culture, their individual efforts could hardly be effective due to the lack of consensus, encouragement and support from relevant stakeholders.

“Through collective action initiatives like the one run by Saigon Hi-tech park (HCMC), businesses can proactively connect to each other, cooperate with state-agencies and civil society organizations… to turn transparency and integrity commitments into particular actions and anti-corruption solutions. Cooperation is an sustainable approach for the business sector in Vietnam to develop towards transparency and integrity.”

– Pham Anh Duong, Deputy Director of Towards Transparency.

“When implementing business integrity programme, we have realised transparency, simplified administrative procedures, reduced negatives and harassment, spreading the values of a healthy investment environment among businesses at Saigon Hi-tech park. Our staffs have shown improved ethics and conduct, receiving appreciation from the businesses.”

– Le Bich Loan, Vice President, Management Board of Saigon Hi-tech park.

At the end of the seminar, witnessed by the leader of the Ministry of Science and technology, representative from British Embassy in Hanoi and Towards Transparency, representatives from three national high tech parks have signed a memmorandum of understanding titled “Cooperation in collective action on promoting business integrity”. In addition, the management board of Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park have also signed the agreement with Post and Telecommunication Joint Stock Company on transparency and integrity in doing business and investment.