Vietnamese business leaders receive UN Women awards for advancing gender equality

[Press release]

Hanoi, Viet Nam – Nine Vietnamese companies recognized for their policies and practices to advance gender equality in the workplace and society have received the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards. Of these companies, the five first-place winners will qualify for the regional competition in December held by UN Women for the first time in the Asia-Pacific.

TH Group topped the Leadership Commitment Award, Unilever Viet Nam won the Gender-Inclusive Workplace Award, while Friesland Campina Viet Nam won the Gender-Responsive Marketplace Award. Nestlé Viet Nam earned the Community and Industry Engagement Award, while Sao Thai Duong (Sunstar JSC) received the COVID-19 Action Award.

The UN Women 2020 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, which is organized through the European Union-funded WeEmpowerAsia program, honours companies driving progress for gender equality in Viet Nam in line with the country’s Gender Equality Law.

Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC), Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, who is a member of the judging panel and the awards organizing committee, highlighted the multi-dimensional benefits of gender diversity and the WEPs. “Boosting gender-inclusive employment and career promotion opportunities in the workplace, supply chain and community makes business sense and will help raise corporate performance, increases innovation and brings long-term value to us all. Gender equality is the foundation for sustainable growth and the prosperity of our economies.”

Representative of UN Women in Viet Nam, Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz said: “The WEPs Awards offers business leaders and companies a unique opportunity to be recognized for their leadership to advance gender equality and make their efforts visible amongst their customers, employees and partners, and inspire others to take action for wider impact.”

The Viet Nam WEPs Awards Ceremony was held in Hanoi with 100 delegates, including the President of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Mr. Vu Tien Loc; Vice Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Viet Nam Mr. Le Tan Dung; UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam Mr. Kamal Malhotra; Representative of UN Women in Viet Nam Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz; Chairwoman of VWEC Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, and representative of the European Union Delegation to Viet Nam Mr. Le Thanh.

The event was part of a series of WEPs Awards ceremonies held in the Philippines, China and Indonesia, including in India on 1 December 2020. The first-place winners from all countries will have the chance to be selected as Asia-Pacific winners at a regional event on December 15 in Bangkok, where awardees from Malaysia and Thailand will also be announced.

The winners of the national trophies in the five awards categories include:

Leadership Commitment Award Category
Champion: TH Group (Ms. Thai Huong, Founder/Chairperson) 
1st Runner-up: Unilever Viet Nam (Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, CEO)
2nd Runner-up: BRG Group (Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairperson)

Gender-inclusive Workplace Award Category
Champion: Unilever Viet Nam
1st Runner-up: Nestlé Viet Nam and Friesland Campina Viet Nam
2nd Runner-up: Saigon Food JSC

Gender-responsive Marketplace Award Category
Champion: Friesland Campina Viet Nam 
1st Runner-up: Hien Le Group

Community and Industry Engagement Award Category
Champion: Nestlé Viet Nam
1st Runner-up: Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ)

COVID-19 Action Award Category
Champion: Sao Thái Dương (Sunstar JSC)