Vietnamese businesses go green: From smart greenhouses to digital helmets

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (dated December 22, 2024) of the Politburo emphasizes: Science, technology, innovation and digital transformation are strategic breakthroughs and key driving forces for green growth.

In the context of increasingly stringent global environmental standards, green transformation is one of the important requirements that must be achieved to help Vietnamese enterprises enter the international market.

Digital technology , a lever for green startups

One of the important problems for green businesses is effectively managing human resources and ensuring labor safety, especially in factories and construction sites, where there are many potential risks and high requirements for progress and accuracy.

Le Duong Company's HSAFE solution is a typical example: a device mounted on a hard hat allows real-time monitoring of health and work performance, measuring heart rate, body temperature, locating and warning of safety risks.

Mr. Le Dinh Tuyen, Director of the company, said that HSAFE is not only a safety monitoring tool but also acts as a "digital profile", helping businesses manage human resources transparently and optimize production efficiency.

Not only limited to the industrial sector, digital transformation is opening up clear prospects for agriculture - an industry heavily affected by climate change. Startup Hachi has developed a hydroponic farming model integrating IoT and AI, allowing the measurement of indicators such as humidity, light, temperature, etc., thereby automatically adjusting the appropriate amount of water and nutrients.

This model saves up to 70% of water, increases productivity 3-5 times compared to traditional methods, and is suitable for urban areas with limited area. "Without requiring large land areas or abundant labor, this model is suitable for smart agriculture in both mountainous and delta areas," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Huong, Operations Director of Hachi High-Tech Joint Stock Company. Through automation applications, Hachi has brought advanced agricultural technologies from Israel, Japan, and Korea to Vietnam.

According to Mr. Pham Duc Nghiem, Deputy Director of the Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises ( Ministry of Science and Technology ), in the context of rapid climate change, land degradation, and increasing pressure to reduce emissions, Vietnam is shaping a green, smart, and sustainable agriculture. Although this process requires high costs, the long-term benefits will be overwhelming. On the contrary, if businesses are slow, they will not only fall behind but also lose the opportunity to compete.

HSAFE solution is considered as a "digital profile" to support businesses in transparent human resource management and improve production efficiency.

New “agents” of green growth

Green transformation is no longer a “game” reserved for large corporations. From small textile factories to rural cooperatives, more and more models are emerging as the core of the circular economy, one of which is Thien Phuoc Hemp Group Joint Stock Company - a pioneer in researching the exclusive AP1 green ramie variety, developing organic growing areas in many localities, and investing in high technology in international standard factories to produce green ramie fibers and yarns with antibacterial, breathable, and durable properties.

In 2018, the startup received $1 million from the World Bank through the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop green hemp growing and processing technology, marking an important step forward in applying science to sustainable production.

Hemp - planted once and harvested for 10 years - is opening up a sustainable direction for green agriculture. With more than 2,000 hectares of raw material area, people can harvest up to 4 crops/year, achieving an average income of 100 million VND/ha.

Not only a raw material for the textile industry, hemp is also fully utilized: leaves for making cakes, tubers for medicinal purposes, stems for growing mushrooms and producing soundproofing materials. The production chain is restructured according to a circular model, from breeding, cultivation, processing to logistics and traceability, meeting the strict standards of the EU, US, and Japan.

In the context of ESG standards becoming mandatory, the green hemp value chain, from breeding to consumption, not only greens barren land, creates stable livelihoods but also contributes to the sustainable material revolution in the textile industry.

Green transformation can start with those who dare to innovate on each field, small workshop, with new technology, thinking and effective policy connections. In Nghe An, the model of "Nutrition ecosystem from green agricultural products" of Mom Beauty Company is a typical example: no chemicals, bio-packaging, recycling by-products, closed operation from seed to consumption.

Automation helps reduce labor from 10 to 3 people while productivity still increases. The production force is mainly rural women, trained in management skills and warehouse operations using digital technology. Product value increases 4-6 times thanks to deep processing and green consumption.

The enterprise guarantees output at a price higher than the market price, with output reaching hundreds of tons per year in Nam Dan and Do Luong districts... By-products such as seed washing water and discarded seeds are recycled into biofertilizer, reducing plastic waste and saving resources. With the spirit of circular economy, the project won the special prize at the "Women's Creative Startup and Green Transformation" contest in 2024.

The hemp growing area and hemp fiber factory of Thien Phuoc Company in Cam Thuy district (Thanh Hoa) create jobs for nearly 1,000 local workers.

“Green shoots” shape the future of sustainable development

From fields to factories, from handicrafts to modern industry, many Vietnamese enterprises are showing that innovation and technology are the keys to opening the green door. Green transformation does not necessarily start from the biggest places, but from places with new thinking, decisive action and effective connection between policy and community.

According to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh, Vietnam currently has more than 4,000 innovative startups, but only about 5-7% focus on green transformation. Although modest, these are the "green shoots" that shape the future of sustainable development. The fourth Summit of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) recently held in Hanoi also affirmed that in the era of sustainable development, green transformation is no longer an option but has become a mandatory condition for Vietnamese businesses to survive and reach out to the world.

Hemp products as raw materials for the textile industry were introduced at the fourth Summit of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G).

On the green transformation journey, startups, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, still face many barriers: lack of capital, lack of incentives, and lack of clear ESG standards. Many experts believe that although there have been initiatives to promote green credit, in order for the transformation process to truly accelerate, it is necessary to soon issue a list of green projects and specific standards. This will be the basis for businesses and banks to access capital in a transparent and effective manner.

In addition, green credit needs to have more favorable interest rates and conditions than traditional loans, to encourage businesses to invest in sustainable projects. To effectively transform green, not only a clear legal framework is needed, but also specific goals must be set for each industry, linked to long-term policies towards sustainable development.

“In addition to businesses proactively improving their capacity, integrating digital technology, and developing green products, the State needs to perfect policies that play the role of a “midwife” - from green credit, tax incentives, mandatory ESG standards to supporting human resource training and encouraging innovation,” emphasized Deputy Director of the Department of Startups and Technology Enterprises Pham Duc Nghiem.

Mr. Nghiem said that the business community has high expectations for a national award on green growth, to honor businesses that are not only pioneers in waste management, energy saving, and developing environmentally friendly products, but also have the power to spread and inspire the community towards sustainable development. Another key factor is to raise social awareness, from businesses to consumers. As the market increasingly favors green products, consumers themselves will become the driving force for businesses to continue investing in sustainable production.

Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW (dated May 4, 2025) of the Politburo identifies the private economy as an important driving force, emphasizing the role of innovation, technology enterprises and green startups. The formation of a green startup ecosystem, especially in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector, is a concrete step to realize this policy, promoting growth associated with technology, environment and sustainable development.

With close coordination between the State, businesses and scientists, the green startup ecosystem will have the opportunity to spread further from urban to rural areas, from fields to factories. This is also the path for Vietnam to not only realize its commitment to zero net emissions by 2050, but also gradually affirm its position as an innovative nation for a green and sustainable future.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/doanh-nghiep-viet-chuyen-doi-xanh-tu-nha-kinh-thong-minh-den-mu-bao-ho-so-hoa-post883628.html