Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ai Viet: ESG is essentially a scientific and technological problem.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Ai Viet assessed that Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo is a social vision, placing science and technology at the center of long-term development choices for Vietnam. The far-sighted vision of the Resolution will create a revolution in awareness and shape a culture of science and technology and innovation among Vietnamese people. Based on this foundation, he believes that ESG, in essence, is a science and technology problem that businesses must solve if they want to compete and develop sustainably.

Science and technology are the only way out of the middle-income trap.

Exactly one year ago, the Politburo issued Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. From the perspective of a scientist, how do you perceive the momentum this Resolution has created?

- I believe Resolution 57 represents a strong social foresight, meaning it has a predictive nature and a long-term vision before practical pressures arise. The resolution's creation is the result of awareness and a compelling urge to act. It requires us to think about things we've never thought about before, to accept risks, and to accept long-term investments in things whose results are not immediately visible.

Forward-thinking policies rarely show immediate impact. But the important thing is that we have found a way forward.

Global development practices show that science and technology have become decisive factors in the competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable development of each nation. In Vietnam, what role do you think this factor plays?

- For Vietnam, science and technology are the only way out of the middle-income trap. There have been arguments that Vietnam's strength lies in agriculture. But how much value does a ton of our rice yield in the global economy? Perhaps only the equivalent of a single chip.

Agriculture, in order to reduce the risk of natural disasters, escape the cycle of "bumper harvests leading to falling prices," and increase value, must rely on science and technology, from seeds, data, and forecasting to deep processing.

High and sustainable growth can only come from science and technology; there is no other way.

In that context, where do Vietnamese businesses stand when it comes to science and technology and ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance standards used to measure sustainable development), sir?

- ESG is essentially a very clear scientific and technological problem. From governance and the environment to social issues, everything requires data and the ability to process that data in real time. Modern business governance is about making decisions based on data, not on experience and intuition.

PGS.TS Nguyễn Ái Việt: ESG thực chất là một bài toán khoa học công nghệ - 2 — ESG is a set of three criteria related to the environment, social responsibility, and corporate governance, used to measure sustainable development (Image: AI Design).

The environment is a convergence point for many scientific issues. For example, the green transition is not just about carbon emissions. Energy consumption, raw materials, and technological efficiency are all directly related to the environment.

Without science and technology, we cannot know how much resources we are consuming, where we are wasting them, and how to optimize them. Without measurement, management is impossible, and sustainable improvement is even more impossible.

Similarly, the social pillar of ESG is no exception to this logic. Workplace safety, employee welfare, and supply chain responsibility all require transparent data systems and continuous monitoring capabilities.

Therefore, approaching ESG intuitively or treating it as merely a set of formal criteria will make it difficult to progress. ESG only truly works when it is built on a foundation of science and technology, where real-time data becomes the basis for decisions and innovation is the central driving force.

The ESG Forum will be a place to foster a culture of science, technology, and innovation within the business community.

According to him, what needs to be done to strengthen the role of science and technology in the implementation of ESG, thereby promoting businesses to effectively achieve environmental, social, and governance goals, towards sustainable development, enhanced competitiveness, and international integration?

- In reality, many businesses are still hesitant to invest in science and technology due to high risks and slow returns. This is a problem of the economic structure and investment environment. Investing in science and technology, if successful, might only yield another million dollars in return after 10 years, or you could lose everything. However, buying land with that same amount of money is a completely different story.

However, if businesses want to genuinely implement ESG to enter the international market, science and technology are indispensable, as I have analyzed. For businesses to truly enhance the role of science and technology in ESG implementation, they need to first cultivate a culture of science and technology – innovation. Only when awareness changes will policies become effective.

I have always opposed expanding tax exemptions for businesses. The core issue is not about the amount of incentives, but rather that we have not yet created a revolution in awareness regarding the role of science, technology, and innovation.

Until science and technology become a cultural value, a natural part of the management and operational mindset of businesses, then no matter how many preferential policies are implemented, it will be difficult to create substantive change.

Many high-tech businesses in Vietnam currently remain primarily involved in processing and assembly – the lowest level in the global value chain. In your opinion, what is the path for Vietnamese businesses to move up the value chain?

- In a technology product, assembly accounts for less than 5% of the value. For a product sold for $1,000, the value that Vietnam retains might be less than $50, and that amount is mainly used to pay for unskilled labor. This approach does not generate capital accumulation, much less new knowledge.

The greatest value lies in research and development, technology, and design—stages where we are largely uninvolved. To move up the value chain, the first thing is not technology, but people.

We don't need a few thousand more professors if we don't have half a million skilled technical workers below them. If the manufacturing sector has only one elite peak without a sufficiently solid human resource foundation, then real technological capability cannot be developed.

Moving up the value chain is therefore a difficult task, requiring, first and foremost, a revolution in awareness. Resolution 57 is precisely such a revolution in awareness. When awareness changes, the production and business culture changes, and only then can businesses gradually move up the global value chain.

For businesses, the most important thing is changing the mindset of the leaders; government support, ultimately, only plays a supporting and facilitating role.

Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for Vietnam to strongly develop science and technology in the coming period?

I think there are five major problems.

First, we must confront the current difficult situation head-on to understand the problems we need to address.

Secondly, science and technology management needs to be more professional, moving away from a "micromanagement" approach.

Thirdly, we need to build a culture of innovation. The resolution must become a part of daily life as a cultural value; no one is forcing us to do it, but failing to do so will leave us feeling left behind.

Fourth, the financial mechanisms for science and technology need to be reviewed. Don't just talk about tax exemptions. It's crucial to measure the actual investment by businesses in research and development.

Finally, it's about practical action. Concrete steps are needed to ignite, break the ice, and spark enthusiasm for science, technology, and innovation. To achieve this, we must create "surgeons" in science and technology, empowered and provided with appropriate financial mechanisms to actually implement initiatives and create a ripple effect.

Forums like ESG Vietnam are essential. They are not only places to discuss policy but can also generate powerful communication campaigns, thereby fostering a culture of science, technology, and innovation within the business community.

Digital transformation is an inevitable path, and I'm not overly worried about it, because our national data infrastructure is developing quite rapidly.

Thank you very much for this conversation!

The ESG Vietnam Forum 2025, themed “Science and Technology as a Driving Force for Sustainable Development,” took place at 1:30 PM on December 22nd in Hanoi. The forum brought together speakers who are experts and leading business leaders in ESG implementation and the application of science and technology to ESG implementation, such as TPBank, VinFast, and SCG.

Comprising two parts – workshops and the Vietnam ESG Awards 2025 ceremony – the Vietnam ESG Forum 2025 will focus on substantive content, providing participating businesses and organizations with valuable information related to ESG implementation and sustainable development.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/pgsts-nguyen-ai-viet-esg-thuc-chat-la-mot-bai-toan-khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-20251218223341829.htm