Ho Chi Minh City: Promoting greening and digitalization of industrial parks

Recently, the seminar “Investment orientation and sustainable development in industrial zones” took place in Ho Chi Minh City. The event attracted the participation of economic experts, state management agencies and many enterprises in the fields of industry, logistics, and industrial real estate.

Greening is an inevitable transformation in the new context

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Vo Thanh Phong, Deputy Director of the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones of Ho Chi Minh City, said that in the context of the global economy strongly shifting towards green growth, circular economy and ecological industry, industrial parks and export processing zones of Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular are facing the need for comprehensive restructuring. The commitment to Net Zero by 2050 is not only an international obligation but has become a "green passport" for businesses to continue participating in the global supply chain and overcome new trade barriers that are forming in many major markets.

*Mr. Vo Thanh Phong, Deputy Director of the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones of Ho Chi Minh City - (Photo: Nguyen Long).*

Looking back at the development path, the system of industrial parks and export processing zones in Ho Chi Minh City has contributed significantly to economic growth, but the traditional development model, labor-intensive, low added value, and limited application of green technology has revealed many bottlenecks. In the context of fierce international competition, the City cannot continue to rely on the labor-intensive production model but needs to shift to a green, clean, resource-saving and low-emission industrial model.

Along with the greening trend, digital transformation and 4.0 technology are creating new pressures and opportunities. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data have been shaping the generation of smart industrial parks - Smart IP with modern digital infrastructure, automating production processes, monitoring and supervising resource consumption in real time, contributing to improving operational efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises in the context of constantly fluctuating global supply chains.

To anticipate this trend, Ho Chi Minh City has concretized the Central Government's sustainable development policy in the Resolution of the City Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term, identifying green industry, ecological industry, innovation and science and technology as key drivers of growth in the new period.

Mr. Vo Thanh Phong also said that the most important legal framework shaping the current green industrial model includes Decree 35/2022/ND-CP, which stipulates criteria for eco-industrial parks and requires businesses to participate in industrial symbiosis, cleaner production and efficient use of resources. Along with that, Circular 05/2025/TT-BKHĐT sets out 21 criteria for evaluating eco-industrial parks in four groups: environment, society, economy and management, with four mandatory indicators such as reducing energy consumption, water and waste, increasing the use of renewable energy and implementing sustainable development reports. For businesses, the eco-business model requires meeting five indicators, including mandatory application of cleaner production and resource-saving solutions.

When recognized as an industrial park or eco-enterprise, enterprises enjoy many incentives in land lease, State investment credit, green credit, green bond issuance, and opportunities to access technical support and investment promotion programs.

It can be seen that the policy system has been relatively complete to encourage business transformation, while creating a legal foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to promote the model of ecological industrial parks and smart industrial parks in the new period.

Digitalization: New resources to elevate urban industry

Along with greening, digitalization is becoming an important driving force to reshape the industrial park development model in Ho Chi Minh City. The City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board has proactively coordinated with JICA, UNIDO, and World Bank to implement research, evaluation, and pilot programs for ecological industrial parks and smart industrial parks.

A prominent program is the project "Technical support for the construction of Model Industrial Parks/Smart Industrial Parks with ecological orientation" funded by JICA, implemented in 4 years and expected to be completed by the end of 2027 at Phu My 3 Industrial Park and Phu My 2 Industrial Park. The project has brought many practical results: Applying energy and water saving solutions; reducing emissions; digitalizing management systems; forming an initial industrial symbiosis model.

*Phu My 3 Industrial Park has basically met the criteria of an ecological industrial park - (Photo - Phu My 3 Industrial Park)*

Notably, Phu My 3 Industrial Park has basically met the criteria for an ecological industrial park. The recognition dossier is being appraised to be submitted to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee for approval in the first quarter of 2026, promising to become the first ecological industrial park in the City.

In addition to the efforts of the State, the role of enterprises is a key factor in determining the success of green transformation - digital transformation. However, in reality, the number of enterprises actively participating is still limited. The main reasons stem from concerns about investment costs, human resource capacity, operational efficiency and risks in the process of technological innovation.

The City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board shares this difficulty and affirms that it will always accompany businesses, from technical consulting, personnel training to connecting financial support programs, to reduce the pressure of transformation.

However, if businesses do not move quickly, the risk of being “out of the game” is real. More and more international associations are applying green standards and requiring environmental certification for businesses participating in the supply chain. Not being green and not digitalizing almost means losing the opportunity to access international markets.

Therefore, the City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Board calls on the business community to proactively restructure, boldly invest in clean technology, automation, data-based operations management, and build a suitable greening and digitalization roadmap. Transformation not only meets legal requirements but also improves productivity, reduces long-term costs, increases competitiveness, and affirms the brand of Vietnamese enterprises in the international market.

Mr. Vo Thanh Phong, Deputy Director of the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones of Ho Chi Minh City also said that to form a green and smart industrial park ecosystem, the coordination between the State and enterprises is a prerequisite. The Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones of the City is committed to accompanying and providing maximum support within the framework of functions and authority; at the same time, advising on appropriate incentive policies to motivate enterprises to transform.
For their part, businesses need to proactively seize opportunities, promptly build a greening and digitalization strategy, improve productivity and efficiency, and be ready to deeply integrate into the global value chain.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-thuc-day-xanh-hoa-va-so-hoa-khu-cong-nghiep-430557.html