Vietnam is among the top ASEAN countries in "impact investing"

Vietnam is moving towards becoming a leading investment hub for high-impact investments in Southeast Asia, opening up development opportunities for businesses with social impact and those targeting disadvantaged communities.

At the "Vietnam Impact Investment Forum 2024" held on the morning of October 24th, the Institute for Enterprise Development, VCCI, launched the "2024 Impact Investment Index Report".

The "Impact Investment Index 2024 Report" (CAM Index 2024) is a groundbreaking tool for assessing the progress of countries on their path towards a sustainable and inclusive future. This report is part of a four-year series tracking the development of the impact investment ecosystem in Vietnam.

The Cam Index is a global initiative aiming to raise $10 billion by 2030 to empower 100 million women, girls, and gender minorities. By providing a clear framework for assessing gender equality and climate action, the Cam Index highlights progress made and areas requiring further investment within the impact ecosystem.

The Cam Index is assessed across three main pillars: Community Impact, Gender Equality, and Climate Protection, on a scale from 1 to 100. The "Cam Index 2024" uses survey results from 135 social impact businesses (SIBs) on the IIX Values ​​platform between January 2023 and August 2024.

Vietnam's 2024 Cambridge Index reached 50 points, placing Vietnam among the leading ASEAN countries, surpassing the global average of 41. Vietnam has made significant progress in gender equality with a score of 49, higher than the global average and exceeding most ASEAN countries. This reflects the crucial role of social impact businesses in empowering women through leadership and economic participation.

Notably, Vietnam demonstrated particularly strong performance in the Community Impact Index, with 60 points. The Gender Index showed Vietnam's commitment to equality and inclusion, with 49 points, higher than the global average and most ASEAN countries. However, Vietnam's Climate Index only reached 43 points.

"The 2024 Orange Index has shown that Vietnam – an economy on track to lead the next wave of sustainable and inclusive growth in ASEAN," commented Professor Durreen Shahnaz, CEO and Founder of the IIX Foundation.

According to Dr. Luong Minh Huan, Director of the Institute for Enterprise Development at VCCI, Vietnamese social impact businesses are playing a crucial role in promoting social and environmental goals. However, Dr. Huan believes that the low score in the environmental sector highlights the need for continued investment and policy reforms to enhance sustainability and long-term adaptability.

Impact investing is a concept that has begun to gain popularity in Vietnam. Simply put, it refers to investing in projects that create a positive impact on society or the environment. This is an innovative way to promote the private sector's contribution to sustainable development. Social impact businesses are creating a wave that is changing many aspects of life and the business philosophies of traditional businesses.

According to a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam and the Ministry of Planning and Investment , Vietnam has approximately 22,000 social impact enterprises, and this number is steadily increasing year by year. Of these, small and micro-sized social impact enterprises account for 89%, and as many as 72% of these enterprises have annual revenue below 5 billion VND.

According to Thuy An/VTV

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/viet-nam-thuoc-top-dau-asean-ve-dau-tu-tac-dong/20241024035752765