Research and Communications Intern for Responsible Business Project

Project background

Viet Nam has enjoyed one of the most successful transitions from central planning to a market economy since the initiation of Ð?i M?i in 1986. Preliminary data for 2019 shows that real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by about 7 per cent, making Viet Nam one of the fastest growth rates in the region.[1] Rapid business-led economic growth brings with it a unique set of not only opportunities but also risks to social and environmental development. Impacts of business operations extend across workers, consumers, local communities, and natural resources. When left unchecked, where business is free to pursue its economic interests without effective regulation, respect for social and environmental standards can be undermined.

In seeking to ensure economic development align with sustainable development, a coherent framework is required to help guide and regulate responsible business practice in Viet Nam.

Drivers of Responsible Business Practice

Focus on responsible business practice has been driven globally, in the ASEAN region and specifically in Viet Nam due to several factors. Firstly, many countries in the region, e.g. Thailand and Malaysia, have identified the strategic advantage in developing clear and practical guidance for both government agencies and enterprises on ensuring responsible business practice, thus attracting sustainable business investment. Secondly, the two recently-concluded international trade and investment agreements, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)[2] and the Vietnam–European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA),[3] include provisions and requirements promoting responsible business practices in Viet Nam. Thirdly, more and more businesses are themselves adopting the ‘triple bottom line’ framework in measuring the financial, social and environmental performance of enterprises, which can help protect against potential risks to the business while expanding customer base and ensuring sustainable business growth. And lastly, several important frameworks and standards have created a solid foundation to guide efforts in ensuring responsible business practice. In 2011, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights[4] (UNGPs) were unanimously endorsed by the Human Rights Council. The UNGPs have been incorporated into other international frameworks for responsible business practice, which are also relevant for guiding efforts in Viet Nam, including the ILO Multinational Enterprises Declaration,[5] OECD Guidelines,[6] the ISO 26000 standard,[7] the IFC Sustainability Framework and Performance Standards,[8] the GRI sustainability reporting guidelines,[9]and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)[10].

In addition to this, COVID-19 has sharpened focus on ensuring responsible business practice. The pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of value production when workers, managers, suppliers, and consumers are all affected by lockdowns while supply chains collapse, production holds, and trade stops. Companies of all sizes are faced with a range of unprecedented and long-lasting challenges. Those already vulnerable in relation to employment, services, manufacturing, and trading are likely to be most at risk. Thus, the concerted efforts by public and private actors to address these issues must be better coordinated and guided by coherent national policy.

Responsible Business Practice in Viet Nam

In Viet Nam, efforts at promoting responsible business practice have been driven through the lens of sustainable development. The country leaders have recently shifted their focus from a purely economic development strategy, to one of sustainable development. As early as 1998, the Politburo has issued Directive 36-CT/TW to strengthen environment protection during the industrialization and modernization of Viet Nam. Very recently, in late 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision 1362/QD-TTg approving a plan for sustainable development of the private sector. A key viewpoint of the Decision is to “develop private sector in an effective and sustainable manner, ensuring a close, reasonable and harmonious combination between economic efficiency, social responsibility, and natural resources and environment protection” (Art.1.I.2).

Most other efforts to promote responsible business practice are channeled through corporate social responsibility, or CSR, and the strengthening of the regulatory framework. CSR in Viet Nam can be characterised as flexible and voluntary, while the regulatory framework on responsible business has seen significant improvements through new laws including the Labour Code (2019), the Law on Anti-Corruption (2018), and Environmental Protection Law (2014) and its draft amendments. However, to effectively mitigate, prevent and remedy business violations of social and environmental standards, a more comprehensive and coherent strategy is needed, across the wide range of areas where businesses engage with society, creating common objectives for both government and businesses.

Advancing Responsible Business Practice in Viet Nam

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Viet Nam, in partnership with the Government of Sweden, has been driving forward responsible business practices since 2019 as part of the regional programme “Promoting Responsible Business Practices through Regional Partnerships in Asia”, currently focusing on seven countries in Asia, namely, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam.8

Project activities in Viet Nam are channeled towards four (4) principle outputs: 1) awareness raising and training events that build momentum and inform progress on implementation of the UN Guiding Principles; 2) regional strategies in support of the advancement of National Action Plan on Responsible business and human rights, or similar policy frameworks, in furtherance of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles; 3) a partnership architecture bringing greater coherence to policy and advocacy efforts among actors working on a regional level on business and human rights; 4) greater policy coherence and public discourse on trade and international investor agreements, and their relationship to the business and human rights agenda. 

Internship background

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Responsible Business Officer at the UNDP Viet Nam office, the Intern supports achieving the results of the project by working closely with team members of the Responsible Business project and other relevant Programme and Operational staff.

The Intern also works in collaboration with partners/suppliers of the project to ensure successful project development and implementation.

The Intern is expected to support the successful delivery of activities under the Responsible Busines project, by conducting basic research on requested topics, preparing and disseminating communications materials, supporting the organization and logistics of events, proofreading and translating documents, and engaging with stakeholders of the project, among other tasks.

SCOPE OF WORK

The assignment will be conducted full-time (40 hours per week) from November 2021 to May 2022 at the Green One UN House in Hanoi, with possible field travels to other locations in Viet Nam. Such travel cost, if required, are reimbursed by UNDP on the same basis as costs reimbursed to staff members, including payment of daily subsistence allowance, as applicable.

Intern at the time of application must meet one of the following conditions:

1. Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher) in media and communications, journalism, international development, social work, responsible business, business administration, project management, or a related field
2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of the first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in communications, journalism, international development, social work, responsible business, business administration, project management, or a related field
3. Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation
4. Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program

• Fluent English and Vietnamese — the deliverables must be presented in either or both languages according to the audience
• Excellent research and writing skills as demonstrated by a written account sample
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel
• Good social media skills, including content development, data visualization, social media outreach
• Familiar with graphic design softwares, including Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
• Film-making and photography skills is a pl