In the context of major markets increasingly tightening environmental standards, traceability and social responsibility, green transformation is becoming an urgent requirement for Vietnamese businesses to maintain competitiveness and expand export opportunities.
On the afternoon of September 4, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center (ITPC) in coordination with the Foreign Market Development Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) organized a workshop "Green solutions for sustainable production and export".
Ms. Nguyen Thao Hien - Deputy Director of the Foreign Market Development Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade - said that the criteria for selecting goods in the international market are changing rapidly. Besides quality, cost and delivery time, purchasing partners and consumers are increasingly interested in production methods, resource utilization, environmental impact, working conditions and transparency in corporate governance.
According to Ms. Hien, green transformation and ESG implementation are no longer simply voluntary social responsibilities but are becoming requirements that directly impact competitiveness and opportunities to participate more deeply in the international supply chain. Businesses need to proactively grasp new regulations, standardize operating procedures and enhance brand reputation.
Ms. Do Thi Minh Tram - Deputy Director of the Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion, Ministry of Industry and Trade - said that Vietnam's foreign trade activities continue to maintain growth momentum. Total import and export turnover of goods in the first 7 months of 2026 reached 659.58 billion USD, an increase of 28.1% compared to the same period in 2025. In July alone, it is estimated at 109.75 billion USD, an increase of 33%.
However, processing and manufacturing industries serving exports such as textiles, garments, footwear, packaging, electronics, food and beverages are under increasing pressure from technical standards and green requirements of the EU, the United States and Japan.
In which, the United States strengthens traceability control of raw materials; the EU promotes emission reduction commitments. The trend of green logistics, green ports and smart warehouses is also gradually changing the methods of import and export cargo transportation.
In the coming time, functional agencies will prioritize completing the green technical standard system, encouraging the application of circular economy models, ecological industrial clusters, supporting digital transformation and strengthening trade promotion activities for groups of products with ecological labels" - Ms. Minh Tram said.
From the perspective of an international distributor, Mr. Fukui Tomoaki - Director in charge of the product line of AEON TOPVALU Vietnam Co., Ltd. recommends that Vietnamese businesses proactively standardize production processes, meeting international certifications in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, fair trade and sustainable production. Besides quality and cost, products also need to create sufficient value for consumers to enhance competitiveness.
Green transformation is becoming an inevitable requirement for export businesses. Proactively changing production processes, management and supply chains not only helps meet new technical barriers but is also a condition for Vietnamese goods to enhance their position and participate more sustainably in the global value chain.
