Nestlé Vietnam joins hands to build image of Vietnamese women in new era

With many activities and initiatives, the program has helped thousands of women, especially rural women, improve their knowledge and skills, gradually keep pace with the digital transformation process and create sustainable livelihoods.

Accordingly, on November 24 and 25, 2023, the Vietnam Women’s Union and Nestlé Vietnam organized the “Conference to summarize the implementation of the cooperation agreement between the Vietnam Women’s Union and Nestlé Vietnam in 2023”, and activities of visiting the Nestlé Bong Sen factory in Hung Yen to look back the achievements as well as the direction of activities in the next period.

In addition to representatives of the 21 provinces participating in the project and women members with excellent achievements, the conference also had the participation of representatives of the Women’s Union of 63 provinces and cities, and representatives of the government. This is the first year of implementing the strategic cooperation program in the period of 2022-2027 between the Vietnam Women’s Union and Nestlé Vietnam. This cooperation program is the continuation and expansion of phase 1, which has been officially implemented by the two parties since December 2020. By 2023, the scale of program implementation has doubled and achieved many remarkable results.

From 2021 until now, the program has trained 13,000 members for nutritional knowledge and skills and healthy living. Among them, 4,000 members have been trained about communication skills and family financial management, and 5,000 members have been trained on digital technology knowledge skills. In training activities on knowledge and use of digital applications, 100% of members participated. Thanks to that, women, especially rural women – the main beneficiaries of the program, have gradually become confident in taking control of their lives, especially updating & leveraging the strengths of digital technology. By the end of September 2023, the program has created and maintained sustainable livelihood models with programs to promote digital applications in 790 communes, with 1,840 models nationwide.

Collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements were commended at the conference

At the conference, Ms. Ton Ngoc Hanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Women’s Union said: “With affection, responsibility and enthusiasm for the work of VWU and women’s activities, the Presidium of Vietnam Women’s Union believes that not only at this year’s summary conference, but also in the following years, we will increasingly develop with new approaches, and the greater determination. We expect and believe that the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement to contribute to empowering women and building VWU will become more professional and effective.”

Mr. Binu Jacob, the CEO of Nestlé Vietnam shared: “This is the first year of the second phase of the bilateral long-term cooperation between Nestlé Vietnam and the Vietnam Women’s Union, from 2022 to 2027. This collaboration is a continuation and expansion of the first phase officially implemented by both parties since December 2020. We are proud to see thousands of women are becoming more confident in taking control of their own lives and contributing to the economic development of families and localities thanks to the “Nestlé accompanies women” program.”. In addition to activities about improving nutritional knowledge, equipping soft skills and creating sustainable livelihood models, one of the program's focus activities in 2023 and in the coming time is to promote digital transformation to contribute to realizing the Government's goal that by 2025, Vietnam's digital economy will account for 20% of GDP and increase to 30% by 2030.

With the support of the Program “Nestlé accompanies women”, members have gradually confidently mastered technology and made the most of the benefits that digital transformation brings

Within the framework of the conference, representatives of the leaders of the Vietnam Women’s Union and Nestlé Vietnam also commended 19 groups and individuals from provincial to grassroots level for most effectively implementing the Program “Nestlé accompanies women”. These are groups and individuals who have actively contributed to the goal of building Vietnamese women in the new era as well as the movement of new rural development. At the conference, delegates also visited the exhibition area about the core activities and remarkable results of the cooperation program, and listened to the sharing of experts at the “Discussion on Women in The digital age – Opportunities and challenges”. This is also an issue that the Vietnam Women’s Union is interested in and chooses as the theme for 2024: “Increasing the application of information technology in the VWUs’ activities”, contributing to the breakthrough “Innovating operating methods, the focus on applying information technology”, and participating in implementing the national digital transformation program.

On November 25, delegates had practical activities in Hung Yen - a province that actively participates in the cooperation program, and is also one of four provinces recognized at the Conference, and visited the Nestlé Bong Sen factory in Hung Yen - one of the most modern factories of Swiss Nestlé Group investing in Hung Yen. The factory currently has 7 production lines with a total investment of more than 115 million USD. The main product produced at the factory is MILO instant barley milk. At the visit, delegates were introduced to Nestlé's modern production process with strict standards as well as commitments to the sustainable development in the manufacturing sector in particular and throughout the company's supply chain of the group in general.