1. BACKGROUND

In Vietnam, seafood is one of the fifth highest export turnover industry with 5 million people engaged including small scale producers, fishers, trading and processing labors of which women represent half of the total working population. However, over the past two decades, the booming growth of the seafood industry has been alarming much challenges and negative impacts to the environmental and social aspects including various gender problems. Women participate in all segments of the seafood industry, including fishing, farming, trading and selling, monitoring and administration, but the recognition is very limited that disadvantage to them and ultimately bar them from participating fully and equitably in the industry. Women are essential contributors to this important food supplying industry and therefore critical agents for change. With an increase of sustainability concern and pressure of the consumers and from seafood importing countries, Vietnam seafood industry has put a lot of efforts to response to the global community requirements on sustainable and responsible production recently. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the emerging required standards by responsible consumers to ensure the integration of social and environmental concerns in companies’ business operation policy, practice and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR practice is an important element to increase the  competitiveness of the companies and of Vietnam seafood industry as well. CSR practice not only brings benefits and sustainable development for Vietnam seafood industry but also deals with the relations between economic growth and environment protection, ensuring the fair sharing of natural resources between current and future generations

OXFAM in Vietnam have been facilitating and coordinating important projects to promote CSR practices in Agribusiness in Vietnam. Under the framework of three CSR promotion projects in seafood industry:

1. “GRAISEA (Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness in South East Asia)” funded by Sweden government

2. “Enhancing Vietnamese agribusiness’s competiveness through promoting the CSR practices and implementation” implemented by VBCSD (VCCI)

3. “Promotion and integration of CSR practices in Vietnam wild capture fishery” implemented by ICAFIS (VINAFIS) 

   With agreement and supports by D-FISH, OXFAM in Vietnam and its local partners will organise a joint-event “Vietnam National Forum on promoting CSR practices in seafood industry” with the following objectives:

• Seeking for coherent view and agreement from multi-stakeholders on the purpose, target and approach of CSR practice in the industry

• Sharing CSR best practices in Vietnam to increase the understanding and  motivations by seafood companies

• Enforcing CSR regulatory framework and practices in the industry through multi-stakeholders dialogue for the best interest of small scale producers, fishemen, communities and labor force.

• Increasing the understanding on gender issues and women role to the sustainable development of the industry whereby women can gain shared decision making, increased income and benefit and more favor working condition.

1. EVENT INFORMATION

Time: 08:00 -17:00 on Friday, Oct. 2, 2015

Place: Cuulong hotel, Cantho city, Vietnam

Host:                VINAFIS

Organiser:       OXFAM in VIETNAM

ICAFIS (International Collaborating Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture Sustainability)

                        VBCSD (Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development)

Co-Organiser: MCD (Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development)

Donor:             Sweden Government, OXFAM

Participants:    Estimated total number of participants: 250 people

1. Government, line agencies (10): D-FISH/MARD, MONRE, MOLISA, the State bank, DARDs of Mekong provinces

2. Industrial Associations (10): VASEP, VINAFIS, VINATUNA, VCCI, VGCL, Mythanh

3. Academy (14): SCAP, Nhatrang university, Cantho university, Angiang university, Dongthap university, HCM Agro-forest university.

4. Seafood companies/producers: Capture fisheries processing, aquatic feed mills, shrimp processing, pagasius processing, aquaculture producers, fishemen

5. NGOs (10): WWF, SNV, SFP, SOFIS, IDH, CRSD

6. Certificate scheme organisation, auditing: Bureau Veritas, Intertec, Vinacert, Aquafish,  GQS, TQS, RECERD

7. Media: Aquaculture magazine, Cantho newspaper, Cantho television, Vinhlong television, National Assembly television Cantho, VOV5 Cantho, VTV Cantho, VCCI magazine, Nhandan newspaper,…

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