Ho Chi Minh City, 20 August 2026 – Social impact businesses (SIBs) in Viet Nam are demonstrating how social and environmental impact can create business value, strengthen competitiveness and open new market opportunities. This was the key message of the Impact Forum “Business Beyond Profit: How Social Environmental Impact Drives Business Growth”, held today at InnoEx 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City.

The forum brought together social impact entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, government representatives and ecosystem partners from Viet Nam and Canada to explore how businesses can turn social and environmental impact into opportunities for growth, new markets, and investment. 

The event also highlighted the growth of Viet Nam’s SIB ecosystem. Through collaboration with the Government of Canada and the then Ministry of Planning and Investment, UNDP’s ISEE COVID project worked with more than 400 Social Impact Businesses, helping to create nearly 15,000 jobs. Around 60 percent of these businesses were led by women, and many also created livelihoods and opportunities for ethnic minority communities and persons with disabilities.

One year after the project concluded, many of the businesses supported through the programme have continued to grow. They are expanding their operations and markets, building new partnerships and attracting new businesses and investors. Their experience shows the importance of an enabling ecosystem that helps businesses adapt and grow beyond time-bound programme support.

The programme shows that social and environmental impact are not separate from business performance. Increasingly, impact creates business value. A business that reduces waste can also reduce costs, while a producer that works with farmers on more sustainable practices can build a more resilient supply chain. Companies that meet higher environmental and social standards can also gain access to new buyers, investors and international markets. 

“This is not about choosing between profit and purpose. It is about understanding how the two can reinforce each other. Strategic partnerships are essential to move from successful local impact to greater scale — and to global markets,” said UNDP Resident Representative Ramla Khalidi. 

She highlighted the complementary strengths of Canada and Viet Nam, with Canada’s deep experience in green innovation, sustainable business models and international markets, and Viet Nam’s dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem and strong capacity to innovate. She noted the potential to bring these strengths together across a range of areas, from climate-smart forestry and sustainable agri-food to clean technology, digital innovation and AI, life sciences and the blue economy.

These are areas where social and environmental solutions can also generate commercial value and new opportunities for growth.

The forum encouraged businesses, buyers and investors to see SIBs not only as beneficiaries of development programmes, but as potential suppliers, partners and investees.