(Hanoi, September 5, 2024), the Electronic Commerce Association (VECOM) in collaboration with Shopee Co., Ltd. launched Shopee's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative called "Shopee Supports Vietnam's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises" (Shopee Enbables SMEs). In addition, the two sides had an MOU signing ceremony to coordinate the implementation of the Initiative "Shopee Supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Vietnam".
The program aims to attract 100,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country to develop their capacity and deploy e-commerce applications, taking advantage of technology to transform businesses and economic life through e-commerce application skills training. At the ceremony, Mr. Bui Trung Kien (Vice Chairman of the E-Commerce Association), Ms. Lai Viet Anh (Deputy Director of the Department of E-commerce and Architects, Ministry of Industry and Trade),
Panorama of the ceremony
Committed to developing Vietnamese e-commerce
The initiative reflects Shopee's commitment to investing in small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) in Vietnam. In his speech at the launch ceremony, Mr. Jason Bay, Country Director of SEA Limited, emphasized that Shopee is committed to developing an e-commerce ecosystem to benefit the whole society, prioritizing Vietnamese SMEs.
In that context, Shopee has implemented many important initiatives. Shopee has collaborated with the Vietnamese Government to implement e-commerce skills training for SMEs, reaching nearly 10,000 sellers last year through training workshops from central to local. In addition, Shopee also expanded the Local Seller Support Program through the "Enabling Vietnam" initiative, supporting more than 1,000 local manufacturers to improve their logistics, distribution capabilities and increase the presence of products in both domestic and export markets.
Currently, more than 90% of products on Shopee are supplied and sold by Vietnamese businesses. In addition, more than 350,000 SMEs and more than 1,000 Vietnamese brands have been supported to develop the ASEAN market through Shopee's International Platform, helping to minimize difficulties and costs incurred when bringing products to the global market thanks to e-commerce applications.
"I am very pleased to see that Shopee's activities so far are in line with the agenda of the Vietnamese Government. Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh just issued Directive No. 29 on stimulating consumer demand, supporting production, business and developing the domestic market. This Monday, General Secretary and President To Lam has an important article on: "Digital transformation - An important driving force for developing production forces, perfecting production relations to bring the country into a new era". We are very pleased that the important goal always receives regular direction from the highest levels of leadership, of the Government. Shopee is committed to accompanying the Government to realize these ambitions," Mr. Jason Bay emphasized.
Investing in Vietnam's future
The implementation program has the support and companionship of the Embassy of Singapore in Hanoi and the Consulate General of Singapore in Ho Chi Minh City. Speaking at the ceremony, Singapore's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam emphasized that the "Shopee Supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs" program reflects the focus of cooperation between the two countries that is shifting to the digital economy, an area of great potential cooperation. The digital revolution is changing the way people live, work, and do business, and it's essential that our partnerships keep up with this transformation.
"By providing businesses with the knowledge and tools to operate in the digital economy, Shopee helps ensure that businesses can compete and thrive in an increasingly globalized economy. The digital economy is not only a matter of technology but also of empowering people. The real strength of the Shopee program is its focus on building capacity and improving the resilience of micro, small and medium enterprises in Vietnam. By investing in these businesses, Shopee is investing in the future of Vietnam's economy, contributing to job creation, promoting growth and improving livelihoods nationwide," Ambassador Jaya emphasized.
Singapore's Ambassador to Vietnam emphasized that Vietnam is one of Singapore's leading partners. As Vietnam's economy is moving up the value chain and moving towards innovation to drive growth and transition to a net-zero future, Singapore and Vietnam have launched the Digital Economy and Green Economy Partnership. This relationship aims to bring the economies of the two countries closer together, supporting each other in taking advantage of opportunities from cooperation to promote the future growth and prosperity of both countries.
"I highly appreciate Shopee's initiative for its dedication to the development of the micro, small and medium enterprise sector in Vietnam and its continuous efforts to contribute to the communities where they operate. This program is a good example of how businesses can drive positive change and make a meaningful impact," said Ambassador Jaya Ratnam.
Life-changing technology
"Shopee Supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises" is not just a short-term initiative; it demonstrates a long-term commitment to promoting Vietnam's digital economy and supporting Vietnamese businesses in developing and contributing to the national economy. Shopee expects this program to strongly promote the goals of Vietnam's digital economy and promote cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore in the digital field. At the ceremony, Mr. Jason Bay emphasized this message and said:
"Instead of charging millions of VND for training courses from third parties, Shopee and partners provide these training courses for free. We believe in serving underserved populations and using technology to improve people's lives," said Jason Bay.
Mr. Bui Trung Kien, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM), said that the Vietnam E-commerce Index Report 2024 published by VECOM, Vietnam's e-commerce sector continues to grow strongly with a growth rate of over 25% and a scale of over 25 billion USD.
"However, most of the market is still concentrated in two economic centers, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. There are still many small and medium-sized enterprises, business households and cooperatives across the country that have not had the opportunity to access and apply e-commerce effectively," Mr. Kien said.
At the ceremony, Mr. Bui Trung Kien – representative of VECOM and Mr. Tran Tuan Anh, Managing Director of Shopee Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to coordinate the implementation of the Initiative "Shopee Supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Vietnam". Accordingly, the two sides coordinated training on e-commerce applications and digital marketing tools for businesses in 63 provinces and cities across the country. Together with Shopee, the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM) supports connecting SMEs across the country, cooperating with universities majoring in e-commerce to connect students participating in the program with businesses.
Through the program, the two sides strive to promote the widespread application and development of e-commerce in businesses and communities, thereby narrowing the development gap between big cities and localities in terms of the level of e-commerce development.
To kick off the program, Shopee and VECOM have coordinated with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade to implement the first training course "Shopee Supports Vietnamese Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises" for more than 200 businesses and 100 students in Hanoi city.
In the first training program, Shopee has equipped SMEs and students:
- The basics of e-commerce
- Use digital marketing channels, including livestreams, to engage with customers and enhance brand awareness
- Analyze and optimize sales performance
- Revenue growth through exports
Building internal resources for Vietnam's digital economy
Over the years, Vietnam's e-commerce market has developed vigorously due to the strong attraction of small businesses and individual business households. E-commerce has helped them grow quickly and compete on an equal footing with large enterprises due to the lower barrier to entry into e-commerce compared to the traditional business market, which can especially help them reach out to the domestic and regional markets.
However, Shopee's market surveys show that individual business households and micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam face many problems when participating in e-commerce and understanding e-commerce. Therefore, a fundamental problem is that business households and businesses need support and training in e-commerce access skills.
With the program "Shopee Supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises", 100,000 businesses across 63 provinces and cities will be equipped with essential skills and knowledge to understand consumers' shopping trends, thereby developing their businesses accordingly.
