Citi Hong Kong Invests in Renewable Energy Credits
The investment equates to the purchasing of a combined 300,000 kWh of electricity generated by local renewable energy sources, making Citi the current top renewable energy certificate purchaser in the Hong Kong financial sector. These renewable energy resources are either generated or purchased by CLP and HK Electric, and include solar and wind power projects. In 2018, Citi made significant progress on this goal with the contracted amount of renewable energy reaching 62 percent. To accelerate the transition to sourcing 100 percent renewable energy, Citi is considering onsite power generation, power purchase agreements, appropriate use of renewable energy credits, and continuing its focus on energy efficiency. "We are proud to be playing a part in supporting the renewable energy development in Hong Kong.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 31, 2019 05:03 UTC
Việt Nam willing to work with the US on currency issues: SBV | # AsiaNewsNetwork
The SBV released the statement on Wednesday after the US Treasury on Tuesday added Việt Nam to its currency manipulation watchlist. With Việt Nam on the list, the Treasury Department will keep watch over the nation's trade, current account and macro-economic and monetary policies. The US Treasury issues a report twice annually on foreign currencies. Previously, one of Treasury’s triggers to examine currency manipulation was a current account surplus – the difference between the amount a country exports and imports – of 3 per cent of gross domestic product. For the current report, it lowered the threshold to 2 per cent.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 31, 2019 05:03 UTC
Việt Nam willing to work with the US on currency issues: SBV
Photo SBVHÀ NỘI — The State Bank of Việt Nam (SBV), in conjunction with other Vietnamese ministries and agencies, will continue to share information with the US Treasury Department and co-operate to tackle issues of concern. The SBV released the statement on Wednesday after the US Treasury on Tuesday added Việt Nam to its currency manipulation watchlist. With Việt Nam on the list, the Treasury Department will keep watch over the nation's trade, current account and macro-economic and monetary policies. The US Treasury issues a report twice annually on foreign currencies. For the current report, it lowered the threshold to 2 per cent.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 31, 2019 02:03 UTC
Doctor concerned video gaming could lead to suicide | # AsiaNewsNetwork
This week the World Health Organisation voted to recognise video gaming as an official addiction with the new classifications coming into effect in 2022. This, he claimed, was because many spend their teenage years glued to computer screens playing video games – essentially living in a fantasy world far from reality. “We have got patients who spend all day playing video games and not studying,” he said. “We play video games not because we are addicted to them or because we have a huge passion for them,” he said. For an introvert like me who spends most of the time at home, without video games, I could become autistic.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 30, 2019 06:22 UTC
Ministries urged to help Bắc Giang export more lychee fruit | # AsiaNewsNetwork
“We need to help Bắc Giang's businesses access modern technology to preserve and process lychee and develop tourism products,” Huệ said. Many large domestic distributors such as Saigon co.op and BigC also plan to purchase and sell Bắc Giang lychee. A representative of Central Group Vietnam, which owns the BigC supermarket chain, said the group was actively supporting the production and sale of Bắc Giang lychee. Bắc Giang is known as the largest concentrated fruit growing area in the North of Việt Nam with a total area of nearly 50,000ha. The brand name of Bắc Giang lychee is protected in eight countries including South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore and Australia.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 30, 2019 02:15 UTC
Vietnam shares mixed as world markets remain volatile | #AsiaNewsNetwork
On the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange, the VN-Index inched down 0.05 per cent to close the day at 971.54 points. Meanwhile, the HNX-Index on the Hà Nội Stock Exchange edged up 0.28 per cent to end at 105.32 points. The market witnessed strong declines among leading stocks in the oil and gas, banking, rubber and seafood groups towards the end of the session. A total of 172 million shares worth more than VNĐ3.74 trillion (US$160.4 million) were traded on the two markets, slightly lower than on Tuesday. Foreign investors ended Wednesday as net buyers, picking up shares worth a net value of VNĐ140 billion on the two exchanges.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 30, 2019 00:56 UTC
More companies adopt human rights commitments | # AsiaNewsNetwork
“Monitoring the compliance of all suppliers with the brands’ human rights policies, therefore, becomes a major challenge for all the lead firms,” Chi said. Sean O’Connell, human rights and innovation officer, UNDP Vietnam, said the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), adopted unanimously by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, provided the first global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity and would continue to provide the internationally accepted framework for enhancing standards and practices regarding business and human rights. The UNGPs contain 31 principles encompassing three pillars: the State’s duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights and access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses. A growing number of multinational corporations had also incorporated the UNGPs in their human rights policies and framework, he said. Chi said enterprises should integrate the human rights policy into their core business and frequently review and improve grievance handling mechanisms.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 29, 2019 08:03 UTC
Customs sector focuses on CPTPP free-trade implementation | # AsiaNewsNetwork
He said the CPTPP inherited its advanced rules of origin and origin procedure from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, encouraging the integration of member countries and aiming to form a complete supply chain. At the workshop, experts discussed tax policies and customs procedures as well as rules of origin of goods in the CPTPP. However, opportunities also come with challenges as businesses have to compete with goods of importing countries in Việt Nam,” Thăng said. The CPTPP agreement gathers 11 member countries, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Việt Nam. The deal took effect from December 30, 2018, while Việt Nam ratified the agreement on January 14, 2019.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 29, 2019 04:18 UTC
More companies adopt human rights commitments
“Monitoring the compliance of all suppliers with the brands’ human rights policies, therefore, becomes a major challenge for all the lead firms,” Chi said. Sean O’Connell, human rights and innovation officer, UNDP Vietnam, said the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), adopted unanimously by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, provided the first global standard for preventing and addressing the risk of adverse impacts on human rights linked to business activity and would continue to provide the internationally accepted framework for enhancing standards and practices regarding business and human rights. The UNGPs contain 31 principles encompassing three pillars: the State’s duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect human rights and access to remedy for victims of business-related abuses. A growing number of multinational corporations had also incorporated the UNGPs in their human rights policies and framework, he said. Chi said enterprises should integrate the human rights policy into their core business and frequently review and improve grievance handling mechanisms.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 29, 2019 00:22 UTC
Johannesburg Gets Ready for Digital Transformation Congress 2019
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Media OutReach - 28 May 2019 - The second annual Digital Transformation Congress, returns to Johannesburg after a successful summit in 2018 attended by senior business executives & enterprise IT vendors from leading organisations such as Petro SA, Transnet, Nedbank, Sasria SOC, Eskom, L'Oreal, Liberty Group, Alexander Forbes, Parmalat, Adobe, T-Systems, TransUnion, Braintree, Darktrace, and more. The 2nd Digital Transformation Congress is one of the most comprehensive technology events of 2019, where hundreds of senior executives will meet to advance their knowledge of the latest business technologies and digital innovations such as AI, IoT, Blockchain, IT security, 5G and robotics, and how they impact business operations. The congress will also outline ways that businesses can use technology to gain the edge over competitors. Key topics for DTC 2019 include:Preparing your workforce for the digital ageDiscovering what digital transformation maturity is and highlighting its benefitsExploring the business impact of AIUsing cloud as a digital transformation toolDigitally transforming the manufacturing industryDigital opportunities in the transportation and logistics sectorAccelerating digital transformation in government to enhance service deliveryThe conference will host local and international visionaries, business leaders, industry luminaries and expert practitioners -- all sharing their first-hand knowledge of real-world digital transformation journeys. Find new partnerships, investors, leads, and opportunitiesFor more information regarding the conference, visit: http://www.digitaltransformationcongress.com/For sponsorships & exhibitions, visit: http://www.digitaltransformationcongress.com/sponsor/To register, visit: http://www.digitaltransformationcongress.com/register/
Source:Viet Nam News
May 28, 2019 07:36 UTC
Joey Yap Held His First-ever Business Academy to Help Aspiring Entrepreneurs of 25 Different Nationalities Formulate Winning Strategies for Business Success
During the 3-day class, Joey Yap covered a variety of business aspects and shared his own incredible entrepreneurial journey. He highlighted on the techniques and principles of BaZi and Feng Shui, and how these tools can help to boost one's strengths and potential. A common misconception is that to attend Joey Yap's business academy, one needs to be very adept in Metaphysics. Many prominent successful business men and women benefit and thrive with the use of Business Metaphysics. Both Kurly and Paola have been practicing BaZi and Feng Shui for years, and Kurly applied Feng Shui to drastically improve her health.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 23, 2019 07:07 UTC
Study reveals development drivers of ethnic groups
Pupils from ethnic groups attend a class at the Boarding Ethnic Group School in Chư Sê District, Gia Lai Province. VNA/VNS Photo Văn ThôngHÀ NỘI Physical and economic connectivity, market links and labor market mobility were among the top drivers distinguishing the best-performing ethnic groups, according to a study released by the World Bank (WB) yesterday. The poverty rate among Vietnamese ethnic minority groups was 23 per cent in 2016, three times higher than the national average. According to the study, the pathway out of poverty for top-performing ethnic groups, which in this case were the Mường and Sán Dìu ethnic groups, depended partly on the good connection between where they live and basic infrastructure and economic clusters. The study suggests a number of policy recommendations, including refocusing future ethic minority development agenda and enhancing existing policies and mechanisms.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 22, 2019 01:07 UTC
Study reveals development drivers of ethnic groups | # AsiaNewsNetwork
By shedding light on this intricate set of drivers behind the top-and bottom-performing ethnic groups, the study is expected to inform the ongoing revision of development policies and programmes for ethnic minorities, which are estimated to account for 84 per cent of the remaining poor population by 2020. The poverty rate among Vietnamese ethnic minority groups was 23 per cent in 2016, three times higher than the national average. According to the study, the pathway out of poverty for top-performing ethnic groups, which in this case were the Mường and Sán Dìu ethnic groups, depended partly on the good connection between where they live and basic infrastructure and economic clusters. The study suggests a number of policy recommendations, including refocusing future ethic minority development agenda and enhancing existing policies and mechanisms. Meanwhile, current mechanisms should go beyond physical connectivity improvements towards strengthening market institutions and actors to support doing business in ethnic minority areas.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 22, 2019 01:07 UTC
Sales of auto down despite of strong discounts | # AsiaNewsNetwork
Cut price deals, in some cases reductions of tens of millions of đồng during recent holidays, failed to attract the expected amount of buyers. Nissen Vietnam slashed prices by up to VNĐ70 million for buyers of Sunny, Navara, X-Trail and SUV Terra vehicles. They also offered deals for registration fees and offered free gifts with certain cars. Isuzu also offered similar sale prices along with Toyota Motor Vietnam (TMV) and BMW, but again, sales slowed. According to the latest report from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA), the total sales in April were 21,021, down 35 per year compared with the previous month.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 21, 2019 05:26 UTC
PM Phúc starts official visits to Russia, Norway and Sweden | # AsiaNewsNetwork
PM Phúc’s visit to Russia from May 20-23 takes place in the context of the Việt Nam Year in Russia and the Russia Year in Việt Nam in 2019 and 2020 to mark the 25th anniversary of the treaty on basic principles for bilateral relations and the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. It also demonstrates that Việt Nam treasures its traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, as well as aiming to strengthen all-round cooperation, especially in economy, trade and investment. His visit to Norway from May 24-26 will affirm the strong relations between the two nations and help deepen the traditional friendship and develop bilateral co-operation in a more effective manner. After Norway, PM Phúc will visit Sweden from May 26-28, asserting that Việt Nam had attached importance to consolidating the friendship and traditional co-operation between the two countries in the past five decades. Notably, this is the first visit at a PM-level to Sweden in 20 years.
Source:Viet Nam News
May 21, 2019 04:52 UTC