On April 16th and 17th, 2026, in Thai Nguyen City, STI Vietnam co-organized the training program “Capacity Building for SME Support Units on Digital and Green Transformation to Promote Productivity and Decent Work” This is a core activity under the “Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work (PE4DW)” project, affirming the pivotal role of the support workforce in guiding local enterprises to adapt to the digital and green era.

Recording over 14,715 active enterprises as of the end of Q1/2026, Thai Nguyen province sees the business sector contributing up to 45% of its GRDP. Among these, SMEs account for an overwhelming 98% of the total.

However, amidst the global economic shift, these enterprises face immense pressure to enhance their governance capacity and meet stringent environmental and technological standards. The “Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work (PE4DW)” project co-implemented by the Agency for Private Enterprise and Cooperative Development (Ministry of Finance) and STI Vietnam was established to address this challenge. Funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the project focuses on building capacity for SMEs while bridging policy with manufacturing practices.

An overview of the training program in Thai Nguyen

Delivering the opening remarks for the program, Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Department of Finance, highly commended the course’s importance in materializing the goals of supporting local enterprises and business households.

Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Department of Finance,
sharing at the event

Sharing at the program, Mr. Dinh Trung Dung, Head of the Business Assistance Center under the Agency for Private Enterprise and Cooperative Development (Ministry of Finance), emphasized that the course focuses on several key areas: assessing the current state of enterprises and identifying support needs; sustainable market trends and “greening” requirements for manufacturing enterprises; impact assessment and consulting on Digital and Green Transformation solutions through the application of the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting framework; and the BSAT (Basic Sustainability Assessment Tool). These components empower enterprises to demonstrate transparency, responsibility, and a clear orientation toward sustainable development activities.

Mr. Dinh Trung Dung, Head of the Business Assistance Center, sharing insights at the training course

Representing the International Labour Organization (ILO), Ms. Gulmera Ansanbaeva, Project Manager of the “Productivity Ecosystems for Decent Work (PE4DW)”, affirmed that the digital and green transformation can only truly succeed when it is human-centered. Technology and green production methods must help enterprises enhance their competitiveness while simultaneously improving working conditions, occupational safety and health (OSH), and development opportunities for both workers and management. This embodies a multidimensional approach: Increasing productivity coupled with responsible business operations.

Ms. Gulmera Ansanbaeva, Project Manager of the International Labour Organization (ILO)

In addition to theoretical training, participants engaged in solving real-world case studies throughout the course. The program serves not only as a platform for acquiring knowledge but also as a space to:

  • Learn from one another: Share experiences among consulting units and enterprise representatives.
  • Optimize resources: Mobilize finance, technology, and human resources from existing programs.
  • Strengthen the ecosystem: Build a cohesive local support network, enabling enterprises to participate more deeply in the global value chain (GVC).

Accompanying the project as a co-implementing partner, STI Vietnam is proud to continue contributing to a robust multilateral networking environment. We stand alongside regulatory bodies, experts, and SMEs to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and integrate more deeply into the sustainable global value chain.

_______________________________________ 

STI VIETNAM

Partner in Transformation – Leading the Future

🌐 Website: https://stivina.com/

📧 Email: contact@stivina.com

📞 Tel: +84 989 770 795

📍 Address: 8A, 8th Floor, Song Da Mixed-use Building, 131 Tran Phu, Ha Dong, Hanoi