Small business ESG strategies unlocked

Nam committed that the VINASME, with its network of 34 provincial associations and 39 affiliated units, is ready to work alongside the ACCA and KPMG to disseminate the handbook across the SME community.

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He also outlined four priorities: aligning the handbook with an up-to-date legal framework; adopting a practice-first approach with simple, tiered guidance tailored to SMEs; positioning ESG as a gateway to supply chains and market expansion; and linking real-world case studies to improved access to finance, particularly green capital, in line with bank and investor requirements.

Truong Hanh Linh, partner and head of Risk & ESG Consulting at KPMG Vietnam, said the current phase focuses on setting direction based on practical business needs and the ACCA's recommendations, rather than delving into technical complexity.

According to Linh, although SMEs are not yet mandated to publish sustainability reports, proactive cess will ultimately depend on collective participation, shared insights, and sustained collaboration to deliver meaningful, long-term value for Vietnam's SME community.

SMEs today are navigating a more demanding business landscape. On one hand, rising expectations around transparency and governance are rapidly becoming nonnegotiable standards across global value chains. On the other, SMEs continue to face very real constraints in terms of resources, skilled personnel, and access to internationally recognised frameworks. This creates a gap between what is required and what is practically achievable.

For the handbook to be effective in practice, it must be supported by a robust enabling ecosystem, where global buyers recognise and accept it, banks align it with green financing frameworks, and tech firms leverage it to develop solutions that reduce implementation costs and make sustainability reporting accessible.

adoption offers three core benefits: enhanced participation in supply chains through greater transparency, improved access to financing, particularly green credit, and stronger governance capacity to meet increasingly stringent standards.