AmCham Vietnam Weekly eNewsletter - 42nd Week of 2021

Weekly eNewsletter

42nd Week of 2021 - October 24, 2021

AmCham Vietnam’s Vision:

The most influential, strategic, and dynamic business association in Vietnam, that drives innovation and sustainable growth, and helps our members succeed. AmCham is a diverse and inclusive business association. We welcome American, Vietnamese, and international companies that share our interest in enabling a fair, transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory environment that values innovation. A community you want to join!

www.amchamvietnam.com

Dear ,

We hope you are having a peaceful weekend and are rested and recharged for the week ahead. I enjoyed my garden between the rains. I particularly enjoyed the serenity on Sunday when the 11 workers jackhammering the tile floors and concrete walls of the house next to me took a break… I guess it’s all part of the Q4 economic recovery.

Planning AmCham Events in Fluid New Normal. This week, we will start allowing committee meetings to have limited in-person attendance for fully-vaccinated individuals, in addition to the virtual format. Please register in advance. We will also allow other limited in-person meetings for fully-vaccinated individuals. Please register or make an appointment in advance. Your temperature will be taken on arrival to the New World Hotel and you will be required to show your green card QR status on arrival to the AmCham office. Masks will be required in meetings. See AmCham’s Event Criteria Level III. LINK

There is a feeling of anticipation in the air as we await news of additional liberalization in HCMC – hopefully restaurants, larger in-person gatherings… We are hopeful there will be more reopening soon and we can hold our November 4 Empowering Women in the Workforce event at the Reverie, our November 11 Meet the Candidates Night at Cocotte in D3, and our Annual General Meeting at the New World Hotel on December 9 in hybrid formats to allow both in-person and virtual participation.

Meanwhile, we recognize we won’t be able to hold some events on the dates originally planned. Please note new Save the Dates for our Giving Thanks Dinner, now December 2^nd, our AmCham Governors’ Ball on January 22nd, and our AmCham Community Picnic on February 26^th. We hope this week’s expected announcements will allow us to plan more details soon – and launch a rapid-planning Ball Committee!!

AmCham Celebrates Vietnam’s Women’s Day on October 20^th and Everyday! On Vietnam Women’s Day, AmCham featured a photo collage of our female leaders from our Boards of Governors in HCMC and Da Nang, our Committee leaders, and our AmCham team. We believe in the Mission Statement of our Women in Leadership Committee: “Work with women and their allies to enhance women leadership in AmCham, their workplaces, and the broader community in Vietnam.” If you and your organizations are seeking to increase Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity goals, please register now with your teams to join our November 4^th event, Empowering Women in the Workforce, with an inspiring group of women leaders and a dedicated male ally: Standard Chartered Vietnam CEO Michele Wee; KPMG Vietnam Chairman, CEO, and Managing Partner Warrick Cleine; Intel Products Vietnam Industrial Engineering Director Uyen Cao; Sun Flower Media CEO and Group Editor in Chief Venus Tran, and WIL Committee Co-Chair and Lightpath Consulting Group Co-founder Irene Oehler.

AmCham National Board Meeting. AmCham’s National Board met on October 21, with representatives from our Boards of Governors in HCMC, Hanoi, and Da Nang, to strengthen our coordination, corporate governance, and effectiveness in representing our member’s interests throughout Vietnam. We discussed ways to advance our joint mission to strengthen trade and investment ties between the United States and Vietnam and serve as the voice of American business in Vietnam.

We also discussed our joint Working Groups focused on Strategic Priorities identified at our March 2021 National Conference with U.S. Mission Leadership in Da Nang:

Strengthening Trade on Investment Ties: Laying the Groundwork for an Eventual FTA;
Enabling a Safe Reopening and Economic Recovery;
Building Infrastructure for Sustainable Development; and
Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce.

If you are an AmCham member, let us know if you are interested in contributing your insights and expertise to a Working Group!

Be Prepared. Vietnam’s new Personal Data Protection Decree will create new compliance requirements for many. Although the latest draft has not yet been officially shared and we are not sure the degree to which it reflects comments to date, it appears it will require new disclosures by many. Russin and Vecchi’s legal team on October 21 presented the new requirements - as best we know them now - and advice on how you can ensure your organization is compliant with new rules that could take effect at as early as December 2021.

Upcoming Events and Meetings. Travel restrictions are easing in many countries in the region, with Thailand and Singapore lifting quarantine requirements last week. Join the AmChams of the Asia-Pacific (AAP) virtual event on Wednesday, October 27, 9-10:30AM event, “Back to Business: an Update on Travel for Asia-Pacific”, featuring updates on travel restrictions and requirements for many destinations in the region, including China, Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, the latter featuring AmCham member TMG Founder and Chairman and Tourism Advisory Board Chairman Tran Trong Kien. This event is complimentary to members of AmCham Vietnam, and available to other on a fee-basis.

And Save the Date for our Meet the Candidates Night on Nov. 11th, which we hope can be held in a hybrid format at Cocotte’s Sila Tower beautiful indoor-outdoor venue in D3. It should be a great opportunity to hear the vision statements of each of our candidates for the 2021 Board of Governors election in HCMC – and to network with long-lost friends and colleagues.

Committee Meetings. All AmCham members are welcome to join our Tourism and Hospitality Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 26 at 9AM to hear an industry update, including reports from Committee leaders with any further insights from our partnerships with Tourism Authority Board and the Vietnam Business Forum on plans or recommendations for restarting international travel safely and as soon as possible. The meeting will also discuss current domestic openings and challenges. Members are also welcome to join our Logistics and Supply Chain Committee Meeting on Wednesday, October 27 at 9AM, to discuss industry updates and hear from guest speaker DEEP C Industrial Zones Head of EU/US market in Vietnam Tiffany-Tran Pham, who will discuss DEEP C’s start-to-finish solutions for international investors looking to establish their projects in northern Vietnam.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: "Pinktober". Due to the pandemic, we could not do our usual face-to-face promotions at our AmCham events.

Welcome to the WHO's Women's Health Chatbot. Here you will find key information in regards to women's health. We start with the topic of Breast Cancer and how to prevent it. Self-checking is key. Here is a LINK to the breast self-exam.

Please CLICK NOW AND SAVE TEN LIVES! You can buy an eBook for yourself, or as gifts for family members, friends, and colleagues. Reopening finally is beginning in HCMC, but many of its residents, our neighbors, are still struggling to find enough to eat. Join hands with AmCham CARES, support those in need, and be inspired with Recipes for Revival from ten of Vietnam's top tastemakers!!

As we eagerly await reopening of restaurants for in-person dining, learn more about your favorite chefs and support those who are struggling to find enough to eat! With a donation of just 350,000 VND or increments of 350,000 VND if you want to contribute more, you will receive a link to download our special eBook “RECIPES FOR REVIVAL, Inspired by Vietnam's Top Tastemakers", including: Layla and Summer Experiment's Jay Moir; The Ox Not Only the Ox's Ngo Thanh Hoa; Quince's Julien Perraudin; Le Corto and P'ti's Sakal Phoeung, ANAN and NHAU NHAU's Peter Cuong Franklin; TUNG Dining's Hoang Tung, Master Chef Jack Lee, Chill Sky Bar and Vigor Dining's Emilio Moscati; Ivoire's Kasey Doan, and Maison Marou's Stephanie Aubriot.

Join hands with AmCham CARES, support those in need, and be inspired with Recipes for Revival from ten of Vietnam's top tastemakers!!

Vietnam is reopening, but needs for medical equipment remain. It is not too late to contribute! Please contribute personally or for your company to support Vietnam at this challenging time. AmCham CARES provides you a transparent mechanism to make contributions for critically-needed medical equipment and supplies and know they will be delivered where in Vietnam they are needed most. We also welcome contributions from non-members and will ensure all donors are recognized. Contribute now: https://bit.ly/3i4FHRn to demonstrate AmCham CARES! If you have any questions, please contact AmCham Office Manager Cindy Tran at cindy.tran@amchamvietnam.com.

The highly transmissible Delta variant is causing extreme hardship for many Vietnamese people, especially disadvantaged groups such as migrants and informal workers. We know many of AmCham’s members and friends want to contribute to help, but don’t know how best to do so. In addition to contributing directly via AmCham CARES to donate critically-needed medical equipment to support the Vietnamese government, we provide information below about various AmCham INGO members’ COVID-19 relief programs in Vietnam, as well as links to some local NGOs vetted and supported by LIN. Contribute now personally or via your company. LINK.

We are happy to highlight COVID-related contributions from our member companies on our social media. Please email details, including photos, to Cindy Tran. We will also recognize contributions of our member companies to support the Vietnamese government’s COVID response, as well as other innovative and impactful Corporate Social Responsibility Programs at our December 2 “Giving Thanks Dinner”.

AmCham Premium Membership offers the opportunity for qualified companies to highlight their status as business leaders and their strategic support for AmCham Vietnam’s mission and programs. Premium Membership offers a range of discounts, benefits, and exclusive access. Customized packages are available. To learn more, see LINK or contact Office Manager Cindy Tran at cindy.tran@amchamvietnam.com.

We welcome your feedback at team@amchamvietnam.com to let us know how we can serve you better. We wish you a safe and healthy week ahead! Mary

Greetings from Da Nang! As stated last week, while we have enjoyed all the efforts of the city government to reopen the Da Nang economy, it is worth noting that the COVID pandemic has affected and continues to affect the most vulnerable of our society. That is why when our member One Sky reached out to us last week to help the families of workers from the industrial zone who have been struggling with the pandemic and trying to continue their work, AmCham Da Nang sprang into action.

One Sky provides free education for the children of workers, primarily where both parents work in the industrial zones. This important service allows both parents the opportunity to have their children aged from six months to six years receive an education and have day care while they can work to support their families.

AmCham Da Nang members and friends, including Sunrise Potential Partners, Lovepop, UAC, PowerMore, Suntory PepsiCo, KPMG, Riverside Tower Commercial Center and its tenants – Highlands Coffee, Roche, Origin Impact Minimart, Indochina Land and many individuals from Red Apron, Delta Construction Management, and Ms. Phuong all answered the call very quickly. We were able to organize in days the delivery of money, milk, rice, snacks, notebooks and clothes for children among other goods to help assist. I am overwhelmed with the speed in which our community reacted and inspired that AmCham is able to quickly and effectively help our members and the community! I think all our members and friends should be very proud of their contributions and offer my most humble and sincere thanks!

I know that with the speed in which we started the collection that I may have omitted someone who donated to this cause. I apologize for that, offer my sincere gratitude, and please reach out to me directly so I can update your name or company in next week’s newsletter.

Stay safe, stay strong, stay vigilant! Chris

COVID-19 Update from Healthcare Provider Subcommittee Chair

Dr. Mason Cobb and Andrew Meadows

Venturing Out.

For more information, LINK (to COVID page).

Advocacy

AmCham’s F&B Committee continues to advocate actively on behalf of members to promote environmental policies aligned with international best practices, including at a meeting with the MONRE Minister, together with EuroCham and 11 local business associations last Sunday.

We continue to focus our advocacy on partnering with the Government at the Central and provincial-level to enable a safe reopening, economic recovery, and sustainable growth. We know that many provinces have also issued a multitude of directives and dispatches to guide reopening and welcome your feedback on their effectiveness. Please send your feedback on what is working, what issues remain, and recommended solutions to relevant Committee Chairs, advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com, and our Manufacturing Task Force at MFGTF@amchamvietnam.com. We are particularly interested in how reopening is going in the Southern Economic Region: HCMC, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, BRVT plus. We welcome good news, too!! See LINK for this week’s report.

Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members Only)

October 26: Tourism and Hospitality Committee Meeting

October 27: Logistics & Supply Chain Committee Meeting

Key Media Updates

Stay informed about key developments affecting your business by checking frequently – updated regularly on weekdays. On weekends, stay informed and connected through AmCham’s Facebook, Linked IN, and Instagram. LINK to our Key Media Updates.