Weekly eNewsletter
40th Week of 2021 - October 10, 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!
Dear ,
I am adjusting to the new normal. Are you? My dog, Pabu, got a visit from the groomer this week, and my daughter and I went shopping at Vincom Mega Mall. I pondered buying a kayak and ping pong table, but instead bought a number of miscellaneous things while my daughter purchased a crochet hook for her new hobby, inspired by TikTok.
Meeting with Binh Duong People’s Committee. AmCham Vietnam held a constructive virtual dialogue with Binh Duong leaders on Tuesday, October 5th, to discuss how to partner to enable a safe reopening and recovery, joined by nearly 40 participants from 20 member companies. People’s Committee Chairman Vo Van Minh was accompanied by representatives from relevant departments and industrial parks. AmCham Vietnam Executive Director Mary Tarnowka; AmCham Board Member, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Task Force Chair and Diversatek General Director Jonathan Moreno; AmCham Board Member and P&G Vietnam General Manager Sai Ponugoti; Wanek Furniture VP and General Director of Asia Manufacturing Andrew Lien; and Onsemi Vietnam Operations Senior Manager Man Nguyen welcomed efforts Binh Duong leaders had taken, and recommended additional actions needed to enable their factories to reopen safely, and thereby limit the outflow of migrant workers returning to home provinces.

Chairman Minh expressed heartfelt thanks to AmCham and the U.S. Government for supporting vaccines and medical equipment for Vietnam and to AmCham member companies for their commitment and role in supporting Binh Duong’s economic recovery. He took all concerns on board for consideration, including: the desire for post-reopening inspections vs pre-approvals; need for 2nd vaccines for workers and contractors; cost and frequency of testing; need to isolate quickly and treat FOs offsite to minimize impact on operations; and need to facilitate inter-provincial transportation of good and people in the Southern Economic region. He promised announcements of additional policy clarification soon, and urged businesses to do their part on testing and safety, noting the risks with workers from many companies living together in crowded housing. He also welcomed Becamex Business Development Director Dien’s idea for AmCham to establish a chapter or branch in Binh Duong to further strengthen AmCham’s partnership with Binh Duong leaders.
Partnering with Local Trade Associations for Footwear and Apparel and Furniture Manufacturing.  AmCham members share many concerns about reopening and recovery of manufacturing operations and supply chains with members of local business associations, including the need to reopen now to promote economic recovery and prevent the reopening urn of migrant workers to home provinces. AmCham joined forces on Friday afternoon, Oct 8th with VITAS and LEFASO for a Dialogue on “Coming together for sustainable recovery of Vietnam garment and footwear industries”, and later Friday night with HAWA for “Vietnam Furniture Supply Chain Recovery Plan”. Our members stand ready to partner with the Government and local suppliers to enable a safe reopening and recovery. This is an extraordinarily challenging period, but the Vietnamese market still has tremendous potential. And U.S. exports of cotton, high-tech airsoles, and wood are inextricably linked! AmCham and our member companies are invested in Vietnam and invested in Vietnam’s success. 
In honor of International Mental Health Day, October 10th, AmCham Vietnam hosted an event this week, “Adjusting to the New Normal: Maintaining your Equilibrium” on October 7th. This event was a follow-up to a July event organized by AmCham’s Healthcare Committee, “When the Going Gets Tough: Wellness and Self-care for Body, Mind, and Workplace” and AmCham’s Wellness and Selfcare month-long social media campaign. We are all adjusting every day to what seems anything but normal, as Dr. Jane Li’s presentation on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reminded us. A few weeks ago, most of us were at the most basic level....

Expert panelists Family Medical Practice's Dr. Jane Li, Saigon Psychology & Co's Dr. Astrid Matarrita, and Human Dynamic - Vietnam's Phan Thị provided insights and advice, and responded to audience questions. Perhaps most important in maintaining equilibrium is being present in the moment, responding rather than reacting, being attuned to and taking care of both your physical and mental health, expressing gratitude, and ensuring you are supporting your teams as they adjust to stress and grief and likely some level of trepidation about returning to the workplace, even if just adjusting their work attire. Don’t be afraid to seek help! We all need support from time to time and these are particularly challenging times!!
The AmCham 2021 Board of Governor election process has kicked off! The AmCham Vietnam Nominating Committee is seeking your recommendations for candidates for the AmCham Vietnam Board of Governors in Ho Chi Minh City. Voting AmCham members may recommend themselves or another person. There are nine positions open on the Board. The Nominating Committee is seeking candidates willing to actively serve for a two-year term, Jan 2022 - Dec 2023. The recommendation form explains who may recommend/be recommended, the process for recommending and formal nomination, and other important information. The deadline is coming soon -recommendations may be made through Sunday, October 17. 
Upcoming Events and Committee Meetings
 
Please join AmCham’s event, Navigating the Bounceback: a Business Intelligence Briefing on Thursday, October 15 at 9:00AM with a panel of experts to obtain critical business intelligence on prospects for Vietnam’s reopening and economic recovery. Learn how to navigate the bounceback, and take it into account in your business and personal planning. Prime Minister Economic Advisor and Fulbright University Vietnam Lecturer Nguyen Xuan Thanh, World Bank Vietnam Lead Economist and Program Leader Jacques Morisset, VinaCapital Chief Economist Michael Kokalari, and consumer market research and consulting firm Cimigo Managing Director Richard Burrage, will share their expert perspectives, and respond to your questions in a Q and A session moderated by AmCham Vietnam Executive Director Mary Tarnowka. 

Please also join our event on the same day at 2:00PM, Responsible Supply Chains in Vietnam: Integrating Responsible Business Conduct to Create a Resilient Garment Industry jointly organized by the OECD, AmCham, AusCham, BritCham and Eurocham. The event will include a brief presentation of the OECD’s Garment & Footwear Due Diligence Guidance (which will be launched in Vietnamese during the webinar), how it can help Vietnamese businesses become more resilient, and future proof their place in the global supply chain. The webinar is bringing together key speakers in the garment industry including policy makers, business associations, global and domestic companies, and trade union representatives. A Business Consultation session will be available where the companies and manufacturers can share experiences and ask questions directly to the OECD and other speakers.

Please join our Energy Committee Meeting on Tuesday, October 12 at 3PM; our Legal and VBF Liaison Committee Meeting on Wednesday, October 13 at 5PM; and our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee Meeting on Thursday, October 14 at 4PM with Guest Speaker Florian Stretz, Saitex's Chief Transformation Officer to present Circularity Economy Transformation.

Be on the lookout for our next Member Survey this week! Your feedback matters! It lets us know how best to support you through our advocacy, programs, and events, and it also informs media and both the U.S. and Vietnamese governments.
Please CLICK NOW AND SAVE TEN LIVES 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!! 

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.

In addition to buying an eBook for yourself, you can also buy eBooks as gifts for family members, friends, and colleagues. AmCham will send them on your behalf, with a brief note: Dear XXXXX, You are receiving this e-cookbook, “Recipes for Revival, Inspired by Vietnam’s Top Tastemakers” as a gift from YYYY. The cookbook is designed as Food for the Soul, an act of love and respect for those who improve our quality of life through their delicious food, pastries, and cocktails, which we dearly miss. And an act of love and compassion to provide food and other essential products to those in our communities who are struggling to make ends meet. Click to download e-cookbook. 
It is not too late to contribute! Please contribute NOW personally or for your company to support Vietnam and HCMC at this challenging time. AmCham CARES provides you a transparent mechanism to make contributions NOW 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 or Environment, Social, and Governance initiatives at our November 18 “Giving Thanks Dinner”.

Many thanks to PHARMACITY for its generous contribution through AmCham CARES to the Vietnam Fatherland Front - HCMC of 850 Antigen Rapid Test, 5000 3-layer face masks, and 500 VN95 4-layer face masks to support HCMC COVID-19 prevention and control measures. 
Starting off the school year virtually did not slow down the Saigon South International School (SSIS) community’s dedicated service efforts. Within just two weeks, parents, students, and faculty raised 400 million VND to help local families in need, doubling the original goal. 
At the start of the school year, a task force of faculty, admin, parents, and students at partnered with the local charity, “From Saigon to Saigon,” to provide 400 families in need with care bags filled with rice, oil, and other basic staples. By exceeding the goal, SSIS was able to help twice the number of families in need. Service-learning projects have always been a part of the curriculum at SSIS and we must always find ways to provide help for those that need it most. 
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.
 
To support the HCMC People’s Committee’s COVID-19 control measures, AmCham Vietnam will continue to hold all our meetings and events at a Level IV rating this week – all virtual. Please see https://bit.ly/ACEventRating for more information about AmCham’s COVID-19 event ratings. Most members of the AmCham team are following a Work from Home (wfh) policy. Our team is still working hard to serve you. We regret our home wifi is not as strong as at the New World Hotel. 
 
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! Having passed our first full week of progressive reopening, I am happy to report that many businesses are back to normal, very few new cases of Covid have been reported, and all have been in isolated or quarantined areas. We hope that this trend will continue and we will see even more businesses and services able to open to the public by the end of this week.
 
Also, we regret that former Vice Chair Michael Kelly, formerly with BRG Hospitality Group, has relocated abroad and will no longer be serving as Vice Chairman of AmCham Vietnam - Da Nang. However, we are happy to welcome Mr. Nguyen Dang Minh Vu, the Deputy Head of Lovepop Vietnam as our new Vice-Chair. Lovepop is a U.S. company designing and manufacturing 3D cards for distribution in the UInited States and and Europe, employing more than 2000 in Da Nang. We look forward to working with Mr. Vu as a key member of our AmCham Vietnam - Da Nang leadership team. We as always wish you all to stay safe, stay healthy and stay vigilant!
COVID-19 Update from Healthcare Provider Subcommittee Chair
Dr. Mason Cobb and Andrew Meadows
Will the Last One to Leave Please Turn off the Lights?

For more information, LINK (to COVID page).
Advocacy
AAmCham Vietnam continues to be focused on COVID-19-related advocacy and support to our members, both at the Central and provincial-level. We also submitted comments on the Draft Decree detailing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection and finalized a position paper to seek postponement of the Wind Feed-in-Tariff.

If you have concerns regarding how to maintain manufacturing operations during COVID, please send to our Manufacturing Task Force, at MFGTF@amchamvietnam.com

See LINK for this week’s report. Please continue to share your feedback on policy challenges and recommended solutions to relevant Committee Chairs and advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com
Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members Only)
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.
Upcoming Event
Virtual participation only. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Virtual participation only. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Virtual participation only. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Virtual participation only. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Offers to AmCham Members

The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
New World Hotel Suite 323
76 Le Lai Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone: +84 28 3824 3562