C asean Vietnam hosted the SX Roadshow 2023 on September 21, which served as a platform to introduce the Sustainability Expo 2023 (SX 2023), the largest sustainability development exhibition in ASEAN and scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, later this month.

Speakers at the press conference included Ms. Tongjai Thanachanan, CEO of Sustainable Development and Strategy at the Thai Beverage Public Company Limited; Mr. Tan Boon Thor, Head of Commercial and Design Management at Frasers Property Vietnam; Mr. Amnat Chulajata, Deputy Chief of Mission in charge of investment and Director of the Office of the Thailand Board of Investment in Hanoi; and Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategy, Resources, and Environment at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE).

The Sustainability Expo returns for the fourth time this year in Bangkok, with the theme “Good Balance - Better World”. Expected to attract 320,000 visitors, the expo will feature 100 companies and host 150 international speakers, making it a significant platform for sustainable development discussions and initiatives.

SX 2023 has a significant goal of promoting sustainable development and raising awareness about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to inspire and support a sustainable development ecosystem, fostering international cooperation across various sectors.

“With the success of SX 2022, I believe that SX 2023 will take a big leap forward,” said Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, who participated in SX 2022 last year as a speaker and content director on the circular economy in Vietnam. “This is a significant opportunity for manufacturers to promote sustainable environmental activities, which serve as a prerequisite for expanding their production market.”

Representatives from Frasers Property, one of the co-founders of SX, and representatives from the Embassy of Thailand in Vietnam also had positive assessments of the significance and vision of SX. They expressed hope for increased participation and visitors from Vietnam.

An essential part of the SX Roadshow was a discussion on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Vietnam. It featured the participation of representatives from MoNRE, businesses involved in packaging, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam, and aimed to provide diverse perspectives on this critical issue and support ASEAN’s mission in connecting sustainable development experts from various countries.

“The circular economy is a policy closely related to the EPR,” said Mr. Nguyen Thi, Principal Official in the Legal Affairs Department at MoNRE. “The EPR impacts every stage of the circular economy, from product design (materials, product lifespan, environmentally-friendly materials, and resource efficiency, etc.) to ensuring the reuse and recycling of products.”

“As a packaging user, we believe that the EPR policy is essential for the development of enterprises,” said Mr. Nguyen Hoang Giang, General Director of the Saigon Beer Trading Company Limited. “We are also actively promoting projects for reusing and recycling cans and bottles, and increasing the use of renewable energy in our factories to contribute to domestic and international sustainable development goals.”

The SX Roadshow also included an awards ceremonies for sustainability-related competitions, such as the Circular Economy 2023 Photo Contest. Entries highlighted the importance of the circular economy in resource management, pollution reduction, environmental conservation, and climate change adaptation.