In this episode of SEA CONNECT – Leadership Talks, featuring a discussion between Lars Voedisch and Le Anh, Sustainability Director of DUYTAN Recycling, about sustainability and ethics in branding initiatives, particularly in the context of Vietnam. The conversation covers the challenges and opportunities in recycling, the role of global brands and government regulations, and the issue of greenwashing.

Le Anh explains the difficulties of recycling in Vietnam due to the higher cost of recycled materials compared to virgin materials and the lack of infrastructure. He highlights the potential of “bottle-to-bottle” technology to create a circular economy and emphasises the role of global brands and government regulations in driving sustainability.

Lars raises concerns about greenwashing, questioning whether brands can legitimately claim to be “recycled” if only a portion of their product is made from recycled materials. Le Anh explains the current legal framework in Vietnam, which allows such claims based on the majority composition of the product. The conversation concludes with an optimistic view of Vietnam’s progress towards sustainability, emphasising the importance of continuous improvement and collaboration between brands, consumers, and the government.

 

Key Takeaways from the Episode 6 – Sustainability and Ethics in Branding Initiatives:

• Recycling Costs: Recycling is currently more expensive than using virgin materials, which poses a challenge for businesses and consumers.
• Government Regulations: Vietnam’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) decree mandates that producers take responsibility for packaging waste, incentivising recycling.
• Global Brands vs. Local Brands: While global brands often have strong sustainability commitments, Vietnamese brands are also making progress in adopting sustainable practices.
• Transparency and Greenwashing: The speakers emphasise the importance of transparent communication and setting clear targets to avoid accusations of greenwashing.
• DUYTAN Recycling’s Efforts: Le Anh highlights DUYTAN Recycling’s commitment to sustainability, including their “bottle-to-bottle” technology and efforts to minimise environmental impact.
• The Future of Sustainability in Vietnam: The speakers express optimism about the future of sustainability in Vietnam, emphasising the need for collaboration between brands, the government, and producers.

Overall, the discussion provides insights into the current state of recycling and sustainability in Vietnam and emphasises the importance of continued efforts to promote a circular economy.

Soundbites

Le Anh – “So the bottle come to the pellets and get blow up to the bottle again, so it’s called the ‘bottle to bottle’ technology.” “The environment in our first DNA so we go everything for environment.” “So for our internal transportation we you electric car, not electric car, we you electric forklift and we everything we try to minimise the impact to the environment.”