ESG For SMEs: From Strategy To Implementation – When ESG Becomes The ‘Common Language’ For Businesses To Access Green Capital And Meet Supply Chain Requirements

ESG is gradually becoming the ‘common language’ between businesses, investors and financial institutions. Through a seminar jointly organised by Baker Tilly A&C and ACCA, experts discussed practical solutions to help businesses – particularly SMEs – gradually overcome barriers, access green finance and enhance their capacity to participate in the global supply chain.

On 24 July 2026, Baker Tilly A&C, in collaboration with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), organised a specialised seminar entitled “From ESG Strategy to Implementation: Sharing Practical Experience and Overcoming Barriers to Accessing Green Finance and Meeting Supply Chain Requirements”, attended by over 120 business representatives, experts and managers.

What set this seminar apart was not simply reaffirming that ESG is an inevitable trend, but rather its focus on answering a more practical question:

How can businesses, particularly SMEs, transform ESG into a competitive advantage, meet the requirements of the global supply chain and expand opportunities to access green finance?

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh – General Director of Baker Tilly A&C Consulting – delivered the opening speech

In his opening address, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh – General Director of Baker Tilly A&C Consulting – emphasised that ESG should not be viewed merely as a compliance requirement. When implemented correctly, ESG becomes a foundation that helps businesses enhance their governance capabilities, improve transparency, manage risks and increase their access to collaboration and investment opportunities, against a backdrop of increasingly widespread adoption of international standards.

One of the topics that attracted significant attention was the session entitled ‘Greenhouse Gas Inventories – Key Considerations to Help Businesses Effectively Identify and Manage Emissions’, presented by Mr. Ton That Hac Minh.

Mr. Ton That Hac Minh presented a session on MRV and greenhouse gas inventories.

Through data and practical examples, the session highlighted that greenhouse gas inventories are no longer the sole concern of large enterprises. For businesses participating in global supply chains, emissions data is increasingly becoming the basis for demonstrating transparency, meeting the requirements of international customers and facilitating access to green finance.

One message that particularly resonated with businesses was: “Greenhouse gas accounting is not merely about compliance; it is a common language that helps businesses connect with green financial institutions and the global supply chain.”

In addition, the session “Green Taxonomy – Opportunity or Challenge?”, presented by Mr. Van Cong Binh – Director of Environment and Social Affairs, HDBank’s Corporate Banking Division – provided a perspective from financial institutions on the criteria for classifying green projects, whilst helping businesses better understand the necessary conditions for accessing preferential funding in the future.

Mr Van Cong Binh presenting the session – Green Taxonomy

From Strategy to Implementation: ESG Can Only Succeed When It Starts with Governance and People

The highlight of the programme was the panel discussion on ‘ESG: From Strategy to Implementation’, moderated by Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh – General Director of Baker Tilly A&C Consulting.

Drawing on his experience advising numerous businesses during their ESG transitions, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh guided the discussion from the practical challenges businesses are currently facing to solutions that can be implemented immediately, creating an open, substantive and valuable space for exchange.

Experts exchanged views during the discussion session.

From a corporate governance perspective, Ms. Vo Thi Yen Trang – APAC Accounting & Tax Manager at Novo Nordisk and a member of the ACCA Vietnam Advisory Committee – shared that, for SMEs, governance is the most effective starting point on the ESG journey. According to her, building awareness among senior management, developing the workforce and gradually fostering an ESG culture will generate ‘quick wins’, helping businesses to be ready to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the market and international partners.

From the perspective of a business at the top of the supply chain, Ms. Doan Thanh Linh – ESG Manager at Betrimex Vietnam – shared practical experience in implementing ESG and managing the supply chain. According to her, large enterprises are not only raising their supplier selection standards but also tend to support their partner businesses through technical guidance, experience-sharing and capacity-building, helping SMEs gradually meet sustainable development criteria rather than simply imposing pressure-inducing requirements.

The insights shared by the speakers demonstrated that ESG is no longer the sole concern of a single department or a single report, but rather a convergence of corporate governance, data, finance and the supply chain. Only when these elements are implemented in a coordinated manner can ESG truly become a driving force for creating long-term value for businesses.

Baker Tilly A&C supports businesses on their ESG transformation journey

As part of the programme, Baker Tilly A&C and ACCA also introduced the ACCA Professional Diploma in Sustainability (ProDipSust) alongside scholarship schemes for the business community. Participants who registered for the programme were presented with potted plants as a symbol of the spirit of learning, innovation and a commitment to supporting the journey towards sustainable development.

ĐRepresentatives from Baker Tilly A&C and ACCA presented potted plants to participants embarking on their journey towards the ProDipSust qualification

Through this seminar, Baker Tilly A&C has further reaffirmed its role as a consultancy and training provider supporting businesses throughout their ESG transformation journey – from strategy development, establishing governance frameworks, conducting greenhouse gas inventories and disclosing information in accordance with international standards, to enhancing capabilities to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the market and the global supply chain.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh presented on the ACCA’s Professional Level Sustainable Development Certificate – Prodipsust

ESG is not merely a compliance requirement. It is a capability that enables businesses to attract green capital, be selected within supply chains, and achieve long-term sustainable development.

Baker Tilly A&C would like to extend our sincere thanks to ACCA, the speakers, and our valued clients and partners for taking the time to attend and contribute to the success of the programme. We look forward to continuing to support the Vietnamese business community on its ESG transformation journey, helping to enhance competitiveness and create sustainable value for the future.