At a conference on business ethical standards and culture aligned with national cultural identity and global cultural excellence,” Le Hai Binh, Standing Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the business community continues to be strongly inspired by the Politburo’s Resolution 41 on promoting the role of Vietnamese entrepreneurs in the new era.

Eight years after implementation, the resolution has created a strong momentum, though many aspects still require more decisive action to take root in real life and contribute directly to socio-economic development.

According to Binh, Vietnamese business culture embodies positive values preserved across generations, reflected even in familiar folk tales such as the story of Mai An Tiem, whose lessons remain relevant today in ways of conduct and doing business. 

However, alongside these strengths are limitations that Vietnamese enterprises must address by learning from business cultures that value credibility, integrity and professionalism.

In an international context, Vietnamese enterprises must adopt new standards: respect for the law, contract compliance, transparency, efficiency, responsible communication and, particularly, social responsibility.

He stressed that ethical and cultural business standards promote value when enterprises recognize their own benefit in practicing them, rather than seeing them as administrative or formalistic requirements. 

“Right from the startup stage, the initial mindset must follow this direction in order to generate real and long-term benefits,” he said.

Nguyen Thi Bich Phuong, Deputy General Director of BHD, noted that cinema is a dual-natured industry, both a cultural product and a commercial & entertainment production sector. Therefore, business ethics and cultural standards not only affect internal corporate operations but also influence the image of the Vietnamese people and national reputation abroad.

BHD offered three recommendations:

First, content responsibility should be clarified as part of business culture. Cinema shapes social perception and values, so professional ethics must be reflected in the indicators.

Second, standards must account for the creative nature of the industry: flexibility, experimentation, innovation and acceptance of risk. The indicator system should be directional rather than too rigid, to avoid creativity restriction.

Third, international cooperation and transparency should be integrated, particularly in finance, copyright, intellectual property, labor standards and environmental protection, all mandatory requirements in cross-border production.

BHD expressed confidence that once completed, the project will help elevate the reputation of Vietnamese enterprises in general and the film industry in particular, fostering a professional, civilized and culturally rich creative environment.

Representatives of Yeah1, the organizer of many major concerts, shared insights from international cooperation: businesses often do not need to know their partners’ names or nationality, yet the business culture of each country creates a clear impression. Working with German companies evokes punctuality, discipline, and sometimes rigidity; while Korean corporations emphasize hierarchy and respect for seniority.

According to Yeah1, Vietnamese businesses possess many admirable values: the tradition of flag salute and singing the national anthem is still maintained in many organizations, along with a strong culture of sharing and community support. However, to form a unified value system, the project needs more specific criteria.

Closing the conference, Vice Minister Le Hai Binh stated that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will incorporate feedback and finalize the Project on Business Ethics Standards and Business Culture rooted in national cultural identity and oriented toward global cultural excellence, before submitting it to the Government for review and approval. 

Once adopted, it will impact business activities, spread positive values in society, and contribute to building a modern, civilized business environment infused with Vietnamese cultural identity.

Ho Anh Tuan, former Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chair of the Vietnam Association for Corporate Culture Development, and Head of the Steering Committee for implementing the campaign “Building Vietnamese Corporate Culture,” said that throughout the revolutionary leadership process, the Party has consistently affirmed that culture is the spiritual foundation of society, serving as both the goal and the driving force of development. Culture is not only a spiritual sphere but also deeply embedded in all political, economic and social activities.

In the context of globalization and extensive digital transformation, culture is increasingly recognized as a form of soft power, the internal strength of a nation. Business culture has become a distinctive component that guides behaviors and values within the Vietnamese business community.

Tinh Le