Carlsberg Vietnam makes progress in diversity, equity and inclusion

What motivated you to take on the role of chief people and culture officer in 2024?

I was drawn to Carlsberg because it combines a strong heritage and clear purpose with real ambition for the future. What stood out to me early on was that Carlsberg’s growth journey is not only about business performance; it is also about building the leadership, culture, and capabilities that make success sustainable over time.

This role also came at the right moment for me personally. After many years working across global environments, I’ve observed that the people agenda is not a support topic – it is a strategic growth driver, especially in markets where the pace is high, and expectations continue to rise.

And importantly, there is a genuine pride across the organisation, in our people, our brands, and the way we want to do things properly. That combination of ambition and humanity is powerful, and it is what makes Carlsberg distinctive.

Why do you believe inclusion is central to long-term performance?

Because inclusion directly affects the quality of leadership and decision-making, and that determines whether organisations perform sustainably.

When people feel safe to contribute, challenge, and bring different perspectives, teams make sharper decisions, learn faster, and adapt more effectively. In a global organisation like Carlsberg, inclusion is also how we build trust across different cultures and markets, and how we stay close to the consumers we serve.

So, DE&I is not just about representation. It is about unlocking the full capability of the organisation and creating fair conditions where talent grows based on potential and performance, not on assumptions or access.

Could you share the importance of women leadership at Carlsberg?

Women leadership is a strategic priority for the group because it strengthens the leadership pipeline and ultimately improves the quality of decision-making, which is critical for long-term performance.

Our ambition is clear: to reach 40 per cent women in senior leadership by 2030, and we have already made steady progress globally with women representing more than 30 per cent of senior leadership today. But importantly, this is not simply about meeting a target, it is about building leadership teams with diverse perspectives and ensuring opportunity is driven by capability and potential.

Progress also requires discipline. Representation at one particular moment is not enough – what matters is the pipeline, the rate of progression, and the fairness of opportunity over time. That is why we focus on strengthening succession planning, development pathways, and inclusive leadership expectations, so progress is sustainable and measurable.

What stands out to you about Carlsberg Vietnam’s approach to DE&I compared to other markets?

What stands out is the clarity and structure behind the progress. DE&I is not treated as a series of ad-hoc activities, it is approached as a roadmap, with clear priorities, measurable indicators, and leadership accountability.

Carlsberg Vietnam has built strong momentum in women leadership, with over 33 per cent for senior leadership roles. Even more importantly, the market is strengthening the pipeline for the next generation: half of ready now/ready later successors are women, above the target of 45 per cent. That is a strong signal that inclusion is being built sustainably, not only reflected in today’s leadership, but also in future readiness.

Carlsberg Vietnam has also taken steps to formalise its commitment, including signing the Women’s Empowerment Principles in 2025, reinforcing that gender equality is not only encouraged culturally, but supported structurally. The combination of commitment, capability-building, and measurable pipeline work is what makes Vietnam a standout.

What are the key initiatives in Vietnam that make inclusion real across the organisation?

Inclusion becomes real when it is embedded into everyday leadership behaviours and people practices, not when it sits as a separate programme.

In Carlsberg Vietnam, DE&I works because it is driven through a clear roadmap with measurable outcomes and anchored in our growth culture: the shared way we expect leaders and teams to work, collaborate, and grow. When growth culture is truly lived, it naturally strengthens inclusion: people feel trusted to speak up, encouraged to learn, and supported to step forward.

To make that real at scale, Vietnam is driving DE&I through three disciplined priorities. First, accelerating female leadership development, we kicked off a Women Leadership Community that focuses on career development, mentoring, and informal networking. This creates a safe and empowering space for future female leaders to learn from role models, build confidence, and expand their professional networks.

The second aspect is building inclusive leadership competencies through continuous leadership development and targeted learning for senior levels, helping leaders role-model inclusive behaviours consistently.

Thirdly, we integrate DE&I into everyday business routines through communications, events, policies, and core training, so inclusion becomes part of how we work.

This combination is what makes DE&I sustainable: clear focus, real capability-building, and consistent reinforcement through daily leadership choices.

Carlsberg Vietnam kicks off SheLeads, an initiative designed to build a stronger pipeline of future-ready female leaders

How does the company's growth culture connect with DE&I in shaping a workplace where people can perform, belong, and thrive?

It is a mindset and a set of behaviours that help people and teams grow and deliver sustainable results.

Today, markets change quickly, consumer expectations evolve, and competition is intense. In that reality, strategy matters, but culture determines whether strategy actually happens. Growth culture strengthens the “how” behind performance: how we make decisions, how we collaborate across teams, how we stay close to consumers, and how we keep learning and improving with ownership and confidence.

DE&I reinforces that foundation by ensuring opportunity is accessible, so people feel safe to contribute, develop, and step forward regardless of background. When growth culture and DE&I work together, they don’t just drive results; they build trust and belonging. This enables people to perform at their best, grow sustainably, and stay engaged for the long term.

Vietnam is one of Carlsberg’s key markets. From a people perspective, what will be most important for Carlsberg to win sustainably in Vietnam?

Vietnam is a fast-moving and highly competitive market, and that creates both challenge and opportunity. Winning sustainably will require us to stay close to consumers, execute with discipline, and keep building capabilities that match the pace of change.

The key is building future-ready leadership at scale – leaders who can create clarity when priorities shift, make strong decisions under pressure, and build teams that learn quickly and execute with pride. In markets like Vietnam, speed matters, but so does stability: teams perform best when they feel trusted, supported, and able to speak up.

That is why growth culture and inclusion are not “nice-to-have” – they are performance enablers. Vietnam already shows strong momentum in this space, reflected in indicators such as a DE&I score of 84/100, which is an encouraging signal that inclusion is being felt in everyday working life.

With continued investment in leadership development and a strong focus on building a diverse pipeline, especially for women leaders, Vietnam can remain not only a key growth market, but also a strong talent engine for the long term.

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