Microsoft receives AmCham CSR Recognition Award 2015

The award is the recognition of Microsoft’s commitment to transparency, good governance, sustainable business practices and serving community that provides a model inspiring others to follow in Vietnam and reflects the best practices that AmCham seeks to promote in the country.

Entering the market since 1996, shortly after Vietnam and the US normalised diplomatic relations, after nearly 20 years of operation, Microsoft not only affirms its position as the world’s leading technology company but also makes contributions to the Vietnamese people.

Since its presence in Vietnam, Microsoft has endeavored to make crucial contributions in the ICT industry and the country’s economic development through various programmes to build solid IT infrastructure, education, employability and entrepreneurship projects to promote innovation as well as improve the quality of human resources.

Vietnam has been an important market for Microsoft in ASEAN which received special investment from Microsoft compared to other countries in the region. The company’s CSR activities are aligned with the Vietnamese government’s strategy and vision in realising its goal of becoming an advanced IT country in 2020.

To date, Microsoft Vietnam has invested more than $80 million in the country, donated more than $12 million in software and services to more than 500 nonprofit organisations in the country.

The Youth Training and Innovation Centre- established in 2012 by Microsoft in cooperation with Vietnet ICT, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Hanoi University of Science and Technology- has trained about 10,000 youth on ICT.

Together with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Microsoft has enhanced ICT skills for more than 2,000 SMEs in the country especially in rural trade villages (Bat Trang ceramic & Quat Dong embroidery village in Hanoi, Phuong Duc bronze casting village in Hue city, and Dong Ky woodwork village in Bac Ninh, just to name a few).

Microsoft partners with the Ministry of Education and Training to improve teaching and learning with ICT tools and applications. Education programme has reached more than 60,000 teachers throughout the country. Its employees are passionate about serving communities and have volunteered their time, clothes, essential supplies to over 1,500 orphans and disadvantaged children.

Microsoft also offers other support forms such as investment through the public - private partnership (PPP) model; transfer of knowledge and technology; localisation of products according to Vietnam standards; strategic cooperation with businesses; collaboration to establish Microsoft Innovation Centre to train and equip valuable technology skills for more than 5,000 young people, 750 high school students; and Microsoft fund for ICT development in Vietnam.

Microsoft has supported about 170 start-ups via Microsoft BizSpark which provided free access to coding tools, technical support and products, service promoting consultancy. The company also provides free of charge Office 365 for education – more than one million students have been the beneficiaries of this programme so far.

The most vibrant programme is Microsoft’s recent $3 million investment in Vietnam over the next three years (2015-2018) through YouthSpark initiative.

This is a great effort by Microsoft to Vietnam to empower young people with opportunities for education, employment, and entrepreneurship through technology skills training, along with connections to employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for young people across Vietnam.

YouthSpark is expected to help millions of Vietnamese youth access digital resources, find employment or start their own businesses.

Speaking at the event, Vu Minh Tri – general director of Microsoft Vietnam said, “We are really excited to receive AmCham CSR Recognition Award 2015. We would like to thank AmCham for their recognition of our efforts in community activities in Vietnam.”

“The award is a strong momentum for us to further empower Vietnamese people, especially disadvantaged communities, to do more and achieve more, as such contribute to the growth of Vietnam,” Tri added.

“Microsoft has proved that they are a leading IT corporation with strategic vision for sustainable development in the countries where they operate. We are impressed with Microsoft Vietnam’s CSR activities bringing practical benefits helping people’s lives better, which reflects the best practices that AmCham seeks to promote in the country,” said Adam R. Sitkoff – executive director of AmCham Hanoi.