Igniting Innovation for Social Impact and Plastic Pollution Reduction
Event Type: Final Showcase of the Better Impact TOT and the Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge
Date and time: 8:30 – 16:00, July 26, 2024
Location: Common Area, 2nd Floor, Fulbright University Vietnam, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
Organizing agency: Fulbright University Viet Nam, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Embassy of Canada, UNDP
Registration: Contact thuminh.nguyen@fulbright.edu.vn (Ms. Minh Nguyen)
Content:
The Better Impact TOT (BIT) is a 3-month incubation program targeting intermediaries who want to support social impact businesses (SIBs) working to tackle climate change, and plastic pollution, advance women empowerment, support ethnic minorities and the rights of persons with disabilities, etc. BIT aims to provide knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities to new and existing intermediaries to help them build a new impact track for SIBs. BIT is funded by UNDP’s Projects ‘Leveraging Viet Nam’s Social Impact Business Ecosystem in Response to COVID-19 (ISEE COVID project)’ and the ‘Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge (EPPIC).’
About ISEE COVID, the project aims to enhance the resilience of Social Impact Businesses (SIBs) in Viet Nam and contribute to reducing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, especially women and girls. The main objectives include (i) improving the capacity of SIBs themselves, focusing on SIBs that women and vulnerable groups lead; (ii) building the capacity of and coordination between SIB intermediaries, and (iii) strengthening government policy-making capacities towards SIBs. ISEE COVID project is funded by Global Affairs Canada, and implemented by UNDP and the Agency for Enterprise Development, under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
About THE ENDING PLASTIC POLLUTION INNOVATION CHALLENGE (EPPIC), EPPIC aims to tackle plastic pollution by sourcing and incubating innovative solutions in 6 ASEAN countries and accelerating the transition towards a circular plastics economy. It is designed to tackle plastic pollution. The project also ensures that knowledge, cooperation, and networking among ASEAN countries on circular economy is increased. The EPPIC project is funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). One of the activities focuses on enhancing the technical capacity of innovation hubs/clubs of provincial universities in designing and implementing plastic pollution-related innovation programmes, and strengthening the collaboration and engagement of these clubs with local networks/stakeholders to maximize their impact. The EPPIC supported four universities including the University of Da Nang, Quy Nhon University, Nha Trang University, and Tay Bac University.
Agenda:
| Time | Duration (mins) | Content |
In charge
|
| 8.30 – 9.00 | 30 | Welcome guests | Fulbright, UNDP |
| 9.00 – 9.30 | 30 | Visit booths showcasing results of intermediaries and universities participating in BIT and EPPIC – University |
Fulbright and UNDP
|
| 9.30 – 9.50 | 20 |
Opening Remarks
|
– Patrick Haverman, Deputy Resident
Representative, UNDP Viet Nam (online) – Ms. Nguyen Hoai Chau, Senior
Development Officer, Embassy of Canada to Viet Nam – Representative of the Norwegian Agency
for Development Cooperation – Norad (Recorded) – Prof. Marcia France, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Fulbright
University Viet Nam |
| 9.50 – 10.00 | 10 | Video showcasing the lessons learned from the BIT and EPPIC programs | Fulbright University Viet Nam |
| 10.00 – 10.15 | 15 | Key Results and Insightsof the BIT and EPPIC Program | Dr. Phan Hoang Lan, Head of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI), Fulbright University Vietnam |
| 10.15 – 10.30 | 15 |
Awarding Certificate of Completion for participants of BIT and EPPIC Program
|
– Ms. Nguyen Hoai Chau, Senior Program Officer, Embassy of Canada to Viet Nam
– Ms. Morgane Rivoal, Climate Change and
Circular Economy Officer, United Nations Development Program in Vietnam – Ms. Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Program Analyst,
ISEE COVID Project Manager, United Nations Development Program in Vietnam |
| 10.30 – 11.00 | 30 | Sharing Session: Learnings from BIT and EPPIC Program participants
Followed by Q&A |
– EUBIZ (advising businesses on sustainable packaging when exporting to EU/US markets)- FECO (supporting small women-led businesses in Tra Vinh provinces)- Nha Trang University |
| 11.00 – 12.00 | 60 | Panel discussion: Transitioning from a traditional ecosystem to one that promotes social impact and circular economy businessesModerated by Nguyen Do Thu Minh, Business Innovation Lead, Fulbright Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation |
Panelists
– Ms. Hoàng Thị Thoa, Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade – Mr. Phan Đình Tuấn Anh, Managing Director and Co-founder, Angels 4 US – Ms. Hồ Nhật Phương, CEO and Co founder, of ROYAL SBC – Ms. Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Program Analyst, ISEE COVID Project Manager, United Nations Development Program in Vietnam |
| 12.00 – 13.00 | 90 | Lunch break | |
| 13.30 – 15.00 | 90 |
Parallel sessions:
Activity 1:
– Blended Financing in Social Impact Report 2023 Briefing (20 mins);
– Panel Discussion (40 mins): Dollar with Purpose – Connecting impact funding with SIBs and intermediaries
– Moderated: Yen Nguyen, Fulbright.
– Panelist: Yen Do, Beacon Fund; Alex Downs, SNV/ DFCD
Session 2: Applying social innovation tools in tackling social and circular economy challenges
– Hosted by Fulbright; participated by representatives from universities (EPPIC) and intermediaries (BIT)
|
|
| 15.00 – 16.00 | 60 | Parallel sessions (Match-making and Networking):
– Session 1: Match-making session for participating intermediaries and other invited stakeholders – Session 2: Networking |
Fulbright |
