Green finance talent a must for new IFCs

Green finance talent a must for new IFCs

The development of international financial centres in Vietnam has been designed by the government around several core pillars, among which the international factor plays a decisive role in ensuring the safe operation of the entire financial system.

With a global network of members and partners spanning 180 countries, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) brings extensive international experience in advancing professional standards, sustainability capabilities, and transparent financial ecosystems.

Highly-qualified financial talent play a crucial role, photo Le Toan

As part of the UK delegation’s Green Finance Skills Trade Mission to Vietnam in early March, the ACCA held strategic working sessions with leaders of the Vietnam International Financial Centres (VIFCs) in both Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.

The meetings focused on exploring cooperation in talent development, sharing international experience, and strengthening connections with global financial institutions.

During the discussions, the parties exchanged views on the critical role of high-quality financial talent, internationally recognised professional standards, and sustainability capabilities in building globally competitive financial centres.

To Quoc Hung, country manager of ACCA Vietnam, shared international experience in developing professional competencies in key areas such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, risk management, sustainability reporting, and financial transparency. They are factors that are becoming increasingly important in attracting global capital and strengthening foreign investor confidence.

According to Hung, aligning Vietnam’s financial framework with international standards will be key to attracting global capital and building investor confidence.

“Through long-standing collaboration with the Ministry of Finance on the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, the ACCA has supported Vietnam’s efforts to enhance transparency and comparability in financial reporting,” said Hung. “We will continue contributing global expertise and professional standards to support the development of the VIFC, which will play an important role in strengthening transparency and investor confidence in Vietnam’s financial markets.”

He added that the organisation also aims to connect the ACCA professional network between Asia and the UK with stakeholders of the financial centre, helping to attract capital, expertise, and talent.

“With Vietnam’s growth momentum and ongoing reforms, the VIFC could become one of the country’s most significant investment opportunities in the past decade,” said Hung.

The meetings further reinforce the strategic partnership between the ACCA and the two VIFCs. Throughout the process of developing Vietnam’s international financial centres, the ACCA has been among the leading international organisations actively contributing through major initiatives and policy dialogues, offering professional insights on human capital development and international professional standards.

During the skills trade mission, the ACCA, with the role of judging panel chair of the Sustainability Reporting Award for listed companies, also shared the practices of sustainability reporting in Vietnam last year.

In general, listed companies in Vietnam gained stronger governance and structure, with more companies formalising ESG oversight at board level. They have also increased quantitative disclosures in terms of emissions, energy, water, waste, and other areas, with some companies providing 3–5 years of data.

However, there are some points that need to be improved, the finding said, such as limited Scope 3 disclosure (especially emissions in financial services), limited double materiality, and a growing need for stronger internal controls and independent assurance for ESG data reliability.

On the same occasion, the ACCA, the University of Economics under the University of Danang, and KPMG Vietnam renewed their trilateral cooperation agreement, building on the success of their partnership since 2021 and further strengthening collaboration between academia, an international professional body, and a Big Four firm in developing a comprehensive training ecosystem.

The initiative not only provides students with knowledge aligned with international standards but also equips them with practical skills, professional mindsets, and opportunities to gain exposure to a professional working environment.

VIR