Strategic Insights from FiinGroup & FiinRatings at the Samsung Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF 2026)

At the Samsung Multi-Stakeholder Forum 2026 (MSF 2026), held on 14 October in Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Quang Thuan – Executive Chairman of FiinGroup and FiinRatings – shared insights on helping businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strengthen their green transition capabilities and access financing within global value chains.

Under the theme "Accelerating Change Together for Vietnam's Sustainable Growth", the forum, organised by Samsung Vietnam, brought together representatives from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Innovation Center (NIC), Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Techcombank, as well as businesses and partners across Samsung's supply chain to advance multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration on sustainable industrial development in Viet Nam.

During the panel discussion "Building a Sustainable Industrial Ecosystem – Challenges, Opportunities & Best Practices", Mr. Thuan emphasised: "Green transition and green growth are not only increasingly important requirements for suppliers within Samsung's ecosystem, but also opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to enhance competitiveness, achieve long-term growth and access green finance markets."

To help businesses realise these opportunities, he outlined three key recommendations:

🔹 Build transparency from the outset: Beyond technical capabilities and product quality, corporations such as Samsung conduct Know Your Business (KYB) due diligence, assessing partners' governance, financial position, risks and ownership structures. Transparency goes beyond information disclosure. Dual accounting records, unaudited financial statements and unclear separation of transactions with owners and related parties can undermine businesses' ability to establish and maintain relationships with major corporations in global value chains.

🔹 Establish a foundation of verifiable data: Businesses should prioritise ESG and environment, health and safety (EHS) practices relevant to their operations, proactively disclose information and establish measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems aligned with partner requirements and recognised ESG standards. Reliable data helps demonstrate the ability to meet the stringent requirements of Samsung and other international partners, while supporting bank credit assessments or bond issuance, subject to eligibility requirements.

🔹 Integrate green criteria at the investment stage: Mr. Thuan observed that many Vietnamese SMEs have yet to adequately incorporate sustainability criteria into new investment projects. He encouraged businesses to understand the ESG requirements of Samsung and prospective customers early, using them to guide green investments, assess project feasibility and select appropriate financing instruments.

Drawing on FiinRatings' experience in independently assessing green finance transactions, Mr. Thuan noted that factories meeting EDGE or LEED standards may require up to 20–30% higher upfront investment than conventional buildings. With appropriate financing structures and the ability to meet investor requirements, businesses can raise long-term funding through green bonds with 7–20-year tenors and reasonable interest rates.

Rather than waiting for policy incentives, businesses should engage early with banks, investors, advisers and independent assessment providers to prepare financing plans.

💎 Greater transparency and alignment with sustainability standards can improve businesses' access to financing and expand opportunities to collaborate with foreign-invested enterprises across global value chains. Through credit rating and independent assessment capabilities, FiinRatings works with businesses and market participants to address information gaps, support risk assessment and strengthen investor confidence, contributing to a more efficient and sustainable financial ecosystem.

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