For many years, Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam has pursued its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy in the field of education, demonstrating the company’s larger goal of contributing to a sustainable society through its business activities. The company’s CSR projects are aimed at building a high-quality and comprehensive educational system for students from primary to university level in Vietnam.
Enhancing educational opportunities
Vu Long Hai, head of Corporate Communications at Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam, stated that in Vietnam, based on the group’s development orientation of “contributing to a sustainable society through business activities,” the company focuses on the United Nations’ SDG 4 – Quality Education – to build a comprehensive quality educational system for students.
The company has implemented three main CSR activities that combine education with its three key business sectors in Vietnam, namely home appliances, building solutions and industrial automation.
Firstly, the company has partnered with the non-profit organization Teach for Vietnam to launch projects targeting rural and border areas with limited access to advanced education. Since 2021, the company via Teach for Vietnam has built special facilities like STEM Labs and STEM Gardens, and fund teaching costs for educators.
As of 2024, Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam has established four STEM Labs and three STEM Gardens in seven secondary schools in the provinces of Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, and Quang Nam, supporting teaching costs for English and STEM education for over 35 teachers. The program provides opportunities for more than 3,400 students to learn English, STEM subjects, and entrepreneurial education, incorporating 21st-century skills such as exploring high-tech agriculture through practical activities in nurseries and programming automatic irrigation robots.
Secondly, Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam is nurturing the next generation of talented engineers through the “Mitsubishi Electric Cup – MECA” competition. Since 2016, Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam has provided high-tech equipment for labs and application rooms at 13 technical universities in Vietnam.
The “Mitsubishi Electric Cup – MECA” competition was created to offer a practical and applied platform for students in Electrical and Industrial Automation Engineering. Launched in 2019 and running through 2024, the “Mitsubishi Electric Cup – MECA” has attracted 13 universities across the country to participate, with over 1,000 students registering each year. The competing teams present automation technology solutions in various fields, including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, transportation and public services.
Students in technical fields are able to realize their innovative ideas using Mitsubishi Electric’s advanced technical equipment. Additionally, the competition aims to build a community of talented young engineers where they can share knowledge and ideas about automation, and contribute to a sustainable society where humans and automation (robots, AI) coexist harmoniously.
Lastly, the “Sustainable Innovation: Pioneering Comprehensive Solutions for Green Buildings” competition is a platform for exploring technology and developing creative ideas based on Mitsubishi Electric’s green products and technologies.
“As a pioneer in comprehensive solutions for green buildings, we also aim to invest in developing talented young engineers in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning. This competition, first organized in 2021, has helped participants explore technology and develop creative ideas based on Mitsubishi Electric’s green products and technologies, aiming to build comprehensive solutions for smart, energy-efficient buildings for future sustainable development,” Hai said.
The competition involved four top universities in Ho Chi Minh City and attracted more than 700 participants. The first-place winner, with the theme “Designing air conditioning for Office Building Z and analyzing and evaluating solutions for the project according to Singapore’s BCA Green Mark Standards,” proposed a solution that reduces annual operating costs by 27% for the building, saving approximately VND900 million, according to Hai.
“We believe that these valuable technology platforms will serve as a bridge to develop high-quality young labor resources for Vietnam’s future,” he said.
CSR connecting employees and customers
The Mitsubishi Electric Group’s 2030 goal is to achieve a sustainable society not only through environmental solutions but also through cultural and human awareness factors.
“Therefore, strengthening Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam’s current educational activities contributes to building a community with awareness aligned with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” Hai shared.
In addition to community support activities focused on education, the company prioritizes resource and environmental protection at various levels. For primary and secondary students, Mitsubishi Electric Vietnam provides equipment for waste sorting and recycling at schools. For university students, the company implements advanced energy efficiency measurement and control equipment.
“We aim to earn customer trust by building a sustainable society through our business and CSR activities,” he expressed.
For its employees, the company fosters a connection between CSR activities and personnel through the internal fundraising run “Run for Education 2023.” This initiative aims to improve health, enhance employee bonding, and spread positive energy throughout the community. The activities have received widespread support from all employees, increasing brand loyalty, according to Hai.
