For more than 15 years, L’Oréal Vietnam has been implementing various corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities across local communities. These initiatives focus on two key areas: the environment and women, particularly vulnerable groups in society. For L’Oréal Vietnam, CSR is not merely a responsibility but a core strategy in developing and shaping corporate culture.
“L’Oréal Citizen Days” of giving back
Since 2009, on the company’s anniversary, all employees participate in community service activities as part of the long-term “L’Oréal Citizen Day” initiative.
In August this year, 350 L’Oréal Vietnam employees embarked on missions, including tree-planting in Nam Cat Tien Forest and organizing meaningful activities for charity schools, shelters, and centers in Thu Duc City.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Tuyet Trinh, vice president of Public Affairs and Sustainability at L’Oréal Vietnam, the company’s goals for community day evolve over time. For example, from 2010 to 2014, employees successfully reforested five hectares of mangroves in Can Gio with a tree survival rate of 95%.
These community-driven activities not only benefit the environment but also foster a corporate culture rooted in sustainability. For instance, when employees return to their daily office routines, they are more conscious of conserving resources by reducing printing, waste, and embracing eco-friendly practices, Tuyet Trinh explained.
In the following years, L’Oréal Vietnam expanded its impact by renovating five rural schools, building playgrounds for ethnic minority children, providing clean water for border communities, and constructing charity homes in various regions, including Can Tho, Hau Giang, Tay Ninh, Ben Tre and Binh Phuoc.
Over the past five years, L’Oréal employees have taken part in reforesting five hectares of Nam Cat Tien National Park during “L’Oréal Citizen Day.” Tuyet Trinh emphasized that employees work closely with forestry specialists to learn proper planting techniques, maximizing tree survival rates.
“CSR and building corporate culture are intertwined, creating a mutually reinforcing cycle. Through our CSR projects focused on environmental preservation, employees become more connected to nature and gain a deeper understanding of L’Oréal’s sustainable development strategy,” she highlighted.
Empowering women through beauty training
After 15 years of implementation, the “L’Oréal Beauty for a Better Life” program has become a crucial vocational training initiative, providing hairdressing skills to disadvantaged women across Vietnam. To date, the program has connected with over 2,000 hair salons and created more than 10,000 jobs for women in various provinces.
L’Oréal’s team of industry experts actively collaborates with local communities to provide hands-on vocational training. Upon graduation, these women gain practical skills to support themselves and their families.
In addition to free vocational training, L’Oréal Vietnam has recently expanded its efforts by offering advanced courses to small salon owners and former trainees, contributing to the ongoing development of Vietnam’s hairdressing community.
The representative from L’Oréal Vietnam emphasized that, as a leading company in the beauty industry, their initiatives to empower Vietnamese women not only celebrate their inherent beauty and value but also help them shine. This dedication is also reflected in the “L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science” awards, which continue to recognize outstanding female scientists, including Vietnamese women.
From 2009 to 2023, the “L’Oréal – UNESCO For Women in Science” program has awarded research scholarships to 38 talented young female scientists in Vietnam. Among them, three received the prestigious International Rising Talent awards in 2015, 2018 and 2022 for their remarkable contributions to life sciences and materials sciences.
This program has helped these scientists continue pursuing their passion for research and advance their careers, playing a key role in closing the gender gap in the scientific community.
Reflecting on 15 years of CSR initiatives, Tuyet Trinh believes that achieving sustainable goals requires strong employee engagement. “At L’Oréal Vietnam, we aim to build a corporate culture where CSR is intertwined with employee engagement, rather than simply being a social responsibility for others to fulfill,” she said.
