NDĐT – When transparent governance seems to be ambiguous in Vietnam market; codes of business ethics are still in the box, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan – General Director of Ha Long Investment and Consulting JSC took a front step to establish the Company’s Party Cell and develop its Code of Business Ethics, making HALCOM a pioneer in Vietnam to commit to doing business under the integrity guidelines of the World Bank, to develop the company associated with social responsibilities.
Profits should not be pursued by all means…
General Director Nguyen Quang Huan
Not too rocky and bumpy, not so many hardships in his career path, Nguyen Quang Huan came up with his creativity and seized the opportunity. Graduated from Mechanical engineering faculty, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the young engineer Nguyen Quang Huan was assigned to work in Hai Phong Water Supply Company. He quickly demonstrated his ability, and participated in a Finnish project.
Nguyen Quang Huan had the chance to learn English, learn about water supply techniques. In 1996, he went to Finland to study water and environmental management. Regarding water field, he continued to learn more about corporate governance. In 2000, he worked for a consulting company in Hanoi (under the Ministry of Construction). With the desire to promote his entire potential and contribute more to community, Nguyen Quang Huan left his job in the state company to establish Ha Long Investment and Consulting JSC (Halcom) with two main fields, which are consulting and investment. At the time, his simply thought was looking for a better opportunity to develop and express new ideas faster.
General Director Nguyen Quang huan: “Profits should not be pursued by all means”.
At this time, ODA sources to Vietnam funded by international organizations were very effective. They encouraged private companies to involve in, sent experts to provide trainings, and made long-term and sustainable cooperation. In particular, in the field of consulting, they facilitated businesses by providing favorable conditions for exchange and development.
On the other hand, the infrastructure development field with social safeguard policies highly needed companies with qualification and capacity, while there was few “warrior” who dared to confront challenges of integration and exchanges with foreign organizations.
Among few venturous private businesses at that time, HALCOM seemed to have “a ground”, with enough experience and reputation for timely pace and fair competition with international companies. The captain Nguyen Quang Huan only had one feeling in mind that how to build a transparent and corruption non-existence business environment. In particular, the establishment of his business was to be sated with the creativity, created jobs for workers, and was the way to live a meaningful and useful life and followed the philosophy that is “profits should not be pursued by all means.”
When the Party Cell Secretary commits to the World Bank
Providing consulting activities, performing ODA projects in urban infrastructure development and poverty reduction for many years, General Director Nguyen Quang Huan has accumulated much valuable experience – as a basis to “drive” the company towards sustainable development, demonstrates the commitment and transparency in doing business; which contributes significantly to community and society.
HALCOM has taken many steps and performed a number of consulting projects with certain efficiency. It can be seen that with a few provinces at the early establishment of the company, now HALCOM has had projects spreading in more than 40 provinces and cities nationwide. Together with the renovation process of the country, by continuous efforts for the last 15 years to overcome difficulties, by inner strength and bravery to confront the waves, the company continues to grow.
A special thing that someone have ever thought that this entrepreneur is “crazy” because he built the company’s model similar to state enterprises since the company’s establishment. The company also has its own Party Cell (Mr. Huan is the Secretary), youth union, trade union, etc.. Explaining about this model, he said: “Doing business means doing in a right and truthful way. The establishment of the company’s party cell will help better each of my personnel, build more serious and solidary business environment in terms of people, recruitment, care policy for employees … Many talents in state companies wanted to go out of the box to work were party members. When they worked for the company, they needed an environment to continue living, we appreciate and desire to create the best conditions, etc ”
For sustainable development and brand positioning, transparency is indispensable requirement for Vietnamese enterprises to exist when the business environment increasingly expands. To grasp the matter, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan has driven the company to follow its own path which both keep pace with the trend and comply with commitments in the international cooperation.
HALCOM’s Code of Business Ethics Introduction Ceremony.
Theo đó, Halcom là doanh nghiệp đầu tiên tại Việt Nam cam kết với Ngân hàng Thế giới thực hiện chương trình tuân thủ doanh nghiệp (CCP) theo hướng dẫn liêm chính của Ngân hàng thế giới và cũng là doanh nghiệp đầu tiên ở Việt Nam có bộ quy tắc ứng xử trong kinh doanh một cách bài bản và chuyên nghiệp.
Accordingly, HALCOM is the first enterprise in Vietnam to commit to the World Bank to implementing the Corporate Compliance Program (CCP) under the integrity guidance of the World Bank and is also the first enterprise in Vietnam to methodically and professionally have the Code of Business Ethics of its own.
Contents of the Code of Business Ethics is very specific which will “bring trouble to themselves” for many other businesses. For example, a deception intended to result in financial or personal gain; commissions or kickbacks when making purchase agreement in any form are strictly forbidden.
The Code of Business Ethics states that: “If a sole sourced contract is offered because of relationships or special situations, we may not enter into it. Similarly, if the other party expecta to receive something in return for signing the agreement, whether explicitly articulated or not, we may not enter into that agreement“.
The Company says no to “commission” and collusion with lack of transparency, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan can accept losing some contracts in order to be towards transparency and integrity as a way for the Company to develop sustainably.
“Ethics Professional” is a quite unfamiliar title in Vietnam is a senior staff of the Company to report ethical issues to the Board of Directors.
Be successful in consulting in a number of WB and ADB funded projects, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan confirmed that: “We have much experience in creating the bridge to connect between people, the government and donors, to help accelerate the project progress, ensuring efficient operation while preserving the environment and social security as well. This is also why the Company has been providing consulting services through hundreds of large and small projects funded by the World Bank and the ADB.”
Among those, projects related to water supply, drinking and safety water are the Company’s top concern over the years. Living in a polluted water environment, a source of clean water, and improvement of people understanding to protect their health are the urgency of life and are exactly what the businessman always set out during the working period. The company has invested in building a water plant.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan desires to build more similar plants in rural countryside, mountainous areas and intends to build a water plant of international standards to able to drink water directly for tap.
His concern about a green environment, a source of clean water for people across the country have been turned into reality by him and his colleagues through consulting projects and investment projects.
HÀ VÂN