From 1 - 2/11/2019, representative of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in Vietnam has cooperated with Binh Duong Water - Environment Joint Stock Company (Biwase) to organize a training about "Sustainable Development Report (SDR)".

In stock market, the integration of policies and practices on corporate governance, environmental protection and social concerns in enterprise development strategies has become an inevitable trend. Sustainability development reports are considered as a tool to help businesses identify and formulate plans to cope with risks and measure, publish, explain and commit their responsibilities to its stakeholders about sustainable development activities. Beside of the financial and business information, the environment and society are increasingly concerned. SDR is a new tool that helps businesses to organize and publish sustainability performance in a similar way to financial statements. The GRI’s Framework addresses the core issues of sustainable development including economic, environmental and social impacts.

According to GRI, circular no. 155/TT-BTC about guidance for disclosure of information on the stock market effected on 1/12016, the SDR is not new to listed companies. The SDR specifically includes information on the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business; and as well as it helps to make sound business decisions.

Currently, the publication of SDR is becoming an international practice. Sustainable development report helps businesses to strengthen their cooperation with stakeholders, investors and the social community; it also helps businesses to strengthen their governance, manage business risks, effectively improve adaptability in a rapidly changing and competitive market environment.

Some pictures:

With desire to improve human resource as well as to provide environmental engineers to meet labor force requirement on environment sector for Binh Duong province, Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE) cooperated with Ha Noi Technology University and Thu Dau Mot University to open a long term training course for people who are working at various companies to join in. This training course was started in 2010.

On August 31st, a Graduating Ceremony was held by Thu Dau Mot University and Hanoi Technology University to award certificates for 85 new Environment Engineers graduating from this training course, term 2010-2015, in which 36 new engineers are BIWASE’s staff. Graduated students comprise 4 in fair level, 77 in average-fair level and 4 in average level. The certificates were issued by Hanoi Technology University.

Addressing at the ceremony, the Associate Professor-Doctor Nguyen Tien Dung, Director of Continuing Training Institute of Hanoi Technology university, said that he hoped all new engineers would affectively and qualitatively apply knowledge learnt from the training course in practice as well as in their work.

TT

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With desire of business development and meeting customer’s requirements, especially in improving capacity of customer service, on August 25th, 2016, Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd. (BIWASE) cooperated with Vietnam Water Supply Sewerage Association to hold a training course on “Customer Service in Business” which is funded by DEVIWAS Project. Invited participationsare leaders an managers of business departments from BIWASE’s subsidiaries as well as officers from Dong Nai, TayNinh, Long An, Dong Thap, Ben Tre, TienGiang and Ho Chi Minh City Water Supply Companies.

Mr. Le Kim Tu- PACE’s trainer and Chief of Executive of Rang Dong Plastic Company-was invited as a teacher for this training course.

With communicative approach method, participants directly joinedin discussing, analyzing and proposing solutionsas well as innovation for customer service improvement such as: grasping customer’s psychology, making business motto and business culture, dealing with problems and some bad habits must avoid in customer communicating. This training course will enable water companies in developing and improving their staff professional skills when meeting with customers

The training course is evaluated to be very useful and it is considered as a valuable lesson for water companies on management and development their customer service. Trainees also expressed their wish of joining in some next training courses like this.

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On July 18th, 2016, with supports from Wastewater Management Programefunded by German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ-WMP), Vietnam Water Supply Sewerage Association (VWSA) held a training course on Operation & Maintenance (O&M) for Sewerage System in Vietnam with participants from water supply and sewerage companies. The training course lasted within 2 days from July 18th to 19th, 2016 at Thu Dau Mot Wastewater Treatment Plant-Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment co., Ltd. (BIWASE).

Mr. Nguyen Van Thien,Vice Chairman of VWSA, BIWASE’s General Director, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuoi-Vice Manager of Training Department of VWSA, Ms. Pham Thi Van Lan-Programe Controller of Wastewater Management Training-Component IV together with delegates, trainer and all participants attended the opening ceremony.

There are 22 participants joining this training course, comprising managing officers, technical staff of Southern water supply and sewerage companies such as: Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment, Vinh Long Urban Works, Ben Tre Water Supply and Sewerage, Can Tho Water Supply and Sewerage, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Urban Development and Sewerage, Ho Chi Minh city Urban Sewerage.

Trainers teaching at this course are experienced experts and officers selected by Steering Board of GIZ-WMP from VWSA’s members and then trained by German Experts from VWSAto be source trainers.

Within 2 training days, participants studied and got to know about content related to M&O of sewerage system, comprising the following items:

-Some basic knowledge on sewerage system and some types of sewerage system;

-Sewerage system in detailed structure;

-Components and nature of wastewater;

-Safety and labor safety in operation;

-Knowledge and skills in O&M, including some normal problems when operating a sewerage system; skills to operate a sewerage system in safe and effective mode.

After joining this training course, participants shall be able to assist technical staff to prepare a daily plan, at the same time, they will have an overview in monitoring area where a sewerage system constructed.

Herein below are some photos from the training course. You can watch some activities from this through the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB77m3ce0bg

http://vwsa.org.vn/

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Within 2 days, from December 17th to 18th, 2015, a training course on “Analyzing Financial Report-Evaluating Business Situation” was held at Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE). This is a practicing course following the one namely “Managing Finance and Auditing Business” which was held in last August 2015. Vietnam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA), DEVIWAS project and BIWASE cooperated to hold this training course to improve water utilities’ capacity in financial management and Business auditing.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thien-General Director of BIWASE- Vice Chairman of VWSA- on behalf of VWSA- gave an opening speech. Dr. Le QuangBinh-Vice Manager of State Auditing Department-directly taught and shared experience with trainees. There were more than 40 peoplewho areBIWASE management board, chief accountants, auditors and accountants working for companies in Binh Duong, BinhPhuoc, TayNinh, Dong Nai provinces and Ho Chi Minh city attending the training course.

During 2 days joining the training course, trainees received much valuable and useful knowledge as well as experience for financial management at their business. Besides that, the training course also sufficiently provided trainees with more knowledge on accountancy and business auditing through financial report, from this, business situation will be exactly evaluated to find suitable solutions. Some new information guiding on accountancy-auditing was also updated to trainees and some questions from trainees were also solved during training time.

Thu Thảo

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So as to improve capacity on financial management and auditing for water utilities, Viet Nam Water Supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA) cooperating with DEVIWAS PROJECT held a training course on “Financial management and business auditing” at Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE) within 2 days, from August 17th to 18th, 2015.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thien-BIWASE’s General Director-Vice Chairman of VWSA- representing for VWSA Steering Board – gave an opening speech. Doctor Le Quang Binh-Deputy Director of State Auditing Department –directly communicated his knowledge and experience to attenders. The training course with more than 50 trainees who are members of management board, chief-accountants, auditors and accountants coming from Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ho Chi Minh city and Dong Nai provinces.

During 2 training days, trainees have received much valuable and useful knowledge and experience which will improve their capacity in managing finance of the business. Beside that, the course also helped trainees getting more understanding on accountancy and business auditing. The trainees were also provided with updated information relating to finance-audit and some related concerns were also dealed with at the course.

In his closing speech, Mr. Nguyen Van Thien expressed a hope that the training course shall be really useful for the trainees, enhancing them to improve their capacity in managing finance and auditing at their utilities, which will make their companies to be sustainably developed. Concurrently, he also hoped that VWSA and the DEVIWAS project will hold more training courses for water utilities to support Vietnamese water sector to be more developed in the future.

Lan Thảo

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On November 15th, 2014, Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE) held a training course on some updated content of revised construction law with attendance of 60 officers and staff from BIWASE’s PMU, enterprises and contractors.

Main trainer for the course is Mr. Hoang Tho Vinh-honorary Manager -Vice Manager of Controlling Dept. under MOC. During the training course, Mr. Vinh presented some main and new content of Construction Law 2014, such as: plan for construction, works investment- construction project, cost for investment and construction and contract of construction, conditions for construction ability, responsibilities to manage an investment-construction contract.

Construction Law No.50/2014/QH13 will come to validity since January 01st, 2015 and it will repalce the Construction Law No.16/2003. This new law comprises 10 Chapters, 168 Articles, with1 chapter and 45 Articles more than the old one.Roles and responsibilities of state authorities in managing construction are clearly stated in the new law. The MOC is the national management, local managemnt is the PPC, ward PC, district PC. This avoids a situation that there are many managemnt authorities but no one is responsible for any problem occuring, which causes much damage for country. In the new law, it is stated that authorities under the MOC are central managemt units, Construction Department is a local management unit.

Thu Thảo

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To ensure a safe and effective procedure on preventing and fighting fire at working place, a training course on preventing and fighting fire was held on Nov.09^th, 2014, by Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE) and Thu Dau Mot city Preventing and Fighting Fire Police.

From 08:00AM to 11:30AM, BIWASE’s staff had in-office training on theory of fire prevention and fighting.

From 13:30 to 16:00, BIWASE’s staff had some practice on how to follow a procedure of fire prevention and fighting.

All BIWASE’s staff had shown their interest and enthusiasm during the training course, they all mastered knowledge taught by the police and performed very well on fighting fire. As a result of this, they rececived many good compliments from the training police.

After attending the training course, participants had good awareness on how important fire prevention and fighting are, every one should has good understanding on it so that we can protect ourselves and property in case of fire.

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So as to improve professional career for officers and staff in capital construction and project management, BIWASE held an in-office training course from August 04^th to August 08^th, 2014 with 2 subjects: “ Method to make quantity, construction works, control expense in according with construction investment stage and method to define norm, works construction unit price” and “Manage cost of works construction investment poject, method to define total investment of works cost estimate, method to control cost” for those related to making bill of quantity, manage cost of works construction investment.

There were 50 attenders coming from units, departments under BIWASE such as: Consultancy Enterprise, Civil Works Enterprise, PMU and Water Supply Enterprises, Water Supply Plants, Waste Treatment Enterprise, Waste Water Treatment Enterprise, Irrigation Enterprise. Beside that, officers and staff coming from Chanh Phu Hoa Construction-Investment Joint Stock Company also joined this training course.

Dr. Nguyen Ba Vy-a former teacher of Ha Noi Construction University- undertook the first subject and MA. Pham Dai Hai coming from Southern Construction Economic Sub-Insitute – undertook the second subject.

The first subject supplies trainees with knowledge on method to prepare total of Project investmant cost, prepare cost estimate, define construction cost, additional cost estimate and prepare unit price for works construction. In addition, attenders were also trained on how to prepare a report of appraisal/examination on total investment cost, cost estimate and how to submit a cost estimate of some revised constrcution works, newly constructed items.

The second subject helps trainees more understand on how to manage cost of works constrcution investment project, method to define total investment cost of works and method to control expense.

During the training course, attenders actively joined it and many questiones related to their daily work were made to find answers from the trainer. This proved that all attenders expected to use knowledge learnt to apply in their work in order to get befinit for the company.

This is realy a useful training course for BIWASE’s officers and staff, especialy for those directly related to capital construction and project management which are being carried out by BIWASE.

Lan Thảo

To timely update new regulations on procurement for its ftaff, BIWASE have invited an expert from Procurement Management Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment to hold a training course on “ Laws on Procurement and the Decree No. 63/2014/NĐ-CP” which was taken place within 2 days, from July 26^th to July 27^th, 2014. There were more than 50 staff of the Company attending the course. Most of them came from BIWASE’s subsidiary units, such as: PMU, Consultancy Enterprise, Civil Works Construction Enterprise and 2 contractors who are carrying out projects for BIWASE.

The expert who was in charge of training is Ms. Pham Minh Yen- Deputy of Procurement Supporting Center - Procurement Management Department.

The Laws on procurement No. 43/2013/QH13 dated 26/11/2013 approved by the 13^th National Assembly at the 6^th Session taken place on 26/11/2013 and it came to valid since July 01^st, 2014. This Law comprises 13 chapters, 96 artilces stipulating on procuring, responsibilities of related parties and procurement activities ect… Scope of revised Law 2013 is expanded to many fileds, including development investment project carried out by state authority, development investment project carried out by state business, regularly procurement plan, units which provide public product and service. This revised Laws also simplifies administrative formalities in procurement procedure, stipulating more details on bidder selection procedure, measurement to evaluate bidding document in each field; it also suplements some regulations on investor selection. This meets urgent need of empoyer, bidder and relevant authorities and this also creates legal basis for procurement activities implemented in through nation.

The trainees attended the 2 training day course with much concentration and they also enthuasiaticly put many in-case questions to be clarified and get to know more about the revised Laws on procurement No. 43/2013/QH13. The trainees also mentioned to some insufficient and unreasonable cases which are not appropriate in actual situation and that should be modified.

It is expected that all attenders, after being trained by this course, will be more improved in procurement management and they will execute their duties in accordance with regulations and laws, contributing to improve procurement effectivenss, assuring a clear and justice procurement.

Thu Thảo

In the morning of April 15th, 2014, a conference on sharing experience related to procurement, contract management and construction supervision held in Binh Duong province by the World Bank. This is a conference held for some PMUs under Water Supply and Urban Sewerage project, credit loan No. Cr.4948.VN – World Bank. Representatives from World Bank and Director of MABUTIP under MOC co-presided over the Conference.
Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd (BIWASE) is so proud to be selected as the conference’s venue. There are about 50 delegates who are Directors and specialists in charge of procurement, contract management, construction supervision from the PMUs of provinces, cities under the captioned credit loan attending the conference.

Beside content relating to evaluating the project’s implementation, difficulties and solutions presented at the conference by World Bank and the MOC, much practical experience related to project management and implementation, from preparation phase to completion of implementation, handing over and taking the works into use, was also possitively exchanged by these PMUS. Mr. Nguyen Van Thien, Director of My Phuoc Urban Indsutrial Water Supply PMU, had a sincere talk on BIWASE’s experience about projects using ODA loan in generally and World Bank loan in particularly, especially the way which contractors should be treated, relationship with local organizations, revelant departments which relate to the project’s implementation in order that the project could be smoothly implemented and meet donor’s requirements on schedule and works quality .
Then all delegates had a site visit tour to works which have been being carried out by BIWASE during the last time by ODA loan. End of working day 15/04/2014, most of delegates felt satisfied with experience received from other PMUs and these will be useful for their application at work.

M.K

In recent years, human resource training and improvement have been received much attention by management board of BIWASE because it is considered as a key to success for the company. BIWASE Vocational training and Capacity improving Center was established to carry out this mission by cooperating with prestigious universities which are in or out the province to open cources on water supply, sewerage and environment, timely meeting developing demand of the company.

In October 2010, the Center cooperated with Ha Noi University of Science and Technology and Thu Dau Mot University to open an Environmental Technology in-service training cource. Period of this cource is 10 terms (equivalent to 5 years) . The cource selected 118 students including officers, staff of BIWASE and other residents in or out the province. These students have been studying on weekends (from Friday to Sunday of the week) at Thu Dau Mot University. There are 6 terms of the cource compeletd and it is expected that this training cource will be ended in December 2015.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thien-President and General Director of BIWASE at the School-Years Starting Ceremony

The 2nd training cource is an intermediate cource of Water Supply Sewerage Environment Engineering started on October 2010 by BIWASE Vocational training and Capacity improving Center cooperating with MienTay Construction University and Binh Duong Economics and Technology University in training and it is planned the cource will be ended in late December 2013. Students attending this training cource are officers, staff of BIWASE, Tay Ninh Water Supply Company, Binh Duong Rural Treated Water Center and other local residents. These students had been trained at BIWASE Vocational training and Capacity improving Center under BIWASE. From 13th to 15th December 2013, 57 students had a ceremony to defend their graduation designs after had overcome a rather difficult examination to finish the training cource. The students are awaiting for results and certificates of graduation.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chieu-Vice Pricipal of MienTay Construction University at the School Years Starting Ceremony of the intermediate cource of Water Supply Sewerage Environment Engineering.

The 3rd training cource is a connecting college cource of Water Supply- Sewerage which is planned to have a selecting examiniation on 28th and 29 of December, 2013. This is cooperation in training of BIWASE Vocational training and Capacity improving Center, MienTay Construction University and Binh Duong Economics and Technology University. Studying period will be lasted within 3 terms (equivalent to 1.5 year). 2013. Students attending this training cource are officers, staff of BIWASE, Tay Ninh Water Supply Company, Binh Duong Rural Treated Water Center and other local residents. There are about 50 people submitting their applications for a selecting examination. Venue of this training cource is planned at Binh Duong Economics and Technology University.

It is expected that an amount of 200 trained and skillful labourers will be provided to BIWASE after these training cources completed, meeting working demand and enhancing for company’s development. Beside the training cources mentioned above, BIWASE Vocational training and Capacity improving Center often hold training cources to improve knowledge as well as professional skill in water supply, serwerage and waste treatment for the company. In addition, following instructions of management board, the Center have made contact with national prestigious universities to hold training cources to improve management capacity of BIWASE’s management board.

Students of the intermediate cource of Water Supply Sewerage Environment Engineering at the ceremony to defend their graduation designs

One of priority strategies in this period in BIWASE is to focus on improving human resource capacity in order to enable BIWASE to become more professional in water supply, sewerage and environment in Viet Nam.

Lan Thao

Binh Duong Water Supply Sewerage Environment Co., Ltd is a state business with main functions in managing, exploiting, treating and providing clean water and other services relating to sewerage, waste water treatment, environmental services. At present, total capacity of water provided is more than 200,000m3/day, serving for over 1,000,000 residents. Water lost rate in 2012 <9%. total revenue in 2012 ≈ 3 million usd. rate of benefit/owner capital is 4%-5%. Total revenue in 2012 ≈ 3 million usd. Rate of benefit/owner capital is 4%-5%.

Clean water production also has similar maners to other manufacturings. Treatment technology (making product) of treated plant must be effective; it means that cost for one product must be low.

Distribution: clean water is also be dilivered. It is a kind of goods with stable and long term customers.

Distribution mains is under ground, causing difficult in monitoring and managing, so how to keep it safe?

Raw water source is mainly depended on the nature.

When we know that our prduct is to serve for social needs, we will solve this issue step by step. We have to know which is a permanent difficulty, which is a temporary one?

1. The 1st issue:

The most difficulty is raw water source as it depends on natural resources; however, natural resources are limited so we have to consider how to use it in a useful way as well as to reserve it on both quantity and quality.

Where is the most suitable location for raw water resource? In case we do not make careful calculation and consideration in selecting location for water treatment plant, it can cause different in water tariff. It should be harmonious between to be near consuming households and raw material.

Together with rapid industrial development happening in the world, Environmental pollution and climate change have been changing more and more severely, this puts us in a risk of raw water resource in the future, how it will be?

2. The 2nd issue:

The 2nd issue not less important than financial management is delivery; this means distribution mains to consumers.

As mentioned above: characteristic of our distribution mains is to be placed under ground, very difficult to monitor, especially to control leakage. Moreover, water pipelines are often located under pavements or streets. These positions are very sensitive and often under risk caused by transportation, such as vibration, house construction, placing pile, works foundadtion, trees and there are many other underground works also placed in paralell with water pipe lines. Therefore, we do not have much land as well as choices to install clean water pipes.

Facing to the issues mentioned above, we may say that difficulty for investors is how to select appropriate measurements for distribution mains: material, using period (pipe diameter, pipe quality), location and implementing method. If we do not consider these factors carefully, not select a suitable, scientific and economic method, it will change water tariff. As pipelines are under streets and pavemenst, they are not easy for replacement.

In recent years, our company have selected material, implementing method to make pipelines durable more than 30 years in average

3. The 3rd issue:

Treatment technology for plant

We are in the developing information technoloy age, so it is rather advantageous for us in selecting an optimum technology for treatment plant. According to experienced consultants, there are many advanced water treatment techologies meeting investor’s requirements, suitable with management and operation capacity.

This is a criterion which is received much attention at any technology discussion before making investment by BIWASE

Thanks to attaching much importance to management and financial effectiveness, our company has been being continuosly developed during recent years, water supply capacity is increased 10% - 15% every year, profit and income are in top of businesses in Viet Nam.

Especially, we attach much importance to saving power in maximum and reduce water lost rate in minimum (<9% in 2012). From benefit getting by water lost reduction, we actively make re-investment to reduce power consumption and seek for more water lost reduction.

(Noted by M.K)