"Keep moving forward" with Diageo in its journey to overcome the pandemic alongside Vietnam.

Giving life back to COVID patients

The fourth wave of the pandemic, the most severe to date, has caused significant damage to Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces. During what was described as "the most critical moment in the history of the healthcare sector" – as stated by Mr. Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health – the hospital system at all levels was at times overwhelmed with human and material resources.

As a company that has consistently and actively participated in Vietnam's fight against the pandemic for the past two years, Diageo Vietnam (DVL) – a business operating in the alcoholic beverage sector – understands that: "Adding oxygen is adding breath, a precious source of life for patients fighting against death every minute and every second." Accurately measuring blood oxygen levels helps doctors closely monitor the disease progression, thereby reducing the number of cases that worsen.

Therefore, DVL has undertaken a rapid import of essential medical equipment from Europe to Asia, including 50 oxygen concentrators and 8,000 blood oxygen saturation monitors. Although this method is much more difficult than donating money, the medical equipment will quickly reach the areas most in need, providing timely treatment for thousands of critically ill patients.

Representatives from DVL personally delivered aid to COVID-19 treatment facilities in six districts of Ho Chi Minh City on August 16, 2021, as well as in other locations such as Hanoi and Ninh Thuan City.

This package of medical equipment, worth over 3 billion VND, provided significant support at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its most complex. Mr. Nguyen Anh Thi, General Director of DVL, shared: “Every contribution is meaningful and valuable, but it's best when it's timely and reaches the right people in need. That's why we chose the difficult path: importing medical equipment ourselves to support COVID-19 treatment facilities in three major provinces and cities heavily affected by the pandemic.”

For two years, DVL has shared the hardships and stood alongside Vietnam in the fight against the pandemic.

Despite being one of the hardest-hit business sectors, for two consecutive years, DVL has contributed nearly 8 billion VND to a variety of activities, helping to combat the pandemic.

In June 2020, DVL launched the “Clean Serve by Diageo” campaign, providing hand sanitizer kits and hygiene instructions to 315 partners at bars and retail outlets nationwide. This campaign aimed to protect the health of DVL's customers and partners, thereby contributing to community safety against the pandemic. Simultaneously, DVL donated 18,600 bottles of hand sanitizer worth 670 million VND to the Ministry of Health.

In March 2021, DVL was the first foreign enterprise to respond to the call from Tuoi Tre newspaper, contributing 3 billion VND to the "Together with Tuoi Tre to contribute COVID-19 vaccines" program, with the desire to protect frontline workers, strengthen Vietnam's access to vaccines, and join hands in fighting to repel COVID-19.

By August-September 2021, when the pandemic situation became complicated in Ho Chi Minh City, DVL's staff were protected by several specific measures, including: providing online medical check-up packages; supporting safe isolation locations for employees and their families; preparing oxygen concentrators and blood oxygen saturation monitors for employees and their families to use in emergencies… In addition, the company donated medicines and health care products to all employees and business partners nationwide during the pandemic…

Mr. Nguyen Anh Thi stated: “As a British company operating in Vietnam, we deeply appreciate the efforts of all levels of government, agencies, and organizations in combating the pandemic. Diageo Vietnam is proud to stand alongside and support the community, ensuring the health and safety of the people and contributing to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Choosing the slogan "Celebrating life every day, everywhere" as its development direction, DVL's actions in supporting both the community and the company internally throughout the COVID-19 pandemic are practical contributions demonstrating its commitment to caring for and supporting the Vietnamese community.

Simultaneously, DVL actively implements its corporate social responsibility commitments in line with the group's 2030 action plan (Diageo in Society 2030). In 2021, DVL launched the "Responsible Spirit, Continuous Progress" campaign along with the DRINKiQ challenge (a collection of online quizzes), reaching millions of young Vietnamese people and educating them about responsible drinking. This campaign has also inspired success in 20 countries worldwide.

DVL also continuously creates opportunities for students in the food, beverage, tourism, and hospitality industries to gain practical experience through internships, thereby supporting the F&B industry's recovery after the pandemic by providing additional human resources to support sales outlets. With these positive actions, DVL is confident that it will work together with Vietnam to overcome all obstacles and reach a bright future.

Therma