This year, Better Work marks 15 years of operations in Viet Nam. The Poong In Vina factory has been with the programme almost from day one.

The Poong In Vina Co., Ltd., located in the Binh Duong province, is one of 34 of the approximately 500 factories enrolled with Better Work Viet Nam recognized as a ‘high-performance’ factory. Better Work designates a factory as “high-performance” if it consistently excels across four key pillars of sustainable business: compliance, management systems, learning and dialogue.

With 1,300 employees and generating more than US$18 million in revenue in 2023, the factory supplies quality garments to major international brands, including GAP Inc., Knitwell Group, Li & Fung, Talbots, Spanx, and Aritzia. Since joining Better Work in 2010, Poong In Vina has significantly improved working conditions, social dialogue, and business competitiveness.

When asked about the support Better Work has provided to the factory over more than a decade, MJ Kim, the factory’s compliance manager, highlights reductions in audit fatigue. Before joining the Better Work program, Poong In Vina had to undergo separate audits for each brand they supplied. “It was exhausting,” says MJ Kim. “We had to go through five audits annually for five different brands. But after joining Better Work, most of the brands accepted the Better Work audit, and that reduced a lot of stress.”

MJ Kim explains the relationship with Better Work is more than a way to reduce duplication: “Better Work (assessments are) not just a one-time audit. It’s a continuous improvement programme that helps our factory improve throughout the year with consistent advisory support and training.”

MJ Kim also credits the creation of the worker-manager committees  with reducing conflict and enhancing cooperation, a theme echoed by Le Vu Hong Quan, HR manager. “The committee is made up of individuals from different departments who work to ensure stable working conditions and fair wages. Through their meetings, we’ve created a safer and more productive environment.”

Quan further highlights Better Work’s role in navigating labour laws, which have gone through a period of substantial reform. “Better Work’s  enterprise advisors provide detailed insights, allowing us to stay compliant with both local and international regulations. This kind of advice gives us confidence that we’re making the right decisions,” says Quan, a 17 year veteran of the factory’s HR department.

He also points to Better Work’s advice to separate the HR and compliance departments at the factory as a key strategic move that laid the groundwork for better compliance outcomes.

Better Work’s key areas of focus stem from its attention to labour laws, international conventions, and known issues that negatively affect factories and the sector as a whole. For example, many garment factories and workers have historically experienced gendered issues: discrimination against women and harassment in the workplace.  A key element of recent labour law reforms has concerned discrimination against women and the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.

According to compliance officer Le Thi Hien, there have been notable improvements in gender equality at the factory: “Before, 70 per cent of the supervisors were male, and only 30 per cent were female. After Better Work’s gender equality training, we started promoting more women, and now the ratio is 50-50.”

There has also been progress in reducing sexual harassment in the workplace. Hien highlighted that “six employees from different departments participated in Better Work’s gender equality training, and they, in turn, trained all workers on preventing sexual harassment.” This has contributed to a safer and more respectful work environment, further supporting the factory’s high-performance goals.

Looking ahead, Poong In Vina remains committed to its partnership with Better Work, prioritizing continuous improvement and sustainability. As markets grow increasingly competitive, the factory is confident that its partnership with Better Work will help it maintain its high-performance status. With a strong foundation in compliance, worker well-being, and gender equality, Poong In Vina is a strong model of sustainable and continuous progress for Vietnam’s garment industry.