Unlike many other countries in the region, Vietnam has had less production interruption in the garment sector and is well on its way to economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the virus has had a massive impact on the economy and society in Vietnam. It is estimated that about half the labour force was affected somehow by the pandemic during the first lockdown in April 2020. The average income per worker was reduced by five per cent, some faced job losses and working time reductions. According to the World Bank, Vietnam’s economy has shown resilience and is expected to rebound from the pandemic. Because the factories experienced limited interruptions of their business operations due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team could carry on assessments and provide a similar level of support to its factories as in pre-pandemic times.
Innovations and fast-tracked responses to the virus enabled Better Work Vietnam to efficiently adapt services to industry-specific needs.