UEH Sustainable Finance Institute Organizes Advanced Training Series for the Top 15 Teams of ZESG 2026

21 Apr, 2026

As ZESG 2026 (Gen Z and ESG: Advancing Sustainable Development) enters the Semi-final Round, the competition has evolved beyond a contest among the Top 15 outstanding teams into a practical academic learning environment. To fulfill its mission of disseminating knowledge, the UEH Sustainable Finance Institute (SFI) organized a series of advanced training sessions to help students translate ESG ideas into highly applicable solutions for businesses.

ZESG 2026: More Than a Competition, a Mini Training Program

After successfully advancing through a highly competitive preliminary round involving 2,296 students from 40 universities nationwide (equivalent to 555 teams), the Top 15 teams of ZESG 2026 have entered the project development phase.

Viewing ZESG 2026 as more than a conventional student competition, the Organizing Committee designed the program as a structured mini-training program. The close integration of mentoring, feedback, and coaching activities aims to achieve a core objective: developing competencies, fostering practical sustainability thinking, and nurturing a new generation of young professionals capable of addressing contemporary challenges.

A Comprehensive Learning Journey: From Foundational Knowledge to Practical Implementation

To equip the Top 15 teams with a strong foundation, the Institute of Sustainable Finance designed a free three-session training series covering key dimensions of sustainable business:

- Building a sustainability mindset: Clarifying sustainability concepts, analyzing the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental), and understanding the motivations behind transforming traditional business models. Participants were also guided to identify challenges and explore solutions to overcome barriers.

- Integrating ESG risks into financial decision-making: Providing guidance on how environmental and social risks can be measured and incorporated into investment, financial, and corporate governance decisions.

- International standards and sustainable supply chain management: Introducing global sustainability reporting frameworks, life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, and green supply chain management practices. Participants learned how to design measurement indicators to optimize integrated value creation.

Assoc. Prof. Bui Thi Mai Hoai, Director of the Institute of Sustainable Finance, guiding the Top 15 teams in connecting theory with practical project development

Support from Leading Experts and Strategic Partners

One of the highlights of the training series was the direct involvement of experienced experts from the Institute of Sustainable Finance, including Assoc. Prof. Bui Thi Mai Hoai, Dr. Pham Thai Binh, and Dr. Dinh Sy Khang. Through highly interactive teaching methods, the experts helped participants develop critical, strategic, and systems thinking, all of which are essential for addressing ESG challenges in real-world business environments characterized by multiple constraints.

Dr. Pham Thai Binh, Deputy Director of the Institute of Sustainable Finance, delivering an advanced training session for the Top 15 teams of ZESG 2026

Dr. Dinh Sy Khang sharing practical insights with participating teams

Representatives of the Top 15 teams exchanging ideas during the training session

Notably, ZESG 2026 serves as a bridge between academic knowledge and market demands, as all projects are built around real-world challenges provided by an extensive network of reputable partners and sponsors, including Bureau Veritas Vietnam Co., Ltd.; Yusen Logistics Co., Ltd.; the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA); Duy Tan Plastics Manufacturing Corporation; Tan Cang Cai Mep International Terminal (TCIT); Clean Technology Environment Joint Stock Company (CLEANTECH); and Trung Quy Textile and Garment Co., Ltd.

Beyond Awards: Lasting Value for Participants

The training sessions were characterized by active engagement and robust discussions. Many participants shared that the program helped broaden their perspectives, enabling them to recognize that sustainable development is not merely an idealistic concept but requires systematic knowledge and rigorous data analysis.

For many students, the most valuable outcome was not the pursuit of awards, but the growth of their mindset and practical capabilities. The experience equipped them with skills and perspectives that will support their future academic and professional development.

The success of the training series once again demonstrates the Institute of Sustainable Finance’s strengths in specialized education and research, contributing to the development of high-quality human resources capable of adapting to the demands of the modern labor market.

Additional Information

The "Gen Z & ESG: Advancing Sustainable Development 2026 (ZESG 2026)" competition is organized by the Institute of Sustainable Finance (SFI) at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) for students in Ho Chi Minh City who are interested in ESG and sustainable development. The competition is scheduled to take place from March to May 2026 through a combination of online and in-person activities.

News, photos: UEH Sustainable Finance Institute, UEH Green Campus Project, Department of Communications and Partnerships