Vietnam, Unilever Launch New Initiative to Scale Plastic Recycling Solutions

Vietnam’s Department of Environment and Unilever Vietnam on June 23 launched a new competition aimed at fostering innovation in plastic recycling, renewing a strategic public-private partnership for the 2026-2030 period.

The initiative, titled the “Plastic Circularity Innovation Solutions 2026” competition, builds on a collaboration platform first established in 2020. Over the past five years, the partnership has facilitated the collection and recycling of over 60,000 tons of plastic waste into new packaging and other products. It has also supported waste sorting initiatives and the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. Unilever Vietnam reported that 70 per cent of its current packaging is recyclable, with recycled plastic constituting an average of 50 per cent of the material used.

Under a newly signed memorandum of understanding for the 2026-2030 period, the two parties will work to strengthen connections between policymakers, businesses, technology providers, investors, and the innovation community. The goal is to accelerate the practical implementation of circular economy solutions for plastics.

Speaking at the launch event, Tang The Cuong, Director of the Department of Environment, emphasized the national importance of the circular economy. “Protecting the environment, utilizing resources efficiently, and developing a circular economy are becoming the inevitable trends for many countries,” he said. “For Vietnam, this is a major policy of the Party and the State aimed toward a green growth model, sustainable development, and improved resource utilization efficiency.”

He added, “I believe that the ‘Plastic Circularity Innovation Solutions 2026’ Competition will continue to discover many valuable initiatives, contributing to promoting the circular economy, mitigating plastic pollution, and strongly spreading the spirit of innovation for a green and sustainably developed Vietnam.”

Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Country Managing Director of Unilever Vietnam, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for a new perspective on plastic. “The country’s green transition journey begins with recognizing plastic not as waste, but as a resource. This is the crucial premise of the transition journey for plastics so that they can circulate back to serve daily life,” she stated.

Van added that Unilever hopes the competition will foster an effective public-private partnership mechanism “so that potential initiatives can be connected with practical needs, tested within the value chain, and gradually scaled up, contributing to Vietnam’s dual green-digital transition and sustainable growth, as well as reaching the global market.”

The 2026 competition will seek innovative solutions across a wide spectrum, including packaging design, alternative materials, advanced recycling technologies, new collection and sorting models, and circular business models. It will also support initiatives designed to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable consumption patterns. Organizers stressed that the program emphasizes practical deployment over simply recognizing ideas. Promising solutions will gain access to a network of experts, government agencies, businesses, and investors to help refine their models, conduct pilot projects, and pursue commercialization.

The program is structured around three primary objectives. The first is to connect innovators with businesses and organizations seeking practical solutions for plastic circularity. The second is to promote capital flows for green innovation by creating opportunities for promising projects to access financial resources and technical expertise. The third objective is to accelerate Vietnam’s green and digital transition by encouraging the application of technology, data, and automation in waste management and material flows.

The initiative builds on the success of the 2024 edition, which attracted over 350 projects and ideas, connected more than 500 individuals and organizations, and engaged 42 experts. That program generated 48 innovative ideas and 47 potential solutions, supported by over 60 hours of training and mentoring. Media and social media outreach for the 2024 competition reached an estimated 23 million people.

Several projects from the previous competition have already advanced to implementation. For instance, Unilever Vietnam recently collaborated with GRAC Technology Joint Stock Company, a 2024 award winner, and the People’s Committee of Tan My Ward in Ho Chi Minh City to deploy a technology-integrated waste sorting station, demonstrating a clear pathway from competition to practical application.

Organizers described the 2026 edition as an upgrade, not merely a continuation. Leveraging the network built in 2024, the new competition will place a greater emphasis on connecting solutions with market demand, facilitating access to resources, supporting pilot programs, and helping projects achieve commercial scale.

The “2026 Circular Plastics Innovation Solutions Competition” will officially open for applications in mid-July 2026. Submissions will undergo three rounds of selection, evaluation, and training, with results scheduled to be announced in the first quarter of 2027. Detailed information will be published on the website www.unilever.com.vn in mid-July 2026.