Promoting Inclusive Industry 4.0 for achieving SDGs

Viet Nam will be significantly impacted by the Industrial Revolution 4.0, especially its manufacturing sector. How to use the impetus of IR 4.0 to boost productivity and growth and to make sure Viet Nam is not left behind in the transition and Leave No One Behind. There are a burgeoning startup community and a strong commitment at the highest levels of the Government to advance IR 4.0. UNDP has been working to test out new ideas, experimenting, mentoring, incubating, and uncovering exciting new approaches that are bearing fruit.

UNDP has framed our support in helping Viet Nam to ensure that the process of IR 4.0 is an inclusive one, building on the inclusive growth concept. We are mapping out four dimensions of “Inclusive 4.0”

Enabling policy and Experimentation — While we are working on multiple fronts to advance the Inclusive IR 4.0 agenda for SDGs, Enabling policy and Experimentation are two broad areas for priority action

Industry 4.0 Summit — with Sophia led the billing UNDP launched Sophia at IR 4.0 Summit, giving the audience from the highest levels of the Government and Party a first chance to interact with a robot.

UNDP launched Sophia at IR 4.0 Summit, giving the audience from the highest levels of the Government and Party a first chance to interact with a robot. Sophia the robot — UNDP Innovation Champion — conveys messages on inclusive IR 4.0 to the Prime Minister and the Summit’s participants. More

UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Mr. Haoliang Xu
joined the Worl Economic Forum’s panel discussion on the Future of Jobs

National strategy on IR4.0 is critical for enabling policy. To help Viet Nam develop the strategy, UNDP has brought in experts to share experiences on how to approach the transition from Korea, Singapore, China, Canada, Scotland, and the City of London. We are building a network of global advisors that can be consulted at different phases of the national strategy — from drafting to implementation.

UNDP designed the first survey on 4.0 Readiness of 2000 firms to share concerns from each business sub-sector and points to enterprises and firms ready and taking on IR 4.0.

Experiences show the large-scale investment in experimentation and innovation to drive the transition.

Experimentation and enabling scale: it is not just about the technological solution, it is also about making sure there are supportive governance and financing for scaling.

A snapshot of our work in progress in Viet Nam in adapting, prototyping, testing new technologies and ways of working:

• Blockchain for service accountability
• Chatbots for improved efficiency and transparency in administration services
• E-platform for effective, transparent ODA/ public investment and debt management
• Real-time citizen feedback apps
• Climate Change Investment Platform for local green biz
• Governance shifts in regulation and incentives for scaling

Moving to action with skilling youth: Youth Co-Lab and SDG Challenge Award aims to provide 21st-century skills for youth ideation, design, mentoring, and incubation of business with social and environmental impact.

It is not a linear process — UNDP is proceeding on several parallel fronts. Common and central across all is experimentation and innovation platforms — and this is where UNDP is valued most.