Towards enforcement of labor standards in the European Union–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: can Vietnam leverage the impact of the implementation of corporate social responsibility?

The European Union–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) contains fairly comprehensive rules, including noncommercial norms and values, in which labor standards are integrated into the sustainable development content. However, the EVFTA does not create new labor standards; it merely references the Conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and requires members to comply with them. To enforce labor standards under the EVFTA, Vietnam has made significant efforts to ratify the ILO conventions on fundamental labor standards and incorporate these standards into its domestic legal system. In addition, promoting voluntary initiatives by enterprises, such as adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR), should be considered a complementary approach to strengthening the effective implementation of labor standards in Vietnamese businesses.

This article analyzes the current situation of labor standards enforcement in Vietnamese enterprises under the EVFTA and explores the potential role of CSR in ensuring compliance. On the basis of these insights, it presents several recommendations to enhance the adoption of CSR in Vietnam.