Son La Province recently announced the results of its 2024 District, Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI), a vital tool for improving the local investment and business environment. Supported by the Australian Government’s GREAT Program, the DDCI and informs more sustainable economic governance.

This year’s DDCI introduces two groundbreaking indices – ‘Green Growth and Sustainable Development’ and ‘Gender Responsiveness in Management and Administration’. These additions underscore Son La’s commitment to fostering a fair, user-friendly and inclusive business climate.

Over 1,300 businesses, cooperatives and individual entrepreneurs participated in the survey, including many led by women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities, ensuring highly representative and transparent results. The public release of DDCI outcomes for each department and district will enhance governance, drive administrative reforms and improve businesses’ access to public services and support.

The conference celebrated top-performing units, analysed DDCI results and identified key areas for improvement, drawing lessons from high-scoring entities. It served as a platform for dialogue with the business community which will further inform policy and procedural reform. The province highlighted the crucial role of agency heads in improving DDCI scores, linking these results to performance evaluations. Experts shared insights and advised on attracting investment and boosting economic activity.

About the GREAT Program
The Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Program is an Australian-funded initiative running from 2017 to 2027 in Son La and Lao Cai. In Son La, the program supports eight projects spanning agriculture, tourism, women’s entrepreneurship and leadership development, digital transformation, finance inclusion and inclusive, gender-responsive policies. The DDCI is a key component of this effort.

GREAT collaborates with businesses, government agencies and public/private service providers to implement innovative solutions. These initiatives aim to improve market access and enhance women’s economic empowerment, particularly for ethnic minority women. The DDCI project builds on successful collaborations with departments and districts in Son La and Lao Cai, striving to improve public service quality and business support policies, ultimately benefiting more ethnic minority women, their families, and communities.

Commitment to Action
Son La Provincial People’s Committee is strongly committed to using the DDCI as a tool to cultivate an inclusive business environment and attract investment. Key actions include:

• Enhancing public service quality to better support business startups and expansion.

• Strengthening coordination among departments and between provincial and commune levels to improve and implement business support policies, promote digital transformation, green economy and innovation, and address business challenges.

• Integrating gender and inclusive development to ensure all groups—especially women, ethnic minorities, and small businesses—receive effective support and participate more actively in economic activities.

• Boosting the oversight and evaluation role of the DDCI task force to ensure improvement plans are effectively implemented.

• Establishing direct feedback channels from businesses and maintaining regular dialogue to promptly address issues and adjust policies.

• Linking DDCI results to administrative reform, clearly defining the responsibilities of leaders in improving scores, and using these scores as a critical criterion for staff evaluation and commendation.