AI to improve effectiveness of banks' ESG reporting: central banker

13 of 15 commercial banks have published sustainability reports, Pham said.

A central banker in Vietnam said that artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the effectiveness of sustainable development reporting.

The industry is called to propose solutions for applying AI and big data to support sustainability reporting, including automating ESG data collection, said Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), speaking at a forum co-organised by the Banking Times and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Pham also directed the forum attendees to propose solutions for standardizing and synchronizing data from multiple sources; analyzing environmental and social risks and performance; and developing smart reporting models.

As of May 2025, around 13 of 15 commercial banks in Vietnam have published their independent sustainability reports, Pham said.

Green credit activities had increased, with total combined value rising by 3.57% to exceed VND704.2t.

Green loans now account for 4.3% of total loans in Vietnam, Pham said. The majority of these loans were allocated to renewable and clean energy, and green agriculture.