Crafting Happiness Through Banking: From Trust and Sharing to Sustainable Growth

From Trust to Happiness: The Foundation of Vietnam’s Sustainable Development

In the 2025 World Happiness Report, Vietnam ranks 46th globally and 2nd in Southeast Asia, just behind Singapore—its highest position ever. This achievement reflects improvements not only in income but also in social trust, community cohesion, and safety, factors increasingly recognized as key measures of sustainable development.

At the “Journey to Happiness” talkshow, broadcast by the Government Information Portal and HTV9, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam, Vice Principal of the University of Education – Vietnam National University, Hanoi, noted that national happiness is measured by various indices, with GDP per capita reflecting only a small part.

“To assess happiness, we consider perceptions of personal freedom, years of healthy living, community mutual support, safety levels, and perceptions of corruption,” he stated.

According to Dr. Nam, Vietnam has made significant progress by improving both material and spiritual life. “The sense of freedom and mutual support are strengths of the Vietnamese people. Public trust in the Party, Government, and anti-corruption efforts has also improved significantly, contributing to higher happiness indices,” he shared.

He further emphasized that trust is a key factor in strengthening social happiness. When people believe that in times of difficulty, they will receive support from the community, businesses, or the state, society becomes more stable, and the sense of security increases.

“Businesses act as a bridge between individuals and society—when they act for the community, trust is strengthened, and happiness is multiplied,” Dr. Nam added.

MB and the Journey of Sharing Values

From a business perspective, Mr. Pham Nhu Anh, CEO of Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB), believes that volunteer activities are a crucial part of the Vietnamese happiness journey. “Both the giver and receiver are happy: the giver is happy to share, and the receiver is happy to overcome difficulties,” he said.

He noted that MB implemented numerous social welfare programs in 2024, totaling approximately 1.1 trillion VND, funded by employee contributions and the bank’s retained profits.

“We aim to create a happy work environment for employees, customers, and partners—where sharing is a core value,” he added. Since 2021, MB has invested in an online volunteering platform to leverage technology in spreading the spirit of mutual support. After three years of operation, the platform has attracted over 2.1 million participants, with 1,700 successful programs and a total donation of approximately 2.3 trillion VND.

Mr. Anh mentioned that technology has made volunteer activities more convenient and transparent, attracting more participants.

Internally, he stressed that a fair environment and work-life balance are essential for employee happiness. “Good performance is recognized with fair compensation, regardless of personal relationships. For a large organization like MB, maintaining clear management principles is necessary to motivate and retain talent,” he shared.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam also noted that investing in “internal happiness” is a global trend. “When employees feel respected and find meaning in their work, they spread positive energy to customers. Thus, happiness is not just a spiritual value but also a competitive advantage for businesses,” he analyzed.

From a macro perspective, Dr. Nam believes the correlation between economy and happiness is most evident in the early stages of development. Once a certain standard of living is achieved, more important factors include environmental quality, mental balance, and social trust. “It’s crucial to convert national assets into public welfare—education, healthcare, and spaces for connection, so people feel safe and supported,” he said.

From a business standpoint, Mr. Pham Nhu Anh added that with a large customer base, banks can clearly observe changes in Vietnamese happiness perceptions. “Customer happiness is linked to feelings of security, trust in the future, and economic stability,” he noted.

He believes financial institutions can become part of the national happiness infrastructure by combining economic interests with social values. “Businesses are the link between individuals and society; by creating happiness for each individual, that happiness spreads to the organization and the nation,” Mr. Anh affirmed.

MB Spreads the Spirit of Sharing to Central Vietnam

Recently, as part of its 31st-anniversary celebrations, MB employees launched a program to support Central Vietnam communities affected by floods and storms.

In just a few days, over 1,000 contributions from MB members raised nearly 400 million VND, demonstrating the spirit of mutual support and community responsibility—values integral to the bank’s culture. The entire amount will be directed to severely affected areas in Da Nang, such as Xuan Phu commune, Nam Phuoc commune, and Hoi An ward, to help residents recover and stabilize their lives.

The message “Because happiness is sharing” is not just a call to action but also evidence of how Vietnamese businesses are contributing to the national “happiness index,” starting with simple, meaningful, and humane actions.