Dong Nai, March 26–28, 2026, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Viet Nam Program (WCS Viet Nam), in collaboration with MCG Management Consulting Co., Ltd., organized a nature expedition to Cat Tien National Park for managers and officers from compliance and risk management, anti-money laundering, sustainability/ESG, and client and investor relations departments of 13 commercial banks based in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Participants attend the nature expedition, Dong Nai, March 2026
At Cat Tien National Park, participants had the opportunities to learn about the park’s rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, as well as the conservation efforts undertaken by the park management board, forest rangers, forest protection forces, local authorities, and communities. The delegates also visited the Nature Museum, the Wildlife Rescue Center, and the Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary to gain deeper insights into the rescue and care of wild animals who have been rescued from illegal trade, hunting, and captivity.
Overview of the technical update session, Dong Nai, March 2026
To highlight the link between the financial sector and wildlife conservation, experts from WCS Viet Nam provided updates on the situation of illegal wildlife trade in Viet Nam, emphasizing that it constitutes a predicate offense to money laundering as regulated in the Penal Code 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2017, 2025). Experts from MCG introduced the “Handbook on Integrating ESG Risks Related to Illegal Wildlife Trade into Risk Management and Anti-Money Laundering Frameworks in Commercial Banks” through case studies and group discussions. Through these activities, participants were guided to identify ESG risks, recognize red flags of potential money laundering linked to illegal wildlife trade, and apply these insights to their organizations’ risk governance frameworks as well as Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS).
The activity was conducted within the framework of the project “Disruption and deterrence: Reducing wildlife trafficking between Africa and Asia” funded by the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund (IWTCF) under the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).