Global supply chains now employ over 450 million people worldwide, representing more than one-fifth of the global workforce. While these supply chains have fuelled economic growth and created millions of jobs, they also highlight serious challenges such as, 2.3 million work-related deaths annually, limited access to affordable healthcare, and growing pressure to improve labour standards.
Vietnam stands at the centre of this story. With a stable political environment, competitive labour costs and strong economic prospects, it has become a manufacturing hub—especially in electronics, apparel and footwear. The sector directly employs over two million workers and another one million in related businesses, with around 80% of workers being women who migrate from rural areas. Yet despite their essential role in the global economy, many still face barriers to accessing basic healthcare and financial services.
23 executives from 15 companies and nine countries joined the 51st Global Leaders Programme (GLP) in May–June 2017, to explore these challenges firsthand. Hosted in Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City, the programme provided a platform for cross-sector collaboration, combining field research, stakeholder interviews and site visits. Participants examined the realities of Vietnam’s manufacturing sector and sought ways to improve the lives of supply chain workers.
The GLP partnered with iCare Benefits (iCB), a Vietnam-based for-profit social enterprise already serving 2.5 million contract workers through its innovative employee benefits programme. iCB’s model bridges the affordability gap by offering workers 3–6 months of interest-free, deferred payment plans for healthcare, education and lifestyle products. With 1,200 partners and 100 centres across four countries, the company is uniquely positioned to reach underserved workers.
Building on its successful Comfort Living business, iCB wanted to launch a Healthy Living business, a new arm designed to provide affordable and essential healthcare products and services to members and their families. GLP participants helped shape this initiative by:
Proposing a consortium of factories as a captured market for piloting an Affordable Insurance product and other healthcare offerings.
Identifying partnership opportunities with healthcare and insurance providers to ensure quality and accessibility.
Designing educational programmes in partnership with NGOs and international agencies to promote behaviour change, loyalty and retention.
By linking global leaders, local enterprises and underserved workers, the GLP created a roadmap for scalable impact. The iCB Healthy Living business shows how thoughtful partnerships can unlock healthcare access for millions of workers—improving lives, strengthening supply chains and setting a new standard for inclusive growth in emerging markets.