foodpanda reaffirms commitment to enhance delivery partners' work experience with 'panda hearts'

Flagship programme doubles down on five aspects of platform work that 
foodpanda's delivery partners value

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and BANGKOK, July 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda is doubling down on its commitment to its delivery partners with 'panda hearts', its flagship programme aimed at uplifting and supporting delivery partners in five core areas: safety, well-being, personal development, community and welfare perks.

With more than a decade's experience in Asia, foodpanda has through regular dialogue worked closely with its delivery partners in finding ways to best support and enhance their delivery experience. Over the years, foodpanda has refined its delivery partner initiatives to consistently deliver on what they value. 'panda hearts' will house existing and new welfare and engagement initiatives across all 11 markets in Asia. These include:

• "Well-being" focuses on safeguarding delivery partners' well-being through health screenings, mental health assistance programmes, insurance, exercise and sporting events.
• "Safety" encompasses initiatives that encourage delivery partners to prioritise their safety on the road. This includes making features on the foodpanda delivery partner application easy to navigate on-the-go, providing safety training courses, and offering safety bonuses and allowances.
• "Personal Development" provides delivery partners with a range of opportunities for growth, including upskilling courses, financial literacy workshops, bursaries, scholarships, and entrepreneurship opportunities. These help to support the aspirations of foodpanda's delivery partners, beyond their day-to-day delivery tasks.
• "Community" aims to build a dependable support system, where delivery riders can easily access in-app communication channels, like roving roadshows or focus groups, to share feedback. During severe weather conditions, delivery partners can also turn to physical rider hubs for onsite support and resources.
• "Welfare Perks" offer delivery partners a wide range of additional benefits to help alleviate the cost of living, for instance: fuel subsidies, supermarket vouchers, discounts on motorbike rental or mobile network plans.

(See Appendix for a full list of focus areas and mapped initiatives.)

"We recognise that gig work is here to stay, and our responsibility as a company is to ensure that our delivery partners thrive in their roles. We want them to feel valued, supported and empowered so they feel good about partnering with us. To do this meaningfully, we regularly engage with them to understand what matters most to them, and learn how we can improve what we're currently doing to provide the necessary resources and support," says Bhavani Shankar Mishra, Senior Director of Operations, foodpanda.

Stronger focus on delivery partner safety and wellness
Recognising that safe road conditions play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of delivery partners, foodpanda actively implements measures to improve road safety awareness. Through initiatives like road safety training, foodpanda equips its partners with the resources, knowledge and skills needed to navigate roads safely and mitigate potential risks - resulting in more than 50% decrease in accident rates over the last six months.

With 'panda hearts', foodpanda will build on these efforts to further empower its delivery partners in operating safely and confidently on the roads, ultimately contributing to a safer working environment for all.

Upcoming initiatives under panda hearts
In addition to safety-focused initiatives, foodpanda is expanding efforts to strengthen other aspects outlined under 'panda hearts':

• Under personal development: Bursary awards for delivery partners in Singapore, and scholarship programmes for children of delivery partners in Laos and Cambodia
• Under welfare perks: Subsidising the rental of electric vehicles in Thailand 

"Delivery partners are the heartbeat of our platform, tirelessly connecting communities with essential services. As their significance grows, so does our responsibility to enhance their well-being. It's important that we continually step up to prioritise the care and support of our frontline heroes," concludes Bhavani.

APPENDIX - panda hearts factsheet