Zomato announced comprehensive 2030 sustainability goals. Announced on the sidelines of Sustainability and Inclusivity: Role of the Platform Economy Conference, the maiden policy conference organized by IndiaTech.Org in partnership with Zomato witnessed the coming together of top government officials, industry leaders, and representatives from civil society and academia.
Zomato’s sustainability initiatives are guided by the firm’s commitment to responsible and sustainable business growth while creating value for all its stakeholders. Crafted around the eight identified themes, Zomato has outlined specific and measurable targets to achieve the recently announced goals by the year 2030. The goals include supporting the growth of 300K restaurant businesses & food entrepreneurs, empowering 1 million gig workers, and supporting 300 million nutritious meals for underprivileged women and children, among others.
Commemorating the successful completion of the conference, Rakesh Ranjan, CEO – Food Delivery, Zomato, said, “Over the years, gig work has democratised access to livelihoods by reducing entry barriers and providing improved income prospects for lakhs of people in India. Today’s conference and the release of Zomato’s goals for 2030, reinforces our commitment to protect and ensure sustainable growth of the platform economy and all its stakeholders. Our heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed government officials, industry leaders, and representatives from academia and civil society for their insights – which will play a key role in guiding our collective endeavors of becoming a more responsible and sustainable industry.”
“Platform economy has become increasingly important for creating livelihood opportunities, providing social security and welfare benefits for gig workers. From a sustainability perspective, the Government’s push towards EV adoption has received commitment by platforms including Zomato, that is looking at facilitating 100% deliveries through EVs leading to net zero emissions across the food ordering and delivery value chain by 2033, which is laudable.”, said, Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
Zomato’s eight identified sustainability themes that are aligned with its vision of ‘‘better food for more people’, have been derived through a detailed process of stakeholder identification, engagement, and a comprehensive analysis of material topics. These are:
Climate-conscious deliveries
Facilitate 100% deliveries through EVs, leading to Net Zero emissions across the food ordering and delivery value chain by 2033
Waste-free world
Facilitate 100% plastic-neutral food delivery orders through voluntary recycling
Facilitate delivery of 100 mn plastic-free food orders by 2025
Help restaurants reduce food waste through training and collaborations
Zero hunger
Support Feeding India in mobilizing resources to provide 300 mn nutritious meals for underprivileged communities
Customer centricity
Build food ordering and delivery solutions for the next billion customers seeking affordability, accessibility, assortment and quality
Governance
Achieve and maintain high standards of corporate governance to protect the interests of all our stakeholders –
Adopt leading data privacy standards and practices
Continue to drive robust ethics and compliance practices
Inclusive growth
Support the growth of 300,000 micro, small and medium restaurant businesses and food entrepreneurs
Enhance the earning and saving capacity of 1 million gig workers through upskilling, partnerships and benefit programs
Health, safety and well-being for all
Make substantive progress towards achieving zero on-road delivery partner fatalities
Bring health and safety knowledge and innovations to restaurant partners
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Achieve a minimum of 50% representation of diverse groups – women, LGBTQIA+, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), veterans and other historically disadvantaged groups in our employee base and Board
Commenting on the sustainability goals for 2030, Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato, said, “Sustainability is deeply ingrained in Zomato’s DNA, and we proudly stand as forerunners in driving business practices that prioritize both social and environmental sustainability. Our visionary roadmap for 2030 signifies a significant stride towards a more sustainable and inclusive future. With a dedicated focus on eight material themes, this roadmap goes beyond the confines of food ordering and delivery, actively contributing to a world where every action leaves a positive imprint. We are grateful to our vast community of customers, restaurant partners, delivery partners, employees, investors, suppliers and non-profit organizations for the progress we have made in this direction. We commit to a persistent focus on delivering our promise to shape a future where sustainability is seamlessly woven into the fabric of everything we do at Zomato.”
Speaking at the conference, Rameesh Kailasam, CEO, Indiatech said, “With India witnessing a massive penetration of internet and smartphones and a growing innovative start-up platform ecosystem, the gig economy with its barrierless, flexible and participatory nature has given freedom and opportunity for those seeking work opportunities to engage and earn. It is also heartening to note that this emerging eco-system driven by platforms like Zomato have wholeheartedly and responsibly embraced sustainability and inclusivity in their operations by releasing their sustainability themes and goals today. Indiatech.org is proud to be part of this momentum in the platform eco-system that creates livelihoods, contributes to ease of living for consumers while adopting sustainability.”