On March 24, 2020, India entered into a 21-day lockdown in its attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. As citizens did their bit by practising social distancing, several unsung heroes went about with their daily jobs as always to make sure we could all stay safe indoors. These included the hardworking doctors, nurses and cleaning staff at hospitals, media professionals, cops, and delivery executives, among others.
At Swiggy, our delivery partners have always been the backbone of our organisation. But this time around, they’ve also served as a lifeline to the nation. From shopping for essentials to delivering meals safely, they’ve been on the roads so that we wouldn’t have to step out.
To support and thank our delivery partners for all their selfless hard work, we have set up the Swiggy Hunger Savior Covid Relief Fund. This fund will be used for the welfare of our delivery fleet and their families, with primary contributions being made by Swiggy’s founders, senior leaders, employees and investors. As a start, Swiggy’s CEO has committed 50% of his annual salary towards this fund. Swiggy had also committed all its revenues from 22nd March – the day of the Janata Curfew – towards this purpose. As of date, we have already raised Rs. 4 cr towards the fund; our aim is to raise a total of Rs. 10 cr.
“Our industry is built on the efforts of our delivery partners. It is in times like these, that we come together to appreciate and support those who are putting their lives at risk to serve others. To assist our delivery heroes during these testing times, we have initiated this special fund which will be supported by Swiggy and our investors. I am overwhelmed by this collective initiative to support one another, while also doing what we do best – serving our customers.”
Sriharsha Majety, CEO – Swiggy
Through this fund, delivery partners are now covered with Income Protection Insurance, where up to 14 days of income is insured if they test positive for COVID-19. The fund will also be used to provide sustenance support through food and grocery care packages to the partners and their families who are facing hardships. Additionally, parents and family members of delivery partners currently not covered by existing medical insurance will also be covered by the fund towards medical/hospitalization expenses related to COVID-19. This initiative is one among many that we have taken to support our Hunger Saviors.
Since the global outbreak, we have taken several steps to safeguard our delivery partner community. This includes training them in respiratory and other hygiene practices, offering free on-call medical consultation, and providing them with free hygiene kits. We’ve also introduced a tipping feature on the app which allows customers to support their delivery partners, and also a No-Contact Delivery option to help both customers and delivery partners stay safe by following social distancing. Read about all our initiatives to help fight Covid-19 here.