Zomato Hosts ILO Delegation, Prioritizes Delivery Partner Welfare

Zomato, India’s food ordering and delivery platform, recently hosted a distinguished delegation from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and representatives from the Labour Department of the Japanese Government at one of its rest points in Gurgaon. As part of Zomato's ongoing commitment to the health and welfare of delivery partners, the company conducted free health check-ups for the delivery partners on the day of the visit in partnership with Acko. Last year, the firm launched The Shelter Project, under which the company has started building public infrastructure (called Rest Points) to support the entire gig economy and delivery partners of various companies.

Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, Food Delivery, Zomato, said, "We are delighted to welcome the ILO delegation and representatives from the Japanese Government’s Labour Department to witness our different initiatives towards the betterment of the gig ecosystem in India. Their visit will further inspire us to stay at the forefront of improving the lives of delivery partners and fostering a culture of safety and well-being. Through ‘The Shelter Project’, our aim is to create a better work environment for all gig workers, irrespective of the platform that they work for.”

Led by Ms. Kaori Osaka (Nakamura), Deputy Assistant Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, and Mr. Takeshi Miura, Director General of the Ministry, the delegation also included Mr. Yuta Isozaki, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Division, and Mr. Yasuo Ariga, representing the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Accompanying them were members from the ILO India country office, including Mr Satoshi Sasaki, Deputy Director, Ms Mariko Ouchi, Senior Specialist for Social Protection, Ms. Ayaka Mochida, Partnerships Officer, and Mr. Karun Gopinath, National Project Coordinator for Social Protection.

Mr Satoshi Sasaki, Deputy Director for the ILO, Decent Work Team for South Asia and Country Office for India, said, “The Extension of Social Protection for Gig and Platform workers project funded by the Government of Japan, has been working closely with the Government, aggregators and workers’ organizations to extend social protection benefits that are a basic right for workers. Given the rise of the platform economy and new forms of work, all tripartite constituents in India have demonstrated their support for the welfare of gig and platform workers and the ILO is committed to enabling them to extend social protection to all workers.”

With efforts by the Government, initiatives by platform aggregators, Workers Organizations and ILO’s social partners along with other relevant stakeholders, India is uniquely placed to create an ecosystem that promotes the rights and welfare of the worker on a continuous basis. 

The delegation toured the rest point facility and engaged in discussions with Zomato representatives about the company's best practices in supporting delivery partners. This included insights into the Shelter Project, which provides essential amenities such as comfortable seating, charging points, washrooms, high-speed internet, and first-aid support to ensure delivery partners' well-being while on duty.

Zomato is committed to creating a more supportive gig economy ecosystem for the delivery partners onboarded with Zomato by addressing their personal and professional needs. This includes previously announced benefits such as accident insurance, medical coverage, loss of pay support, and ambulance services, all aimed at ensuring the overall well-being of the delivery partners.