Second Edition of ‘Sustainability and Inclusivity: Role of the Platform Economy’ Conference Held in New Delhi

New Delhi, 18 December 2024: The second edition of the Sustainability and Inclusivity: Role of the Platform Economy Conference organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Invest India, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Zomato, was held today at Shangri La, New Delhi. Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, graced the event virtually as the Chief Guest. At the event, Zomato also launched its Accelerated Safety Response program that will automatically detect crashes through the delivery partner app. When a crash is detected, the app will immediately trigger an emergency call to Zomato’s central response system, which would then dispatch an ambulance to the delivery partner’s location, eliminating the need for manual intervention and potentially saving critical time in emergency situations. This launch is in line with Zomato’s commitment to ensuring delivery partner safety and well-being.

The conference started with a welcome address by Dr Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General, PHDCCI and Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, Food Delivery, Zomato. It also witnessed a keynote address by Chief Guest Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. The conference also saw an address by Anjalli Ravi Kumar, CSO, Zomato.

The event also brought together key stakeholders who engaged in a series of stimulating panel discussions. The first panel around ‘Empowering Startups and Small Businesses in the Platform Economy’ was moderated by Damini Bhalla, General Counsel, Zomato. The panel witnessed participation from Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India, Mr. Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder & Executive Vice Chairman, Info Edge India Ltd., Ms. Prachi Bhuchar, Head of Government Relations and Public Policy, Meesho, Mr. Ankit Agarwal, Founder, Phool and Ms. Rashmi Daga, Founder, FreshMenu. The panelists delved into the role of platforms in promoting startups and small businesses to foster their growth and sustainability.

The second panel discussion around ‘Prioritising Platform Workers’ Health, Safety and Well-Being’ was moderated by Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato. The panel witnessed participation from Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jena, Director, Directorate General Labour Welfare, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, Dr. Tsuyoshi Kawakami, Occupational Safety & Health Specialist, Decent Work Technical Team-South Asia, International Labour Organization, Dr. Sarayu Natarajan, Founder, Aapti Institute, Mr. Aniket Doegar, Co-Founder & CEO, Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions and Mr. Piyush Tewari, Founder & CEO, SaveLIFE Foundation. The panelists provided a comprehensive view of the initiatives and industry-wide practices being adopted by platforms to address health, safety and well-being challenges faced by platform workers.

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India said, “India is taking significant strides to improve road safety. To that end, we have approved a new policy that will establish driving training centers nationwide with an aim to address the delayed emergency cases. Additionally, an INR 1.5 crore grant has been approved to set up automated testing stations to solve for road related emergency cases. Heartening to see work done by organisations like Zomato in the road safety domain especially their initiatives to train delivery partners, providing safety equipment, and empowering them as First Responders. Great to see the launch of Zomato’s Accelerated Safety Response Program at today’s conference.”

Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, Food Delivery, Zomato said, “The MSME sector is the true backbone of India’s economy, contributing significantly to job creation, innovation, and economic growth. The food delivery ecosystem plays a crucial role in this landscape, providing vital livelihoods for millions and fostering entrepreneurship across diverse communities. At Zomato, we are committed to empowering 300,000 micro, small, and medium restaurant businesses by 2030, and our endeavour is to help them grow and thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. Together, we are looking forward to building a future where every meal delivered contributes to a stronger economy and a more equitable society.

Our heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed government officials and industry leaders for their insights at today’s conference – which will play a key role in guiding our collective endeavors of becoming a more responsible and sustainable industry.”

Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato said, “Sustainability is deeply ingrained in Zomato’s core business ethos. We are steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the safety and well-being of our delivery partners. The launch of our Accelerated Safety Response system is a testament to this commitment. The feature is designed to provide immediate support and assistance to our delivery partners in times of need. Through such initiatives and programs, we remain steadfast in our commitment to integrating sustainability into every aspect of Zomato’s operations.”

Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General, PHDCCI commented, “Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) serve as a cornerstone of the Indian economy, contributing significantly to GDP and playing a pivotal role in job creation and economic inclusivity, especially for vulnerable and marginalized communities. Platforms are instrumental in fostering the growth of MSMEs and bringing them into the fold of the formal economy. Through access to consumers at scale, platforms are enabling new and existing MSMEs including restaurants, logistics services providers and small-scale manufacturers across India, to attain their growth potential, transforming millions of lives and livelihoods along the journey.”

Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Government of India commented, “Bharat now is at the cusp of being a knowledge driven economy. Platforms and networks will play a key role in enabling collaboration, streamlining of information and increasing accessibility of resources. Platforms will also enable the growth of India’s urban economy, drawing millions of workers into cities to work in a variety of businesses such as restaurants, logistics and warehousing. We at DPIIT under our Startup India initiative recently launched the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) with the intent to centralise and consolidate the Indian startup ecosystem enabling greater connections and networking amongst the ecosystem at large. We are committed to support the growth of platforms which is critical to our mission of building a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.”

Over 3 million delivery partners have benefited from the earning opportunities provided by Zomato and Blinkit. Prioritising delivery partner safety, Zomato has trained 44,985 delivery partners (as of September 2024) in emergency first aid, basic life support (BLS), and CPR. Additionally, SOS ambulance services are available in 800 Indian cities, with an average response time of under 15 minutes (October 2024). To support delivery partners, Zomato has established 8,576 rest points across India, offering amenities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, first aid, phone charging, restrooms, and clean drinking water.