New Delhi: Zomato recently announced a target to support the training of 10,000 women to empower them to participate in logistics in collaboration with non-profit and skilling sectors. The target was shared at a closed-door roundtable conference event titled, 'Women in Logistics' at Le Meridien, New Delhi. The event brought together key industry stakeholders, including representatives from NGOs including Pratham, Azad Foundation, impact consulting firms such as FSG, and Give Grants, and logistics companies such as Porter and Mahindra Logistics, to discuss the challenges and opportunities for women in India's growing hyper-local and quick commerce economy.
The target announced is a part of Zomato's broader commitment to gender inclusion reflected in its flagship initiative, Project Arya. Started in 2021, the project aims to break gender barriers and provide women with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in logistics. As part of this initiative, Zomato has already successfully onboarded more than 2500 women in the delivery fleet. In addition to onboarding women in last-mile delivery, Zomato has also begun onboarding women in Hyperpure and Blinkit warehouses and dark stores, with a target of 20% representation of women across the daytime shift in warehouses by the end of 2024.
The discussions at the event focused on the hurdles women face in gig work, such as safety concerns, access to infrastructure and training. Stakeholders shared their insights and innovative solutions to enhance women's participation in the last-mile logistics. Anjali Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato, said, "Women today account for less than 10% of the overall delivery workforce even though ordering and delivery platforms offer a better balance of flexibility and earning potential than many other opportunities available to them.