DiDi invests in diversity as it employs more women globally

Global mobile transportation platform Didi Chuxing (DiDi) has announced plans to invest in diversity, as it expands its footprint across the globe.

It recently created the DiDi Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Network to help build a more diverse and inclusive workplace and community in both Chinese and international markets; as the number of women drivers employed by the company globally soars. At the end of 2020, DiDi had a total of 2.715 million female ride-hailing drivers across Asia, Latin America, Russia and Australia; including 2.37 million women in China, confirmed the company. Women drivers, who often double as caregivers and homemakers, have embraced new and more flexible forms of income offered by new technology, such as those offered by Didi.

GROWING FEMALE DRIVERS

Given the huge growth in women drivers, DiDi plans to introduce more women-friendly features and services in the coming months. In November 2020, DiDi launched its first Women Driving Women programme in Mexico. Over 18,000 trips have been completed since its launch. The programme attracted 28% more female drivers to the ride-hailing service. Similar programmes will be rolled out in Australia and other markets, confirmed the company. “Technological progress has changed our era; and it has broadened the horizon for women,” stated Jean Liu, President and Chief People Officer of DiDi. “When we increase the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in the operation and rule-making of sharing economy platforms, we will be able to create a fairer and more inclusive new economy for the future.”

DiDi’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer Will Cheng has also given his full backing for a series of initiatives to raise D&I awareness across the company; and to develop tangible diversity guidance in HR to help drive inclusive practices in product design and driver support. As DiDi expands its mobility and delivery businesses into Latin America, Japan, Australia, Russia and South Africa, the company is becoming more culturally diverse; which has helped to strengthen and expand the company’s internal diversity dialogue, through initiatives such as the DiDi D&I Network.  

DRIVING INCLUSION INTERNATIONALLY

The DiDi D&I Network aspires to build a workplace that supports the career development of all staff to ensure a sense of belonging; and create a diverse and inclusive cooperation ecosystem throughout the industry value chain, said the company. The network, which includes a chapter for DiDi’s international unit, will be sponsored by steering groups, comprising employee representatives; as well as company executives to support a series of initiatives throughout its Chinese and international markets.

In particular, the network will seek to positively impact broader communities by sponsoring women and minority driver development programmes; and align technology and product functions to be inclusive to underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, added the company. 

The DiDi D&I Network is an expansion of the DiDi Women’s Network (DDWN); the Chinese tech industry’s first women’s career development organisation, created in 2017. Since its inception, DDWN has sponsored women’s career development and mentoring programmes and parenthood support policies; as well as new diversity awareness coaching projects throughout the company. 

ADVANCING WOMEN-FRIENDLY SERVICES

Externally, DDWN has played a growing role in advancing women-friendly technology and services; through engaging women drivers and supporting women healthcare workers amid Covid. The results of a recent DiDi survey showed that the pandemic has increased the number of women drivers registering on DiDi’s mobility platforms to cope with economic uncertainties during the pandemic. In China and Brazil, 265,000 and 150,000 new women drivers registered on DiDi in 2020, respectively.

Diversity and inclusion is a core value at DiDi, confirmed both Cheng and Liu: “Every step throughout our safety campaigns, Covid fights and the new growth and innovation drive, we have learnt and benefited enormously from embracing different internal and external voices; and enlarging our empathy for more stakeholder groups. Such capacities are crucial to building a resilient organisation that has the strength to forge genuine solidarity; and ride out uncertainties and business cycles.”