Imagine a platform or an app that lets you book rides, order food on the go, buy groceries online, send packages to your loved ones, make cashless payments, and more. Such apps/platforms are called super-apps. And if you live in Southeast Asia, you might already be familiar with one - it’s known as Grab. However, here is something that you might not know. In addition to being a leading super-app, Grab also carries a bright beacon of hope and positive change in Southeast Asian communities.
Welcome to another blog from our #BeyondProfit series. Today, we are exploring the philanthropic side of Grab and the impact it leaves in its wake.Without further ado, let's get started!
1. Support for Drivers and Delivery Partners
Rooted in Grab's philanthropy is its care and support for its partners. A prime example is their GrabForGood Fund. Among other things, this program improves the quality of life for Grab's driver, delivery, and merchant partners in three key ways:
Financial Inclusion: Grab has partnered with financial institutions to provide microloans and insurance schemes to its drivers and delivery partners, enabling them to build financial stability and resilience.
Skill Development: Through training programs and workshops, Grab equips its partners with essential skills, such as digital literacy, customer service, and entrepreneurship, to enhance their earning potential.
Welfare Programs: The company offers various welfare programs, including medical benefits, accident insurance, and financial assistance during emergencies, to support the well-being of its partners. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grab ensured that they got access to vaccines to combat the threat.
2. Empowering Small Businesses
Being a juggernaut in the Southeast Asian market, Grab also empowers small businesses and contributes to their growth, thus, bolstering the Southeast Asian economy. Here is how -
Offering a Digital Platform: In today's digital landscape, an online presence is vital to the survival of any business - big or small. Realizing this potential for growth, Grab offers a digital platform for small businesses where they can sell their products and services directly to customers. Not just that, the company also provides them with other tools and support they need to leverage the digital economy.
Financial Inclusion: As a small business, it can be challenging to gain access to the much-needed capital for expansion and growth. As a solution to this familiar problem, Grab extends its financial services to small businesses such as loans and insurance.
Building Brand Awareness: Being an omnipresent platform in Southeast Asia, Grab has the eyeballs and resources to market and promote any small business. This company can not only boost visibility for new small players but also help them attract a whole new customer base.
Community and Support: It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that networking plays a huge role in business. With a huge community behind it, Grab also acts as a catalyst for small businesses in networking and community development.
3. Addressing Social Issues
For years, Grab has been instrumental in addressing a number of social challenges in the Southeast Asian region. The company’s approach primarily relies on leveraging technology and partnerships with local governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders. Here are some key areas of their focus -
Digital Inclusion: Through a number of groundbreaking partnerships, Grab is determined to educate 3 million Southeast Asians in the digital landscape by 2025. Besides, they run inspiring programs to expand accessibility in a community of people challenged by disability. One such initiative is their ‘Break the Silence’ program which focuses on supporting their deaf driver-partners.
Disaster Relief: Thanks to a vast network and technological capabilities, Grab has been at the forefront of disaster relief and support to affected communities during such challenging times. The company not only plays a significant part in the evacuation of people from danger zones but also facilitates the transportation of essential items such as food, water, medical supplies, and relief packages. Further, Grab utilizes its platform to send out alerts and updates about the disaster, to keep communities safe and informed.
Education: Surprising as it may sound, Grab has also made significant strides in the field of education. Their GrabScholar program is the perfect testament to their efforts in this direction. The program provides one-time financial assistance to eligible primary and secondary school students for essential items like books and school supplies.
Grab also offers scholarships to cover the tuition fees of deserving students. Moreover, there are vocational training and upskilling programs for Grab partners - thanks to the company’s collaboration with various educational institutions.
Healthcare: Grab’s contribution to healthcare is undeniable, whether it is the COVID-19 pandemic or beyond. There are three major programs that the company has in place. GrabCare provides transportation for healthcare professionals to and from hospitals, ensuring they can reach their patients efficiently and safely.
GrabResponse was a non-emergency transport service that ferried individuals with suspected COVID-19 cases or those under Stay-Home Notice to hospitals. This helped to alleviate pressure on ambulance services. The third program is GrabHealth, which is a joint venture with Ping An Good Doctor. It provides telemedicine services, allowing users to consult with doctors online, purchase medications, and access health information.
Innovation: In 2018, Grab launched Grab Ventures, a program that builds new tech businesses and helps growth-stage startups scale across the Southeast Asia region. In partnership with Singapore government agencies, IMDA, Enterprise Singapore, EDB, and EDBI, this program aims to create lasting positive social change through innovation.
Environmental Sustainability: Recognizing the significant environmental impact of its operations, Grab has made important steps to becoming a more sustainable company. It is actively promoting the adoption of EVs (Electric Vehicles) by offering incentives to drivers and building charging infrastructure. Its platform allows users to offset their carbon footprint through tree-planting initiatives.
Moreover, Grab is collaborating with waste management partners to implement recycling programs for packaging materials.
Bottom Line
And that is a wrap of another blog of this series! Grab's journey as a philanthropy-oriented organization is inspiring. The company's commitment to empowering communities, supporting small businesses, and addressing social challenges sets a commendable example for other corporations.
Hope you enjoyed this piece as much as we enjoyed making it. Don’t forget to share our thoughts with you. And until next time, stay tuned!
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