DiDi announced this week that the company has set aside a USD $10 million special relief fund for ridesharing drivers and couriers in its international markets.
As a start, the special fund will be used to provide financial relief to DiDi ridesharing drivers and DiDi Food delivery couriers diagnosed with COVID-19 in the company’s international markets across Asia and Latin America. Ridesharing drivers or couriers diagnosed with COVID-19 may request assistance and support through dedicated channels in each market. DiDi announced similar relief initiatives in China in January shortly after the initial outbreak.
Since the outbreak began, DiDi has initiated a global emergency response protocol. In January, a special task force was formed to coordinate the company’s global COVID-19 response efforts. That team has been collaborating closely with WHO experts to ensure our response focuses on the right measures.
As the situation has developed, special teams have been mobilized in each country we operate in to prepare contingency plans focused on protecting the health of our communities of drivers, riders, couriers and eaters in line with WHO guidelines and local authorities’ requirements and recommendations. These in-country teams continue to monitor the situation closely and evaluate the need for different support options.
“It is deeply moving to see so many partners continue to keep our cities running during these challenging times, there is no doubt in our mind that DiDi as a company also needs to do our part,” said Jean Liu, President of DiDi. “The health of partners and passengers is our top priority and we hope this fund will help support our partners and protect the safety of this platform. We will continue to work with health authorities to see how we can best prepare our communities as the situation develops.”