Foodpanda realizes the heavy financial toll that the coronavirus outbreak and related lockdowns are taking on everyone, especially the daily-wage earners and even salaried classes. People continue to lose jobs and experience dwindled incomes in the face of the pandemic. The situation is not favorable for business owners either who also are registering massive losses.

foodpanda is no exception in the grim situation, nor are its heroes. Since many food businesses – particularly the small ones – have had to close down to comply with the government instructions, the delivery business has also seen a sharp drop. But, after the first few weeks of extreme hardship, the situation now appears to be improving with businesses having clear operational SOPs at hand.

All through these testing times, foodpanda has remained sensitive to the needs of its heroes who are the lifeline of the business. Realizing that its fleet of riders needs to stay safe from both the virus and financial crunch, the company has walked the extra mile to effectively address their needs.

Stringent SOPs to keep riders safe from the virus

The company, realizing that the delivery fleet is at a higher risk of getting infected because of the outdoor nature of work, is prioritizing personal protection over everything. In compliance with the government instructions, all riders are provided with face masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers to make their delivery errands safer.

Ensuring that the customers to which the deliveries are made also remain safe, foodpanda has provided its riders with disinfectant sprays that are used on packages before being handed to the customers. Riders are also instructed to place the parcels at the customers’ doorsteps and maintain a distance of at least one meter (3 feet) during all interactions.

foodpanda is also encouraging online and digital payments and contactless deliveries for keeping both the customers and heroes safe while making the lockdown measures more effective.

Furthermore, daily temperature checks at rider hubs are also being ensured which are updated by the riders on their online portal before starting off their day. Infographics installed at rider hubs are also helping create awareness on how to contain the pandemic.

foodpanda also sends daily reminders via the riders app to its heroes prompting them to adhere to safety measures during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Financial support to make up for dwindling incomes

With economic activity largely suspended due to virus lockdowns, foodpanda heroes are also faced with financial challenges that are being tactfully handled by Pakistan’s largest online food delivery platform foodpanda.

The company has set up a monetary fund for its riders to ensure that they remain least affected amid the crisis. The fund is helping them through ration bags and also monthly shifts of monetary support.

The first shift of monetary support was given in March, followed by three weeks of financial support at the start of April, helping riders sustain their livelihoods during the testing times.

Introduction of health insurance for delivery heroes

To make operations amid the pandemic safer for its fleet, foodpanda has introduced an insurance plan for its heroes. Under the plan, the riders are entitled to paid leave in case they unluckily get infected with the virus.

The plan is a part of foodpanda’s newly launched ‘two-week earning support program’ under the company-funded insurance in collaboration with TPL Insurance.

In addition to this, the collaboration also takes full care of riders’ accidental coverage expenses. Many heroes have expressed their gratitude as these steps from foodpanda have helped ease their worries and lessen their burdens.