Topic

JD.com Recognized by United Nations Global Compact for Advancing Gender Equality in the Workplace

Posted on by Vivian Yang

To mark International Women’s Day, the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, released a new report titled Women at Work: Chinese companies taking action on gender equality on March 8, which highlights JD.com’s commitment to fostering gender equality in its workplace.

The report features a selection of case studies and personal stories from various industries across China, spotlighting exemplary practices and insights gained in advancing gender equality within the workplace. It offers a comprehensive overview of both global and China-specific progress in this arena through an examination of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly focusing on SDG 5: Gender Equality. Additionally, the report provides actionable gender equality roadmaps and essential resources for businesses, encouraging them to play a pivotal role in the collective journey towards achieving SDG 5.

Commenting on the report’s release, Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact said: “In our ongoing journey toward achieving gender equality, it’s inspiring to see the commitment and innovative approaches detailed in Women at Work. During a recent visit to China, I witnessed firsthand the dynamic discussions and unwavering dedication among business leaders to advance this cause. This report is not just a reflection of current practices but a call to action for companies worldwide to amplify their efforts in fostering inclusive and equitable workplaces. This report underscores the urgency and importance of building a more gender-inclusive business landscape.”

JD.com is honored to be the first Chinese company visited by Ms. Ojiambo during her China trip, in which she met JD’s first female CEO, Sandy Xu, and gained insights into the company’s rich history and its commitment to SDGs in green supply chain, responsible consumption, and gender equality, among others.

A Shining Example of Empowerment

The report highlights the story of Han Xue, a customer service representative and mother living with a disability. She is a member of JD.com’s “Sunshine Angels” program, which provides online customer service job opportunities to people with disabilities. In her interview, Han said, “This job has not only allowed me to help others and forge friendships, but it also helped me  regain confidence and zest for life.”

Han stressed the importance of striking a balance between work and family life, adding, “I aspire to be an optimistic and content mother.” She highlighted JD.com’s supportive environment, which recognizes and rewards her contributions, enabling her to excel professionally while being a devoted parent.JD’s “Sunshine Angels” initiative, launched in 2013, currently comprises around 100 members, with women constituting 70% of the core team. With plans to expand this initiative to 500 members, JD.com aims to provide more employment opportunities and development avenues for female employees and individuals with disabilities

A Win-Win Pursuit

Han’s story is a testament to JD.com’s commitment to nurturing a supportive workplace culture that facilitates the growth and success of all its employees. With nearly 620,000 employees, JD.com believes that offering tailored support to female employees and their families is mutually beneficial for the company. The company has undertaken substantial, measurable efforts in relevant areas, such as establishing a RMB 10 billion housing fund, providing childcare resources, offering comprehensive maternity benefits, and expanding its employee relief fund. These efforts propelled JD.com to become the first Chinese company in its industry selected for Bloomberg’s 2023 Gender Equality Index, underscoring its dedication to gender equality and sustainable employee development.

Moreover, as a company with both digital and real economy capabilities, JD.com offers diverse career opportunities for female employees, particularly opportunities in STEM fields, spanning digital industry services, research and development, internet healthcare, and more. Last year, the company also appointed a Chief Diversity Officer, further enhancing the environment for employee growth and development.

According to Zhang Pang, Chief Human Resources Officer at JD.com, prioritizing employee development is paramount. By fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment with long-term development opportunities, JD.com aims to generate greater value for both the company and society.

Aligning ESG Strategies with SDGs

JD.com’s ESG Director Li Yi who is also interviewed in the report highlighted the challenges and opportunities in advancing gender equality and underscored JD.com’s participation in the UN Global Compact’s Target Gender Equality Accelerator program in 2022 and the company’s commitment to the “Forward Faster” initiative in 2023, with a special focus on gender equality.

Li Yi shared, “Our involvement with the UN Global Compact has empowered us with a more profound sense of purpose, driving us to encourage business engagement in fostering women’s economic empowerment and contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the UN framework.”

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

Posted in ESG

JD.com’s Strategic Advancements in International Business: A Focus on Supply Chain and User Experience

Posted on by Vivian Yang

During JD.com’s earnings call for Q4 and FY2023 on March 6th, Sandy Xu, CEO of JD.com and JD Retail, provided an update on the company’s strategy for international expansion. Xu emphasized the importance of a robust supply chain as the cornerstone of JD.com’s growth beyond domestic borders.

Xu noted that JD.com is always on the lookout for overseas opportunities and is taking measured steps to advance this process. Given JD’s business model and inherent strengths, the company’s approach to global expansion is uniquely tailored.

“JD’s business model is built on supply chain capabilities and centered around user experience. Based on the development of supply chain infrastructure overseas, JD’s business will continue to expand in areas with our unique competitive strengths in global markets,” Xu said. She also provided an overview of JD.com’s current international businesses:

  • JD Worldwide, the export and import facet of JD Retail, incorporates JD Global Sales, an emerging outbound e-commerce platform dedicated to helping Chinese companies and brands expand their overseas market. JD’s cross-border inbound business, JD Global Buy, has established three direct procurement centers worldwide to enhance cross-border supply chain efficiency. This allows consumers in China to access a wider range of imported products at lower costs while ensuring product safety.
  • JD Logistics has developed a robust global supply chain, beginning with warehousing and expanding to encompass comprehensive supply chain services. Currently overseeing nearly 90 bonded, overseas, and direct mail warehouses across almost 900,000 square meters, JD Logistics provides extensive support to a broad spectrum of clients, including international enterprises and Chinese brands expanding overseas.
  • JD Property is expanding its business in Southeast Asia and Europe, with a focus on markets in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Its clientele spans international logistics, FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) giants, as well as emerging Chinese companies venturing abroad.
  • Ochama is an omni-channel retail platform incubated by JD.com in Europe, which utilizes advanced automated logistics technologies and global supply chain capabilities to provide a superior shopping experience for consumers across 24 European countries.

With a focus on supply chain and enhancing the user experience, JD.com will continue to explore opportunities to expand its global footprint. Learn more about JD.com’s businesses with global reach here.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

JD.com Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Results, Annual Dividend and Share Repurchase Program

Posted on by Vivian Yang

On March 6th, JD.com released its unaudited financial results for the three months and the full year ended December 31, 2023 and an annual cash dividend for the year ended December 31, 2023.  Below is an infographic with the key highlights. The full release can be found here.

JD’s Marketplace Introduces New Customer-Centric Shipping Policies, Including Free Shipping Across 13 Product Categories

Posted on by Vivian Yang

On March 4th, JD.com announced its latest initiative to enhance its free shipping services. JD’s marketplace currently offers free shipping on 90% of its third-party products. Now, the platform has extended its free shipping benefit even further, introducing a new policy for the remaining 10% of products: a minimum order value for free shipping is set at an affordable RMB 59 yuan (approximately $8.2 US dollars). This initiative is aimed at enhancing the shopping experience for consumers on JD’s rapidly expanding marketplace.

To accommodate this change, merchants currently not offering free shipping or only offering it for orders over 59 yuan are required to update their shipping policies by the end of March. This adjustment can apply to individual items or the aggregate value of multiple products from the same store, with certain exclusions for special items and deliveries to remote areas.

Highlighting JD’s dedication to consumer convenience, thirteen product categories – including home appliances, kitchenware, and health care products – will benefit from the zero-shipping fee policy, regardless of the order value.

This move follows an announcement last August when JD introduced unlimited free shipping for its self-operated products to JD PLUS members and significantly reduced the minimum order value for free shipping for non-PLUS members from 99 yuan to 59 yuan.

In addition to shipping enhancements, JD also recently upgraded the “Free At-Home Return and Exchange” service on its first-party platform. This service enables customers to easily return and exchange items marked with the service tag, irrespective of size, weight, or quantity. JD is actively encouraging third-party merchants to adopt this service, with plans to integrate over 90% of them within the next year, further simplifying the return process for JD shoppers.

JD.com’s continuous investment in services and close collaboration with merchants are driven by a vision to offer cost-effective options without compromising on quality. By focusing on creating a more orderly, efficient, and thriving platform ecosystem, JD.com is setting new standards in e-commerce, enhancing merchant services, and fostering growth and competitiveness.

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

JD.com Launches “Free At-Home Return” Service for Self-Operated Sales

Posted on by Vivian Yang

In a bid to enhance customer satisfaction and streamline the shopping experience, JD.com recently announced the launch of its latest initiative: the “Free At-Home Return” service for products sold directly by JD.com. This new offering, unveiled on February 22nd, offers customers the convenience of effortless returns and exchanges for items marked with the “Free At-Home Return” tag, regardless of their size, weight, or quantity.

With this initiative, JD.com sets a new benchmark for customer-centric practices in online shopping. The service is designed to remove the financial burden of return shipping fees, offering a straightforward and cost-effective option for customers to manage their purchases. This development is a testament to JD.com’s dedication to enhancing the shopping experience and customer satisfaction.

Expanding its vision for unparalleled service, JD.com is not just focusing on its self-operated model but is also encouraging third-party merchants to adopt the “Free At-Home Return” service, with plans to integrate over 90% of them within the next year, further streamlining the return process for a vast majority of JD.com customers.

Addressing a common pain point in the industry, JD.com has also bolstered its support for large-item returns from third-party sellers. Enhancing its “Large Item Shipping Insurance” service, JD.com now offers two complimentary pick-up services per year for large items, each with a coverage limit of 5,000 yuan (approximately 700 US dollars). This initiative not only alleviates the hassle associated with returning oversized items but also offers significant financial relief, potentially saving customers up to 10,000 yuan annually on return shipping costs.

The launch of the “Free At-Home Return” service reflects JD.com’s broader commitment to elevating the customer experience. JD.com is at the forefront of customer service innovation, offering over 200 specialized services to tackle common consumer issues. These include a 180-day replacement policy for electronics, trade-in options for appliances and furniture, a 30-day free exchange policy for apparel and shoes, authenticity checks for imported goods, and 24/7 access to online medical consultations. Through these comprehensive services, JD.com continues to redefine excellence in e-commerce customer service.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

 

JD.com Wins 2024 Gartner Power of the Profession Supply Chain Award

Posted on by Vivian Yang

On February 14, leading research and advisory firm Gartner, Inc. announced JD.com among the winners of its “Power of the Profession Supply Chain Awards for 2024”. JD.com won the Process or Technology Innovation of the Year award for its “powerful planning technology that drives an innovative approach to resilient planning.”

The awards, presented by Gartner in four categories, including customer or patient innovation, process or technology innovation, social impact, and people breakthrough, highlight continuous innovation focused on enabling customers, developing talent, and driving sustainability. JD.com was the sole Asia-based company recognized by Gartner this year.

“This year’s entries demonstrated growth in technological innovations through the use of AI,” said Maria Nieradka, VP analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain Practice. “At the same time, the number of submissions related to people-related breakthroughs more than doubled. It’s clear that people ultimately make supply chains work, while in many cases AI is helping them to work even better.”

 

 

Harnessing the power of probabilistic forecasting and explainable AI technology, JD.com’s intelligent supply chain team has engineered a robust planning solution. This innovative approach delivers reliable decision-making support amidst external uncertainties and rapid market changes. Notably, this technology significantly enhances supply chain flexibility, particularly during intricate shopping scenarios such as large-scale promotions, holiday seasons, and challenging weather conditions. In doing so, it has played an instrumental role in reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

 

JD.com’s highly automated “Asia No.1” logistic park 

Transforming rapidly from an e-commerce giant to a supply chain-focused technology and service provider, JD.com has made significant technological strides in supply chain arena. As indicated in JD’s 2023 third-quarter financial report, the company has optimized inventory turnover to just 30.8 days while maintaining a global leadership position with self-operated SKUs numbering in the tens of millions. Currently, JD.com boasts a procurement automation rate exceeding 85%, all while maintaining an average inventory availability of no less than 95%.

During the 2024 Chinese New Year Shopping Festival, spanning from January 17 to February 3, JD.com’s intelligent supply chain system generated over 620,000 decision recommendations daily. These recommendations proved instrumental in assisting brand partners and merchants with precise demand forecasting, production guidance, and inventory management, markedly boosting supply chain efficiency across the entire industrial chain.

As the exclusive interactive platform for this year’s Spring Festival Gala, hosted by China Media Group and broadcasted live on February 9, JD.com captivated users, amassing over 52 billion interactions on its app. Additionally, the platform distributed one million physical gifts through lucky draws during the 4.5-hour extravaganza.

Ms. Wang in Beijing received JD’s flower gift during the Spring Festival Gala

To ensure seamless gift distribution and order fulfillment, JD’s intelligent supply chain system integrates seamlessly with its expansive logistics network, comprising numerous “Asia No.1” intelligent industrial parks, along with hundreds of smart warehouses and sorting centers. This synchronization extended to over 1,000 air and rail cargo routes, spanning more than 100 airports, high-speed railways, and freight trains. This extensive network ensures that customers across more than 2,000 counties and cities nationwide enjoy a premium shopping and logistics experience during the festive season.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

 

JD.com’s “Sending New Year’s Gifts to Villagers” Initiative Brightens Over 8,000 Areas in Rural China in One Week

Posted on by Vivian Yang

As the Chinese New Year approaches on February 10, 2024, JD.com has launched its “Sending New Year’s Gifts to Villagers” campaign. This initiative aims to create an open platform within the JD app, enabling users to send special orders filled with New Year blessings to people in towns and villages, especially focusing on reaching underserved communities across China.

Since the campaign’s kickoff on January 29th, over one hundred brands and numerous philanthropists have actively contributed, delivering New Year’s goods to more than 8,000 towns and villages across China. JD’s app features an interactive map highlighting each benefited area, fostering a sense of community and shared joy.

The campaign also encourages JD users to share personal stories and wishes for gifts, aiming to increase awareness and support for those in need. For example, a heartfelt request from user Xiao Le for respiratory relief products for a nursing home was quickly fulfilled with the support of JD Health, demonstrating the platform’s commitment to responsive and impactful aid.

Leading by example, Richard Liu, the Founder and Chairman of JD.com, placed the first order of the campaign, sending 2,600 BOSIDENG down jackets and New Year gift boxes to his hometown in Guangming Village, Suqian, Jiangsu. This spirit of generosity has been echoed by figures such as BOSIDENG’s Gao Dekang, actor Shen Teng, and author Zhou Guoping, who have contributed significantly to their hometowns and other communities in need.

Numerous brands, including Biostime, Bear, Coca-Cola, Deli, Disney, Fotile, MICHELIN, Midea, Newman, OPPO, Swisse, Vivo, and Xiaomi, have played an active role in this campaign.

As the exclusive interactive partner for China Media Group’s Spring Festival Gala 2024  JD.com will offer viewers the chance to win a variety of gifts through mobile interactions on JD’s app. These gifts include 100 million physical items, exclusive car and house usage rights, and other exciting surprises.

This year also marks the 12th consecutive year of JD Logistics providing uninterrupted services during the Chinese New Year period. Covering over 2,000 counties and cities nationwide, JD Logistics ensures the timely receipt of New Year’s goods distributed during the campaign, as well as processing other orders seamlessly.

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

Posted in ESG

JD.com Announces Salary Increase for Over 20,000 Customer Service Employees

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com announced on February 5 that it will increase the annual salary for its more than 20,000 front-line customer service employees by an average of 30%.

With the largest in-house e-commerce customer service team in China, JD.com has been providing 24/7 services for individuals and businesses since 2009. This announcement follows a recent salary adjustment in late December, where JD.com nearly doubled the fixed salaries of procurement and sales staff within JD Retail for 2024.

JD.com is deeply committed to improving the quality of life, happiness, and sense of achievement among all its employees. This commitment is reflected in the comprehensive welfare policy it offers, including “five social insurances and one housing fund,” benefiting all front-line staff members, from warehouse to delivery personnel.

The company’s dedication to its workforce is further evidenced by the success stories of nearly 100 JD couriers who have earned over RMB 1 million within three years. In January, JD Logistics celebrated the retirement of Mr. Jin Yicai, its first courier in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, who served with dedication until his retirement at 60. Many couriers, customer service representatives, warehouse workers, just like Mr. Jin, have retired from JD and enjoy a secured retirement.

In late 2022, JD upgraded its “Housing Guarantee Fund” for employees with an investment of RMB 10 billion. Since 2023, 77% of the fund’s applicants have been frontline workers. Additionally, JD has provided over 25,000 employee apartments across various regions, significantly reducing their living costs and commute times.

“I firmly believe in consistently treating our employees well,” said Richard Liu, the Founder and Chairman of JD.com. “We want our employees to lead hopeful lives and have confidence in the future.”

 

(yuchuan.wang@jd.com)

Posted in ESG