Gojek's CEOs donate 25% of annual salary to help partners and merchants

Gojek’s co-CEOs Andre Soelistyo and Kevin Aluwi will be donating 25% of their annual salary over the next 12 months to a newly-created support fund for its driver partners and merchants. Named the "Gojek Partner Support Fund", the fund aims to support Gojek's drivers, merchants and other partners whose income has been adversely affected by economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release, hundreds of thousands of drivers and merchants are seeing a drop in their income as people follow the advice of health officials and choose to work from home and limit their movement. Hence the support fund is being introduced to ensure they can continue to support their families while they wait for the current situation to abate.

The Gojek Partner Support Fund will be administered through a newly created foundation, the "Anak Bangsa Bisa Foundation". The foundation also intends to work with multiple stakeholders including government, civil society groups and driver groups to determine the best way to administer the support fund, with the priority of supplementing drivers’ and other partners’ income through this period of uncertainty. Besides Soelistyo and Aluwi's donating part of their annual salary, Gojek will also redirect its annual salary increase budget to the support fund. The ride-hailing app will also be setting up a process which will allow donations made by others, particularly by corporate partners.  

In a joint statement, Soelistyo and Aluwi said although the pandemic has forced the company to conduct business differently and disrupted its regular working rhythm, its problems "pale in comparison" to those of its driver partners, whose livelihoods depend on an economy that is experiencing a significant slowdown. They added that it is clear that all companies have a responsibility to offer support where they can and the support fund is something Gojek can do to help the world through this period.

Soelistyo and Aluwi also said it has commenced initiatives to enhance hygiene and safety as well as increased insurance offerings so drivers diagnosed with COVID-19 do not have to worry. "While these efforts are yielding positive impact, we need to dig deeper," they added.

“We are recognised as a loved and leading super app because we have always placed such importance on both having the most innovative technology as well as ensuring we always act with the biggest heart. Let us not forget that Gojek was originally founded as a social enterprise, so we have always believed it is critical that we do the right thing for society. And now, more than ever, is the time to act based on who we are," Soelistyo and Aluwi said.

Meanwhile in Singapore last week, telco StarHub has also set up a "StarHub Cares COVID-19 Fund" which comprises contributions from across the company – with StarHub's board of directors contributing up to 10% of 2019 director fees, the StarHub senior leadership team contributing up to one month of salary, and voluntary contribution from StarHub employees. StarHub will be donating SG$300,000 of its fund to support healthcare workers through The Courage Fund, as well as use it to offset one month of housing rental costs for 2,000 lower-income seniors.

Gojek and StarHub joins the multiple global brands offering a helping hand to the situation. Luxury brand LVMH produced approximately 12 tonnes of hand sanitisers and distributing them free of charge to French health authorities to combat the medical supply shortage in France. Meanwhile, The Coca-Cola Company will also be halting all commercial advertising of Coca Cola and all its other brands in the Philippines, and is committing its advertising space and budgets towards supporting COVID-19 relief and response efforts for the most affected communities in the country.

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