Category: Social Responsiblity & Sustainability

Nov. 16, 2021
By Kwang Pimchaya

For five years, Pattanachai Sakkawee sold street food just outside a mall in one of the busiest parts of Bangkok. Come rain or shine, the 36-year-old would set up his stall and prepare kang tai pla pad hang, a deliciously spicy southern Thai dish of fried fish kidneys that locals usually eat with rice. He loved his work, especially getting to know his customers, and was able to generate enough money to support his wife and three children, the youngest of whom is only four months old.

But when the pandemic hit Thailand early last year and malls shuttered as a result, Sakkawee’s family lost its only source of income. The economic impact was exacerbated by the fact that Sakkawee, who is blind, had limited access to other job opportunities.

While the ongoing pandemic has affected all corners of society, its impact has been most acutely felt by the disenfranchised. According to an International Labour Organisation study released in June, the COVID-19 crisis has been particularly detrimental to Thailand’s vulnerable groups, especially informal workers like Sakkawee. The report said the number of working poor in the country was expected to rise to at least 11% of the total employed population this year.

As president of the Thai Association of the Blind Community, Sakkawee is well aware of the plight of those like himself. The foundation provides support to some 30,000 people with visual impairments. Many of them worked as masseuses, sold lottery tickets or sang on the streets – occupations that became unviable during the lockdown.

“We were receiving numerous requests for help from our members and others from visually impaired communities,” Sakkawee recalled. It was at this time that Lazada Thailand reached out to his association to offer help in the midst of the pandemic. “It was like a miracle,” he said.

WATCH: The Thai Association of the Blind Community Receives LazadaCARES boxes

The eCommerce platform was looking for ways to help Thai communities affected by the pandemic. Working with some of its brand partners, it launched LazadaCARES during its 9.9 shopping event to donate and deliver care packages to nine charitable organisations, including the Thai Association of the Blind Community. Through this initiative, Thai shoppers were able to convert their LazCoin rewards into care boxes that contained a variety of daily essentials, such as instant rice porridge, cereal, bottled waters, vitamin waters, antibacterial shower gels and bathroom cleaning products. During the campaign, a total of 99,999 care boxes were delivered to those most affected by the pandemic and recent floods that had swept across the country.

“The LazadaCARES boxes came at the time we needed them the most, during the many months when we couldn’t go out to work,” Sakkawee said. “We are so grateful to the brands and shoppers who participated in this campaign. Because of their generosity, more than 20,000 households with at least one family member who is blind received care boxes.”

Seeing the overwhelming support for the LazadaCARES initiative, the eCommerce platform extended it for 11.11, its biggest one-day shopping festival. Boxes delivered during this campaign contained mainly medical items and healthcare supplies, such as COVID-19 test kits, oximeters, thermometers, alcohol gels and face masks.

As the nation starts to open up again and as vaccination rates rise, the prospect of being able to return to work is welcome news for many like Sakkawee, although it’s still tinged with an awareness that the pandemic is far from over.

“We are glad we can be going back out again to work, but who knows when we may have to shut down again,” Sakkawee said. “We can only take each day as it comes, but I think the best of humanity also shines the brightest during dark days. I’m sure that we can overcome whatever challenges are still ahead of us.”

Kwang Pimchaya is a manager with the public relations team at Lazada Thailand.

By LazBeat Staff
Aug. 17, 2021

It’s been more than a year since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and many countries are still grappling with new waves of infections. To help in the ongoing battle against COVID-19 in Southeast Asia, Lazada Group has continued to introduce new initiatives and measures to protect and support frontliners, businesses, customers and other vulnerable communities across the region.

Standing with Frontliners

Since the onset of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia, Lazada has spared no efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who work on the frontlines. The eCommerce company recently launched its Stronger Together with LazadaCARES initiative to protect its frontline workers and employees, including by sponsoring their vaccinations where available. Lazada also opened vaccination centres in several major provinces in Indonesia to offer free shots to logistics workers, local small-business staff as well as to the general public. After one week, the programme helped inoculate tens of thousands with their first doses of the vaccine. A similar programme was also introduced in Malaysia as part of a state-wide vaccination initiative in Selangor.

WATCH: Lazada offers vaccinations at its main Cimanggis warehouse in Indonesia

Aside from raising vaccination awareness and rates across the region, Lazada has been working to equip frontline medical heroes with the support they need to battle the virus. In response to the pandemic’s third wave in Thailand, Lazada donated THB1 million to Rajavithi Hospital, THB500,000 to King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang as well as personal protective equipment and facemasks to 20 hospitals across the nation. In Vietnam, it donated 30,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front Committee to support local hospitals and medical facilities and has sent nutritional gifts to doctors, nurses and soldiers.

Helping Business Recover and Grow

Another major part of Lazada’s COVID-relief measures has been to empower micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and to accelerate their digital transformation in the face of offline disruptions. New phases of stimulus packages have been rolled out in countries struck by recent waves of the virus, offering MSMEs benefits such as reduced or waived platform fees, dedicated support, training and access to seller tools.

Online shopping promotions and campaigns have also proved crucial to MSMEs, allowing them to continue selling to consumers even amid lockdowns and social-distancing restrictions. This summer, Lazada became the first official eCommerce partner for the Great Singapore Sale, where it helped brick-and-mortar small businesses develop omnichannel shopping experiences that greatly boosted their consumer reach. Similarly, Lazada Malaysia’s month-long Lazat Bazaar online food festival provided local small businesses, merchants and grocers a safe way to bring their products to shoppers during Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa. The platform also partnered with the country’s Ministry of Finance and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation to launch Shop Malaysia Online and Go-eCommerce – two initiatives aimed at helping 40,000 local MSMEs unlock new opportunities through joining the digital economy.

Measures have also been taken to not only stimulate businesses but entire sectors; in both Vietnam and the Philippines, Lazada entered into partnerships to promote local agriculture – a traditionally offline industry that has been heavily impacted by the pandemic – with the aim to help farmers and local sellers bring their products online and to equip them with the digital tools and knowhow to ensure their continued long-term growth.

Serving Customers and the Community

Just as important as efforts to support businesses and frontline workers is Lazada’s commitment to protecting customers and local communities. Since the early days of the pandemic, Lazada has made sure the public can access daily essentials safely and easily by implementing contactless deliveries and payment methods. The platform has also introduced incentives such as free deliveries in several key markets so that consumers can shop and also save while staying at home.

Lazada has also leveraged its platform and mobilised resources for community-wide efforts to fight the pandemic. In Malaysia and Vietnam, for example, it launched online donation campaigns so Lazada shoppers could easily make monetary contributions and also send care packages or meals to thank frontline heroes. It has also tapped its LazadaForGood digital-donations channel to help raise funds and bring essential items, such as facemasks and food supplies, to local communities across the region that have been hard hit by the pandemic. Ramping up such efforts, the company has through its Stronger Together with LazadaCARES initiative continued working with local government entities in the six markets it operates in to donate medical equipment and supplies to those in need.

Fiona Poh from Lazada’s regional communications team, Jessica Horsan from Indonesia, Nutcha Singnarong from Thailand and Linh Chi Nguyen from Vietnam contributed to this story.

July 15, 2021
By Janet Sarah Neo

The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to the eCommerce industry’s explosive growth and this trend is here to stay, with the sector playing a key role in post-pandemic recovery both regionally and globally. But as the growth outlook of online shopping continues to rise, so has attention to topics related to the sector’s impact on people and the planet. As such, it’s become increasingly important for companies involved in digital retail to focus on corporate sustainability to ensure not only the long-term health of the sector but also of the world.

Online Shopping and the Planet

Online shopping offers unparalleled convenience, product assortments and accessibility to consumers. While eCommerce was already steadily growing, the pandemic accelerated its adoption among shoppers. In 2020, there was 15.5% year-on-year growth in retail eCommerce sales in Asia Pacific. In Southeast Asia alone, the online commerce market was worth US$62 billion, over a third of which was generated by new shoppers.

But the convenience of eCommerce comes with certain environmental costs, especially when it comes to logistics operations. According to Forbes, online retail has about four times as many touchpoints as its traditional offline counterpart. Not only is adequate packing material necessary to ensure parcels reach consumers in pristine condition, greater demand for services such as speed deliveries also mean that orders are often shipped in multiple packages. Considered together, these factors can create a sizeable carbon footprint that could, if unchecked, outweigh its benefits over offline commerce.

Digital commerce companies can – and should – lead in reducing this environmental impact. During last year’s 12.12 campaign, for example, Lazada rolled out measures to reduce plastic packaging material or replace them with eco-friendly options. Compared to the year before, we managed to reduce the amount of plastic packaging materials by up to 65% across our regional fulfilment operations. Meanwhile, on Earth Day this year, we partnered with Starbucks to offer Starbucks®️ x Herschel accessories and drinkware made from recycled coffee grounds on LazMall. Our colleagues in the Philippines took further initiative to use compostable materials such as recycled pre-cut cardboard fillers to pack Starbucks products purchased via LazMall.

eCommerce and Corporate Sustainability

As eCommerce continues to grow by double digits annually, it is crucial to understand its business operations and the unintended sustainability costs that arise as a result. In 2020, the rise of environmental, social, and governance – or ESG for short – issues on the agendas of stock exchanges, regulators and investors has shown that businesses should factor in sustainability and other non-financial topics that impact valuation.

This is where corporate sustainability comes in. It analyses the risks, opportunities and impact from an integrated perspective within companies’ existing business models and core activities. To this end, a value-chain approach can help map out key stakeholders involved in the eCommerce ecosystem and each activity’s impact on business operations and the surrounding environment and community.

Key to defining the priority levels and impact of many issues within a company is the concept of materiality. A well-done materiality assessment is grounded with in-depth qualitative sustainability intelligence from stakeholders – often drawn from ongoing industry insights shared in interviews and engagements – and allows a business to understand internal and external stakeholder priorities and deliver more strategic actions from value-chain focused and business-ecosystem perspectives.

Materiality in relation to sustainability may be a fairly new concept to many companies but is crucial to corporate sustainability management and therefore needs to be connected and incorporated into other strategic business processes, such as enterprise risk management as well as strategic and financial business planning. Diving into sustainability conversations within the company or the wider stakeholder group may seem challenging at first, but it’s essential for corporate sustainability teams to be able to empower business leaders with professional sustainability frameworks, standards and tools for problem solving and value creation.

Shaping Sustainable eCommerce at Lazada

For the past several months, the discussions that I’ve had with both internal and external stakeholders about online shopping has led to more opportunities to engage with business operations, value chains and the wider eCommerce ecosystem, including platform and digital marketing solutions, logistics, technology, digital financial payments and more. It is important for business leaders to open up cross-company dialogue on sustainability.

On Earth Day in April, Lazada hosted a round-table discussion on Shaping Sustainable eCommerce in Southeast Asia. This leadership session convened more than 60 spokespeople – business partners, customers, financiers, innovators, public policy makers and others – to discuss potential collaborative opportunities and actionable initiatives that could help make eCommerce greener, cleaner and better overall. The event was led by 10 Lazadian leaders, and spokespersons were grouped into five moderated tracks to discuss pressing ESG topics that shape, and are shaped by, Lazada and the region’s eCommerce system.

The roundtable marked the first of many conversations within a thriving and growing thought leadership community. In the weeks and months ahead, we will dive even deeper into many of the actionable insights and partnership opportunities shared during the event. 

As businesses in Southeast Asia and around the world continue the race to triumph over the immediate impact of COVID-19 while also building a better post-pandemic future, there is no better time than now to put sustainability at the core of strategic plans.

Janet Sarah Neo is a Lazada vice president and leads corporate sustainability for the group.

By Pimchaya Boonyarattaphan (Kwang)
June 15, 2021

When Somsak* was sentenced to two years in prison for pickpocketing, he never thought he would get a second chance to make an honest living.

“I was at my lowest point. I didn’t think I would be able to survive after prison,” he said.

After serving his sentence for a year, a prison guard introduced him to an initiative run by the Ministry of Justice’s Department of Corrections that teaches inmates how to make handicrafts for sale. Named Wansook, which means “happy days” in Thai, the initiative aims to give convicts new opportunities through digital commerce and partnerships with eCommerce platforms like Lazada.

“Even though these inmates may have made mistakes, those who have continued to improve themselves throughout their imprisonment deserve a second chance. The Ministry of Justice believes it is important that inmates have the ability to support themselves financially post-incarceration, as this will allow them to re-integrate into society and lower the likelihood of any re-offense,” said Sitthi Suthiwong, the deputy director-general of the Department of Corrections’ development section.

The DOC had previously run a similar initiative offline, but sales were low due to limited access to consumers. Since the department launched its flagship Wansook store on Lazada at the end of last year, it has seen a major boost in sales, with products such as handbags, keychains and small pieces of wooden furniture – all crafted by those serving time – becoming especially popular with shoppers from all across the country. In just four months of the store’s opening on Lazada, sales surged by 3,000% to reach THB100,000 per month.

Part of the proceeds have gone towards funding occupational skills development for the inmates, and the rest has been kept as savings to help them rebuild their lives upon release.

This campaign has given inmates like Somsak a new lease on life. “I can now look forward to life again after imprisonment and do my best part to contribute in meaningful ways to the community and to help others like myself,” he said.

The Power of Second Chances

Highlighting how important a new, honest start can be to reformed criminals, the DOC and Lazada enlisted the help of Worayot Bunthongnum, better known as Power Pat, to drive up awareness for Wansook through a special sales campaign. The superstar singer was once sentenced to 50 years in prison and was released for exemplary behaviour after serving 16 years.

Between April 17 and 19, the singer encouraged shoppers to visit the Wansook store and then invited the top three spenders to join an exclusive mini concert hosted by Lazada. A replay of the mini concert was also livestreamed on LazLive. In just three days, the campaign helped drive more than THB100,000 in sales.

“I can only be where I am today because of the support of others, and especially of my fans,” Bunthongnum said. “For that, I am grateful and want to give back and encourage those who are in the shoes that I was, to not give up on themselves, and to give second chance a chance. This is why I’m delighted to be working with Lazada on this campaign, as I know that everyone deserves another shot and so many of these inmates are so talented and so willing to improve themselves. Seeing such great sales results is not just financially rewarding for them, but a validation of their work, talents and skills.”

Wansook is part of Lazada Thailand’s Stronger Together campaign, which was launched last year to help local communities overcome economic challenges. The initiative is also only the first step in helping inmates leverage eCommerce and technology to build better futures. 

“As a platform that empowers sellers, we believe that the digital economy can open doors for everyone, no matter your background or past,” said Werapong Goo, Lazada Thailand’s executive vice president of eCommerce. “With our expertise and resources in eCommerce and technology, we hope to be able to further this partnership by helping to train and equip inmates with digital and business skills. We want to help inmates find online business opportunities after their release. This will not only benefit the inmate, his or her family and community, but the wider Thai economy.” 

*Name changed to protect the individual’s identity.

Pimchaya Boonyarattaphan (Kwang) is a manager in Lazada Thailand’s public relations team and is responsible for corporate communications and media relations.

By Linh Chi Nguyen
Feb 16, 2021

On a cool winter’s day in Quang Tri, a province on the north-central coast of Vietnam, a group of students from Hai Thai Primary School gathered together for a special occasion. When asked by the event’s celebrity host what they wanted to be when they grew up, the students, from 6-10 years old, threw their hands up in the air and shouted out their answers, sharing their aspirations to become teachers, police and doctors. Some wrote letters to their older selves, eagerly describing their dreams for the future while others spoke excitedly about becoming architects who could help the local community, especially in light of recent typhoons that devastated their homes and school.

The special event the students participated in was to mark the delivery of reading materials and school supplies as part of Lazada Vietnam’s “Donate the Dream Books” campaign. Implemented in collaboration with the country’s leading book stores Fashasa, Alphabooks and Deli as well as media partner WeChoice, the programme was part of Lazada Vietnam’s second Book Category Day, which ran from Dec. 23-25. During the three-day period, for every order on the eCommerce platform worth at least VND200,000, Lazada and its partners contributed 10% of the order value to purchase books and school supplies for thousands of students at 10 primary and secondary schools in Quang Tri that were affected by the storms.

With overwhelming positive support from the community, the campaign was able to bring more than 20,000 books, 2,000 notebooks, 11,000 school supply sets and 200 backpacks to schools in Quang Tri’s Dong Ha city and Gio Linh town, where many young children had scrambled to salvage books from the mud following severe floods.

“As a leading eCommerce platform with one of the largest online supplies of authentic books in the country, we want to leverage our resources to help the local communities, especially in times of need,” Lazada Vietnam CEO James Dong said. “It was heartening to see the overwhelming response from the community when we launched this campaign. I’m also glad we can have partners who share our same vision of helping these students to return to school and ensuring that they continue to have access to education and cultivate a love of reading.”

Representatives from Lazada Vietnam and its campaign partners travelled to Quang Tri on Jan. 5 to present the donated books and supplies to the affected schools. Joined by local celebrity Khánh Vy, the host of several popular educational TV shows, the representatives visited more than 400 students at Hai Thai Primary School in an afternoon filled with fun activities and the warmth of the children’s laughter.

During the ceremony, Hoang Xuan, the principal of Hai Thai Primary School, thanked Lazada, its partners and the community for bringing these resources to the school. “The students now have many new sources of knowledge, and these will empower them to pursue their dreams in the future,” she said.

The students were particularly excited about the books that were donated to them. Like many other schools in the province, Hai Thai’s limited budget is only enough to cover the textbooks required for teaching, meaning students have little access to publications such as storybooks. Those who love to read have to borrow from the district library, which is far away from their homes and schools, or wait for older siblings to bring books back from schools in bigger cities. By donating new books to the children, the campaign has helped nourish their thirst for reading, instilling them with the knowledge and passion to strive for their highest potential.

Hai An, a student from the school, said that she was especially excited about the donations since most of the books in her home were swept away or destroyed by the floods. “I will do my best to study well so as not to disappoint everyone’s contribution and support to my hometown,” she said.

Lazada plans to make the campaign a regular activity and to expand its scope to invite more publishers and bookstores so that more children in Vietnam can benefit.

“This meaningful campaign demonstrates our long-term commitment to nurturing young talents and enabling them to pursue their dreams and a future where they will help other people, give back to the community and contribute to the country’s economy,” Dong said.

Linh Chi Nguyen is a manager in Lazada Vietnam’s public relations team, responsible for corporate communications and media relations.