Glovo Launches ‘The Couriers Pledge’ in Kenya

Glovo, one of the world’s leading multi-category platforms, today announced “The Couriers Pledge” launch, a commitment by the company to increase the social rights and benefits available to all users registered as couriers in the App.. 

Since its launch in 2021, the Couriers pledge has impacted more than 17,000 couriers across different markets where Glovo operates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, couriers from Ghana and Kenya are next on the list to start enjoying these benefits. The project has been officially launched in Kenya, focusing on safety courses, improved insurance, parental support coverage, and learning programs. 

As part of its commitment to establish a fairer future of work and provide access to greater security and protection to couriers, Glovo has pledged four commitments: 

• Fairer Earnings – Proper and transparent earnings per hour as a standard. The aim is to align couriers’ earnings with regional living wages and daily expenses such as vehicle maintenance, fuel, etc. 
• 360º Safety– Assistance with unexpected situations or hard times. Adding to the primary insurance – accidents, third-party liability, and transport for goods. Couriers now have a sick daily benefit. A one-shot payment will be provided to couriers in case of birth or adoption. An urgent Family Expense benefit is now available, consisting of a rapid one-shot payment in case of familial hardship.

• Equality and Proactive Management – Fair and accessible appeal process to all couriers disabled from the app, validated by an independent entity. In addition, newly established channels allow couriers to collectively contribute to the decisions that affect their experience with the platform and foster open dialogue with couriers.

• Caring for Couriers Community – Giving access to  courses on entrepreneurship, business management, IT skills or languages to help couriers develop their professional skills and progress on their professional journey. In addition, an in-app SOS button was implemented in case of an emergency, and an anti-discrimination policy was introduced to prevent harassment.

The commitments made by Glovo under The Couriers Pledge will be subject to external audits by Fairwork, with all findings to be made public. As an independent party, Fairwork does not endorse company practices but will evaluate and report on the progress Glovo is making against Fairwork’s five principles of fair work. 

Fairwork’s external report was first published in Kenya in December 2021 using information collected through desk research, interviews with couriers, and platform-provided evidence last year. In each category, Glovo scored fairly for offering minimum earnings, fair contracts, unbiased and fair management. Overall, Glovo was the highest scoring platform in Kenya in this scoring round, with 7/10 according to the report.

Sacha Michaud, Glovo Co-founder, said: “Glovo recognises that the gig economy represents a significant source of income for couriers and wants to provide equality of access to social rights independent of how couriers work with the platform.”

Tokunbo Ibrahim, Glovo’s Head of Government Relations SAA, said, “Kenya’s growing importance in the gig economy has attracted multinational companies as well as birthed local start-ups as demand for on-demand delivery services, and as a company, we feel this initiative sets a new industry standard for a fairer gig economy one that has social rights and uses a best practice framework at its core.” 

The Couriers Pledge, which has been drafted in collaboration with the Fairwork Foundation, has been inspired by the principles and rules that they have established to achieve fairness and guarantee conditions for gig couriers and guided by WageIndicator’s data on fair earnings and living wages of our countries, and Qover and Chubb’s insurtech shield.