Contributed
Led by founder and CEO Richard Liu, JD.com is China’s most notable e-commerce business. The company services China’s 1.4 billion population and is lauded for leading efforts to address some of the many issues that have arisen as a result of technological advancements in the retail sector. Specifically, JD.com, also known as JingDong, is serving as an example to the entire world of how enterprises can build operations that support sustainability. The company’s environmentally friendly operational practices are also inclusive as they endeavor to change the landscape of global retail., Richard Liu has led efforts to demonstrate to the world how globalized e-commerce can also benefit the environment, which serves as a great example to current and future leaders. This is especially important given the ever-changing nature of technology and the demands placed on businesses to deliver products to consumers faster. JingDong is accustomed to leading the way because of how the company started and parlayed it’s success into an e-commerce juggernaut. Richard Liu started out with a brick-and-mortar location that grew into twelve stores. It was during the SARS epidemic in China that he identified e-commerce as a way to meet the needs of his customers., JD.com has experienced exponential growth over the years and has remained at the forefront of innovation. This is partially the result of offering exceptional service and delivery options that include same-day and next-day shipping. In fact, it’s one of the many valued features for which the company is known. They have delivered packages to over a billion customers and have millions of users that shop on the platform regularly., As the company has grown, it has continued to examine operational practices in an effort to diminish any environmental issues. This is a topic that Liu and other leaders of the company take seriously. Evidence of the company’s commitment to sustainability can be found in the Corporate Social Responsibility Report that’s produced annually and provides an outline of what has already been accomplished, and what’s on the horizon. For instance, you’ll find information about the micro-level initiatives that allow the general public to support sustainability, as well as how the company’s operational procedures have been refreshed to drive achievement of related goals., JD.com has implemented a solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation system at their logistics center in Shanghai that will be expanded to more than 77 square miles by 2030. They are also in the process of deploying what’s called “new energy” vehicles and will ultimately have a total of 5,000 of these vehicles in use. This will include hydrogen-powered, all-electric and hybrid versions. It’s an innovative way of making the company’s shipping practices more sustainable. JingDong started the Green Stream Initiative to reduce emissions and allocated $147 million to the JD Logistics Green Fund., Part of the company’s commitment involves supporting the needs of community members, which includes offering low-priced essentials, which is also a way to stimulate the economy. JingDong has hired more than 25,000 team members that are from areas that are considered the poorest in China because they understand the importance of financial independence. Richard Liu is committed to helping underserved populations of China achieve financial security and upward mobility., JD has developed a loyal customer base in rural locations, especially in remote villages that previously did not have access to products until shipping services were offered. Not only are shipping services available, consumers in remote locations are able to take advantage of next-day delivery just like customers in the city. This was accomplished by deploying the biggest fleet of drones that exist in the industry.
