On August 28th, VIPS, an online discount retailer, released its 'Environmental, Social, and Governance Report (2022)' (ESG), This is the second consecutive year that VIPS has released an ESG report, covering aspects such as sustainable development management, enhancing employee well-being, supporting rural revitalization, and empowering women's development.
In terms of sustainable development management, VIPS has adopted green packaging practices. In 2022, VIPS's logistics centers recycled approximately 21.19 million cardboard boxes, reducing the total weight of cardboard usage by 2,556 tons and recycling 16,774 tons of packaging material waste. Additionally, Vipshop has implemented solar power generation in multiple logistics parks and Sunac Outlet stores, generating 61,538 megawatt-hours of self-owned solar power in 2022.
In terms of corporate governance, VIPS has established a three-tier governance structure comprising the Board of Directors, the ESG Committee, and the ESG Working Groups. They have also formulated the company's ESG strategy with the goal of 'Creating a Sustainable New Life Together'.
In terms of employee management, VIPS has strategically developed a series of training courses aimed at assisting employees in achieving their own sustainable development, achieving a 100% employee training rate. Additionally, the company continues to invest in empowering its employees. In 2022, 38 frontline workers at its South China Operations Center successfully completed adult education exams.
As of the end of 2022, the proportion of female employees at VIPS stood at 52.6%, surpassing the average level in Bloomberg's latest Gender Equality Index (GEI) which is 43%. Furthermore, VIPS has launched a special recruitment initiative for disabled individuals, offering employment positions such as customer service representatives and frontline logistics operators, to assist more disabled individuals in achieving meaningful employment.
In the realm of social welfare, VIPS has established multiple sustainable charitable brands, with initiatives like 'V-LOVE Mom' and the 'V-LOVE Heart Charity Program' serving as prime examples. By the end of 2022, VIPS's cumulative charitable contributions have exceeded CNY 558 million. Among them, the 'V-LOVE Mom' project has alleviated burdens and empowered over 110,000 disadvantaged single-parent families, while the 'V-LOVE Heart Charity Program' has collaborated with various sectors of society to launch over 31 high-quality charity projects, involving more than 13.44 million members and contributing over 20.1 billion acts of love."
In the aspect of rural revitalization strategy, VIPS's philanthropic arm has initiated the Langtou Village Rural Revitalization Project in Huadu District, Guangzhou City. The core components of this project include the Chunyangtai Art and Culture Center, showcasing the ancient village, high-end rural accommodations, and more. All proceeds from these activities will be reinvested in benefiting the local villagers and supporting rural revitalization efforts. Notably, the Chunyangtai Art and Culture Center was opened to the public in April of this year.
Carbon neutrality is a critical measure in addressing global warming and the climate crisis. Based on its own carbon neutrality plan, VIPS has committed to achieving carbon neutrality in its own operations no later than 2030 and reducing the carbon intensity of Scope 3 emissions by 50% no later than 2030.