Alibaba launches green logistics initiative to drive sustainable development

Alibaba said it has launched the "Green Logistics 2020" initiative which includes the improvement of material recycling, packaging, route planning and delivery methods by leveraging its technological capabilities.

Green Logistics 2020 will be launched across a number of business entities within the Alibaba Group, including its logistics arm Cainiao, online retail sites Tmall and Taobao and second-hand platform Xianyu, as well as on-demand food delivery site Ele.me. 

"Cainiao partners with other business units within the Alibaba ecosystem and other industries along the supply chain, and has the potential to do much more that will benefit future generations without compromising the interests of our customers now," said Cainiao Network's president Wan Lin.

Its initiatives would include the use of recycled packaging, the reuse of delivery boxes and the cut in disposable cutlery while consumers order take-away meals.

Cainiao will also adopt new energy vehicles for its long haul delivery and also plans to expand the use of e-shipping labels, an initiative launched by the company in 2014, to 40 billion parcels by 2020.

Last year, Cainiao established the Cainiao Green Alliance Foundation, China’s first charity foundation specifically focused on alleviating the logistics industry’s environmental impact. A total of 300 million yuan (US$47 million) has been pledged for the research and promotion of green logistics, consumption and supply chain management.