Glovo, the on-demand multi-category platform, has announced its commitment to set new social rights standards and benefits available to couriers in Ghana through The Couriers Pledge.

The Pledge will be rolled out today and be fully implemented by the end of 2023, includes road safety initiatives, e-learning free platform access with hundreds of courses, increased insurance coverage and fair earnings amongst other benefits. 

The Couriers Pledge launching event took place at the British Council in Accra. There was a safety session also presented by the National Road Safety Authority. In attendance were the Spanish Ambassador, representatives from the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, Fairwork, and Motor Traffic and Transport Directorate of Ghana Police.

The Couriers Pledge created with advice from the Fairwork, recognises that the gig economy represents a significant source of income for couriers and wants to provide equality of access to social rights and benefits for couriers, independent of the way couriers work with the platform.  Ghana will be the ninth country, and the third in Africa, to start enjoying these benefits.

Speaking during the launch, Glovo’s Head of Government Relations for Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) Tokunbo Ibrahim, said: “The Couriers Pledge’ will have a positive impact on Ghanian couriers’ community, especially on courier safety on the road, earnings and collaboration conditions”.

“In the 6 countries where The Couriers Pledge has been implemented, 10% of all couriers have been trained in Road Safety first aids and awareness. The aim has been to reduce traffic incidents but also give them visibility about the insurance they have at Glovo in case of accidents. This is a very important topic to push in Ghana since road safety is one of the most critical issues to address when someone is driving on a daily basis. That is why, locally we are partnering up with the Motor Traffic & Transport Department of Ghana Police, to organize courier safety training, free for all couriers to attend, as the main pillar within this project.”

In addition, Glovo has rolled out the SOS button for the courier app, providing couriers with an easy-to-use tool to call for help and notify authorities in emergency situations.

According to Tokunbo Ibrahim, 70% of ‘The Couriers Pledge’ budget has been designated to cover benefits that Glovo has rolled out as a first in the industry: such as bonus rewards, financial support for sickness, a one-time payment on the occasion of the birth or adoption of a child and an urgent Family Expense allowance in case of familial hardship. Benefits that will be implemented little by little as the project is established fully till the end of next year, 2023.