Inside Cainiao Group’s ESG Strategy
Founded in 2013, Cainiao Group is a global leader in the e-commerce logistics industry, with operations spanning over 200 countries and regions. It serves more than 100,000 cross-border merchants and 130 million consumers worldwide. With intelligent digital technology at its core, Cainiao has built a smart logistics network connecting the globe and is committed to becoming a benchmark enterprise for sustainable development — one that is environmentally friendly, socially inclusive, and governed with transparency. Its vision is to drive industry transformation and support global carbon neutrality goals through green, low-carbon logistics solutions.
Cainiao’s sustainability strategy is rooted in the integration of digital intelligence with ESG principles. Centered on five pillars—green logistics, emergency response, user experience, community empowerment, and quality employment—it has established a comprehensive, sustainable ecosystem spanning the entire logistics value chain. Beyond achieving operational carbon neutrality by FY2030, Cainiao aims to propel the logistics industry toward a low-carbon, human-centric, and transparent future through technological innovation and global collaboration.
Sustainability Framework
Cainiao embeds ESG across its operational lifecycle through five strategic priorities:
Green Logistics: Full-chain carbon reduction targeting operational carbon neutrality by FY2030 and net-zero emissions by FY2050.
Emergency Logistics: Rapid response mechanisms for disaster relief.
User Experience: Enhancing efficiency and transparency through technology.
Community Service: Empowering rural revitalization and global inclusion.
Quality Employment: Creating 200,000+ jobs while fostering workplace equality.
Green Logistics: Technology-Driven End-to-End Carbon Reduction
Cainiao is redefining the logistics process from order to delivery. By deploying electronic waybills and smart order-merging technology, it has saved over 169 billion paper sheets and improved cross-border parcel consolidation efficiency by fourfold. In FY2024 alone, it reduced packaging material usage by over 101,000 tons.
On the transportation front, Cainiao has built a world-leading new energy transport network. Its urban delivery fleet is 99% electrified, and it is piloting hydrogen-powered freight vehicles to explore zero-carbon transport. Notably, its self-developed campus delivery robots have already delivered over 41 million packages, setting a benchmark for low-carbon last-mile delivery.
Cainiao’s vision extends to the construction of green logistics parks. With 47.9 megawatts of solar power installed across 13 global parks and real-time energy optimization through IoT devices, it has raised the use of clean energy to 54.1%. Additionally, smart packaging algorithms and reusable containers are reshaping the logistics packaging system from the source. Examples include 710,000 uses of RFID-enabled reusable boxes, recycling old cardboard boxes, saving 21,000 tons of carbon emissions, and creatively reusing water-damaged books into document pouches — all underscoring the deep integration of the circular economy into logistics.
More impactful is ecological collaboration enabled by technology. Cainiao extends sustainability to partners like Unilever through its carbon asset management system, offering end-to-end emissions visualization. This "tech-enabled ecosystem collaboration" model is redefining industry standards.
Emergency Logistics: A Dual Commitment to Social Responsibility and Technological Resilience
In response to sudden disasters, Cainiao has built a comprehensive emergency logistics system anchored by "CEO-led decision-making, intelligent digital response, and global resource mobilization." In fiscal year 2024, Cainiao transported more than 200,000 relief supplies across over 10 major disaster events — from the Gansu earthquake to the floods in southern Brazil — setting a new industry benchmark for response speed and operational efficiency. This capability is underpinned by Cainiao’s extensive reconstruction of its logistics infrastructure: leveraging RFID tracking systems to ensure full transparency in disaster relief supply management, and partnering with One Foundation to reduce the delivery error rate for relief kits to just 0.03%. The strategic layout of global hubs such as the Liège e-Hub further enables Cainiao to dispatch cross-border relief supplies within 72 hours.
For Cainiao, emergency logistics is not only a tool for crisis management but also a carrier of public trust. In the aftermath of the floods in Zhuozhou, Hebei, Cainiao played a role in rebuilding the local paper supply chain by recycling 30 tons of water-damaged books into 200,000 document folders, helping publishers mitigate their losses while integrating environmental sustainability into the recovery process. This model of "co-creating business and social value" is redefining the role of logistics companies in social governance.
Shared Social Value: From Community Services to Global Inclusive Development
At the community level, Cainiao Post Stations have evolved beyond traditional courier points to become "community service hubs." In Beijing, Ma Lan, the manager of a Silent Post Station, provides employment support for the hearing-impaired community, while in Tianjin, Cainiao Post Stations promote public safety awareness by delivering “anti-fraud packages” to two million residents. These examples highlight the social service potential embedded within Cainiao’s logistics network. Moreover, Cainiao's commitment to "human-centered logistics" is further demonstrated by 28,026 hours of community service contributed by Hongyan Volunteers and the creation of over 200,000 jobs through Cainiao Post Stations.
Under China’s rural revitalization strategy, Cainiao has shown the transformative power of infrastructure empowerment. The establishment of 1,600 county-level distribution centers has boosted vegetable and fruit processing efficiency by 40% in Luxi County, Yunnan Province, and increased farmers' incomes by 30% in Weixian County, Hebei Province, through local egg warehouses. This "logistics connectivity + industrial upgrading" approach injects sustainable momentum into rural economies.
On the global stage, Cainiao’s vision for inclusive development comes to life. In Liège, Belgium, Cainiao not only created 300 local jobs through the establishment of its e-Hub but also partnered with Standard Liège Football Club to launch programs supporting people with disabilities, investing 10% of its revenue into community rebuilding initiatives. This dual strategy of "business operations coupled with cultural integration" offers an innovative model for multinational companies to fulfill their social responsibilities.
Quality Employment: Building a Human-Centered Workplace Ecosystem
Cainiao places "human development" at the core of its sustainability strategy. Its cloud customer service platform has created flexible employment opportunities for 50,000 individuals from vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities and stay-at-home parents. Among these initiatives, the "Silent Customer Service" project at the Longyan base has become a benchmark for digitally inclusive employment. Internally, a workforce comprising 29.4% women and 20% female managers reflects substantial progress toward gender equality, while family care programs such as the "Young Nestling Plan" are reshaping employee welfare systems traditionally challenged by the high-intensity demands of the logistics industry.
This focus on human value reshapes society’s perception of the logistics sector. When courier Sun Licai received the "Cainiao Positive Energy Award" for his heroic actions in a fire rescue, and when hydrogen truck drivers participated in carbon reduction training programs, Cainiao demonstrated that the ultimate goal of a sustainability strategy is to ensure every individual finds dignity and opportunities for growth amid technological transformation.
Insights and Outlook
Cainiao’s sustainable practices reveal a fundamental truth: logistics is not just the movement of goods but a network for transmitting value and responsibility. By leveraging intelligent digital technologies, Cainiao integrates ESG principles into every stage of operations — from ordering and warehousing to transportation and recycling — creating a new model where business efficiency and social impact coexist. Looking ahead, as Cainiao deepens its Scope 3 carbon reduction targets (cutting supply chain emissions by 50%) and exports global green standards, it is poised to become a super-node connecting the real economy with a sustainable civilization.
For the broader industry, Cainiao offers an important insight: the success of sustainability strategies hinges on a triad — innovation anchored in technology, ecosystems built through collaboration, and a foundation rooted in human value. This integrated approach is key to transforming smart logistics from an efficiency tool into a fundamental infrastructure for future civilizations.
