September 17, 2020: Uber and Unilever are partnering for greater rider and driver safety by distributing over 20,000 hygiene products to partner drivers in Pakistan as the country continues to move out of lockdown.
The hygiene kits, which include Lifebuoy hand hygiene gel and other Unilever leading products, will enable drivers and riders to clean their hands and wipe down car surfaces after every trip. Riders are encouraged to ask for wipes and hand hygiene gel ahead of their rides. Free masks are also included in the hygiene kit. This is in addition to over 300,000 masks Uber has distributed across the region so far, with plans to continue as needed.
Drivers can pick up hygiene kits at Uber driver centers across Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
As part of the partnership, Uber and Unilever will be installing in-car safety shields for vehicles which are highly active on Uber’s platform.
This is part of Uber’s $50 million global commitment to help provide equipment for clean and hygienic rides, at no additional cost to drivers.
Uber and Unilever first announced the collaboration in May with a pilot rolled out in the UK, with the intention of bringing the partnership to other markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Saad Pall, Uber’s General Manager for Pakistan, said: “As communities get moving again, we all have a role to play in helping to keep each other safe. At Uber, the safety of drivers and riders is our most important priority, so we’re proud to partner with Unilever to ensure drivers have access to the cleaning and sanitising products they need, at no additional cost to them.”
Amir Paracha, Chairman & CEO, Unilever Pakistan, said: “As a nation, we must do everything within our means to avoid a second wave of Covid-19 infections, whilst simultaneously ensuring our economic recovery. Safe transport plays a significant role in getting Pakistan back to work. Unilever’s trusted products are designed to make the world a safer, healthier, and cleaner place and we’re delighted to work with Uber at a time when protecting people has never been so important.”
The partnership with Unilever complements a number of enhanced safety features that Uber has rolled out to help everyone using the app stay safe and healthy. This includes mandating masks for both riders and drivers, and offering them the flexibility to cancel a ride without incurring a penalty, if they’re not wearing a mask.
Drivers are also asked to undertake additional safety measures such as regularly sanitizing their car and making hand hygiene gel available for riders. Similarly, riders are required to wash their hands before getting in the car, sit in the backseat and not exceed the maximum number of people allowed in a vehicle at a time.
This is in addition to the core safety features on the app, including GPS tracking, two-way accountability, driver screenings, real-time ID check, trusted contacts, caller anonymization, and emergency integration that have been introduced as Uber continues to put safety at the heart of everything it does.
