Singapore – To develop a set of self-regulatory standards to establish and encourage industry best practices, the Digital Platforms Industry Association (DPIA), consisting of Deliveroo, foodpanda, and Grab, has released the first edition of its Code of Practice (COP). 

The newly released COP focuses on the areas of merchant development, as well as safety, support, and development for digital platform partners. The full COP is also publicly available on DPIA’s website. 

Moreover, the COP includes inputs from several other digital platform companies, such as Gojek and TADA, who are looking to join DPIA in the near future. The COP also contains the recent Advisory Committee on Platform Workers’ (ACPW) recommendations, as well as ongoing Tripartite Working Group (TWG) discussions. 

According to DPIA, future editions of the COP will be updated accordingly as the industry grows and evolves. The association, which was only inaugurated in August 2022, is also in talks with several other organisations on initiatives and programmes that will support rider welfare and upskilling efforts.

Since its establishment in 2022, DPIA has been taking an active role in initiatives and partnerships to target key areas of concern. The organisation also works on addressing concerns raised by riders in individual and industry-wide feedback sessions.

Singapore – The three major food delivery platform companies in Asia are setting aside their competition for now as they join forces to form an association that would become a watchdog for the industry and its stakeholders in Singapore.

Deliveroo, foodpanda, and Grab form the Digital Platforms Industry Association (DPIA) where they will be strengthening the frameworks, guidelines, and policies to support their delivery partners and merchants in Singapore.

“For platform companies, the well-being of our delivery partners and merchants across the marketplace is paramount. That’s why DPIA was established – to consolidate the deep industry expertise of platforms and shape the development and growth of the industry within Singapore’s national economy,” shared the three platforms. 

As an industry representative, DPIA will be tapping on the expertise and experience of its member platform companies to enhance industry best practices and support Singapore’s digital economy. In addition, DPIA said it will also be providing upskilling opportunities and strengthening existing health and safety standards for its members’ delivery partners and merchants. 

Since 2021, DPIA’s members have actively contributed to the consultation process with multiple government stakeholders, the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA), and industry stakeholders in the bid to better support delivery partners. They are also working with the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) on guidelines for platforms and employers to boost road safety practices among delivery partners. 

In the coming months, DPIAl said it will be identifying areas of improvement and collaborating with the government and industry stakeholders such as the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). 

It will be creating solutions that would “reflect the voices of its delivery partners and merchants”, both of whom are core to platform companies’ operations. In addition, DPIA intends to launch an industry code of practice to be adopted by its members. The code will incorporate industry best practices and principles relating to health and safety of its delivery partners and merchant development.