Grab launches program to help increase earning opportunities for women.

Grab is launching the Grab Female Driver Partner Program to support women in Vietnam in improving their earning opportunities by becoming driver partners.

The program is designed to reduce barriers for women in accessing income-generating opportunities, while also being part of a roadmap to promote gender equality through economic empowerment for all.

According to Alejandro Osorio, CEO of Grab Vietnam, Grab is focusing on supporting its driver partner community, including female drivers. Women currently make up more than half of the population in Southeast Asia, but only account for 42% of the workforce and are a minority in Grab's driver partner community across the region.

Thanks to this, Grab's business model offers female drivers flexible work options, giving them more income opportunities while still being able to balance personal interests or other responsibilities. In Vietnam alone, the percentage of female driver partners joining the platform increased by more than 49% between January 2023 and January 2024. However, women still face many difficulties in seizing these income opportunities.

"The Grab Female Driver Partner Program was created to empower women to become future technology drivers, helping to secure their income on the Grab platform," said Alejandro Osorio, CEO of Grab Vietnam.

Female driver partners participate in an event organized by Grab to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th. Photo: Phat Lam — Female driver partners participate in an event organized by Grab to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th. Photo: *Phat Lam*

Based on surveys and discussions conducted with Grab's female driver partners, many women are hesitant to join the platform due to the perception that driving and delivery are unsuitable for women and a general lack of self-confidence. Common concerns include interacting with diverse passengers, a lack of necessary technological knowledge to proficiently use the driver app, and the ability to handle unexpected situations such as vehicle breakdowns.

To support women in overcoming these barriers, the Grab Female Driver Partner Program will implement specialized training content and diversify community activities.

Specifically, the specialized training content includes topics that help female drivers address common issues such as vehicle maintenance and self-defense skills. Most programs are readily available on the Grab Driver app for driver partners in a concise format, making them easily accessible to new female driver partners. The program is expected to launch in Vietnam in the near future.

In addition, Grab will support the establishment of female driver partner communities so that new partners, as well as long-term female partners, can connect, share, and support each other. Because they are frequently on the road, online support channels within the community via Facebook, Zalo, etc., will help female driver partners communicate and support each other more often.

Specifically, as part of the Grab Female Driver Partner program, Grab is testing a "Prioritize picking up female passengers" feature on the Grab Driver app starting March 5th for GrabBike and GrabCar services nationwide. Once this feature is enabled, the Grab app will understand that female driver partners prefer to transport female passengers. Simultaneously, the app will increase their chances of receiving rides from female passengers if there are female passengers booking rides nearby.

This is also the latest feature in a series of technological advancements related to safety that Grab has invested in recently to ensure the safety of users and partners while traveling on the road.

Grab regularly organizes events to share knowledge and connect the community of female drivers. Photo: Phat Lam — Grab regularly organizes events to share knowledge and connect the community of female drivers. Photo: *Phat Lam*

In addition, team-building activities are organized to help drivers connect and strengthen relationships. To celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, Grab Vietnam will organize a series of bonding events for female driver partners and female business partners nationwide.

The event "Sending a Thousand Loves, Giving Extraordinary 'Love'" will take place on March 6th in Ho Chi Minh City and on [date] in Hanoi . The program offers activities such as manicures, hand massages, neck and shoulder massages, games, lucky draws, etc.

In parallel, Grab will donate more than 300 PTI health insurance packages to female driver partners in difficult circumstances and partners with outstanding performance nationwide, helping them to drive with greater peace of mind and better protect themselves in the future.

The "Women at Grab - We Can Do It!" photo contest took place nationwide from February 29th to March 22nd, with over 50 prizes awarded to driver partners and store partners who submitted impressive entries about female Grab drivers.

Thao Van

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