Alibaba Group Holding Limited has joined a group of over 200 of the world’s leading sustainable businesses as the newest member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).  

The initial focus of the collaboration between WBCSD and Alibaba will be on Climate Action, particularly in finding innovative ways to leverage Alibaba’s platforms for broad decarbonization and work with WBCSD members on the Avoided Emissions framework and methodologies.  

“We are thrilled to welcome Alibaba Group to WBCSD. Their commitment to advancing sustainability and decarbonization aligns with our vision for a better world where 9 billion people live well, within planetary boundaries. Alibaba’s position as the largest e-commerce and digital technology company from Asia to join WBCSD will bring valuable platforms and technological capabilities to our collaborative efforts,” said Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD. 

“Alibaba is committed to responsible corporate practices and environmental stewardship,” said Toby Xu, Chief Financial Officer of Alibaba Group and Chair of the Group’s Sustainability Steering Committee. “We strive to work with our partners across industries to create enduring, wide-ranging, and impactful value for our stakeholders. We are excited to collaborate with WBCSD on advancing our climate actions, along with other initiatives, that contribute to a net-zero and sustainable future.” 

Alibaba Group, a diverse ecosystem with over a billion users and millions of small businesses, is powered by a global workforce from over 60 countries and regions. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a cornerstone strategy for Alibaba, with a vision to not only achieve its own sustainability goals but also empower consumers, merchants, and partners to create positive social and environmental impacts through its platform. 

Related Article: WBCSD and FIDIC Sign Collaboration Agreement to Accelerate the Transition to Sustainable Infrastructure

Alibaba has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2030 and introduced a Scope 3+ target. The concept of ‘Scope 3+’ is based on the potential of leveraging its digital technology and platforms to enable and engage a wider group of stakeholders to promote low-carbon products, services and behaviors. In the fiscal year that ended March 2023, Alibaba accomplished Scope 3+ emission reductions of 22.907 million MtCO2e.  

Please refer to the Alibaba Group 2023 ESG Report for more details about Alibaba’s ESG targets and progress.