On May 25th, Alibaba released its annual report for the fiscal year of 2016 (which goes from the 1st April 2015 to the 31st March 2016). The report specially explains Alibaba’s social responsibility model and fully uncovers the scope of its charitable activities for the first time.
Alibaba has announced since 2010 that it will donate 3 out of every 1000 yuan of each year’s operating income to charity, in order to create a charitable atmosphere, develop charitable undertakings and promote a sustainable development which is helpful to the relationship between humans, society and nature. The company has continued to provide aid for natural disasters, support for the poor and disabled, and environmental protection. Also, it set up the Alibaba Foundation in 2011 with the aim to promote the development of environmental protection around China and worldwide, gradually creating a funding model of “Internet + Environmental Protection” (referring to the application of the internet and other information technology in conventional industries).
During the fiscal year of 2016, people participated in charitable activities via the platform run by Alibaba over 3.3 billion times, including more than 280 million buyers and 1.5 million sellers. Alibaba itself donated approximately 230 million yuan (out of which the Alibaba Foundation donated 140 million) to 73 domestic and overseas charitable projects. These included 47 projects related to environmental protection, such as a global protection project sponsored by Nature Conservancy (大自然保护协会), funds for air and water protection sponsored by the National Geographic Society (国家地理) and an environmental program sponsored by the Paulson Institute (保尔森基金会).
