Major Food delivery startup Swiggy has taken a new initiative for its women delivery executives. It introduced a new Sexual harassment redressal policy for its women employees, as they are not covered under the ambit of Indian laws that cover such incidents at workplaces.

Swiggy also told its women delivery executives can reach out to Swiggy’s Emergency SOS number. In case of any sexual harassment from customers, restaurant partners, male counterparts or even Swiggy employees.

Mihir Shah Head of Swiggy Operations said, “Through the sexual harassment redressal policy, we are taking a proactive step in building awareness and accountability among various stakeholders in the community.”

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Swiggy also added that its policy was aligned under (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal)Act,2013, also known as POSH Act, with the Sexual Harassment of women at Work Place.

Its, Latest policy applies to customers, third parties who are not covered under the guidelines of Sexual Harassment at work place.

How does the policy work?

As mentioned in the policy, if the harassment occurs at the customer’s location, after the initial investigation is done. Swiggy will not assign any other female delivery executive to that customer.

Swiggy added that customer number will also be highlighted so that a female executive is not assigned even if the customer changes location. This will happen only after the initial investigation is completed.

If the reported offence is punishable by law, Swiggy noted, the customer will be permanently removed from the app. The female employee can raise any point in her police complaint against the accused. In such situations, the company said it will support the authorities in the investigation.

The company’s Emergency SOS app has an SOS button which connects the executives to an ambulance, the Swiggy helpline and to the local police station. Further, the female delivery executives have an option to decline all the deliveries if they seem that area to be unsafe and no questions asked.

Swiggy also added that it is working on a solution to ensure sexual harassment redressal policy comes when there have been several reports of misconduct at Indian startups and companies working in the country.

The anti-sexual harassment advisory Complykaro.com told that 97% of Indian companies are not even aware of the POSH Act, (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,2013. 

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