iFood CEO, Fabricio Bloisi, was named education spokesperson for the UN Global Compact (United Nations), the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, which brings together more than 16 thousand companies and organizations in 160 countries.
“As iFood has invested a lot in education in recent years, I was invited to be a spokesperson on the topic. I am already 100% committed to this cause because I know it is the way to build a better and less unequal country. Now, my task is to talk about this together with the UN”, says Fabricio. “I think it’s great that more companies talk about education, together with the government, organizations and society.”
In 2021, iFood had already become a company signatory to the Global Compact, which encourages companies to include topics related to ESG in their business strategies.
With this, iFood confirmed its efforts to promote Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. And, among them, SDG 4, whose objective is to guarantee access to inclusive, quality and equitable education, and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, what is inclusive education.
Fabricio says that education is important not only in his trajectory but also in that of iFood. “Our history is completely connected to education. I'm from Salvador, I studied hard to pass a public university and I came to São Paulo because I had the dream of creating a big company”, says the executive. “iFood would not exist without education and innovation.”
To contribute to this cause, Fabricio first created — and today presides over — the 1Bi Foundation, an organization dedicated to using technology to improve basic education and which has already impacted 800,000 students.
In addition, it established strategic education goals at iFood. “Our main impact goal is education”, explains Fabricio. “Today we have several projects aimed at delivery people, restaurants and training more people in technology.”
What are iFood's education goals?
Aligned with the principles of the Global Compact, in 2021, iFood assumed three public commitments in the area of education. By 2025, the company has the goal of:
- Train and employ 25 thousand people from underrepresented and low-income groups in technology, contributing to reducing the technological blackout in Brazil;
- Train more than 5 million people in 5 years for the work of the future and entrepreneurship;
- Encourage basic education, impacting 5 million people in up to 5 years.
“Our dream is feed the future. And iFood will do this not only by delivering quality food, for all budgets, but also contributing to society by investing in education so that Brazil can be a better country”, concludes Fabricio.
What are iFood's education programs?
iFood has different programs to encourage basic education and training in technology for audiences that are currently underrepresented in the area (such as women and black people). And it also supports the delivery driver education journey it's from partner restaurants.
Some of its main education programs are:
Tech Power
It brings together technology courses and scholarships on its platform, which has already awarded 17,000 scholarships and helped employ more than 1,500 people in the area.
My High School Diploma
The program grants scholarships for delivery drivers to take the exam that entitles them to a certificate of completion (or diploma) of primary or secondary education. In the first class, 950 delivery people received the diploma.
iFood Takes Off
The platform offers courses for delivery men It is restaurants. More than 200,000 partners have already signed up for more than 100 courses offered, which have already issued more than 140,000 certificates.
Education actions supported by iFood
Furthermore, iFood is involved in actions such as:
- Tech Movement: coalition of companies to raise R$ 100 million by 2025 in projects that accelerate training and employability in the technology area;
- Tech Marathon: a kind of school competition for awaken young people’s interest in technology and which engaged more than 80 thousand secondary and elementary school students;
- Partnership with Starlink (SpaceX project, founded by Elon Musk) to transmit internet via satellite to ten public schools in rural areas.
Partner NGOs that work with education
Among iFood's partner NGOs — which receive donations made in the app—, four work with education:
- All for Education, which works to improve basic education in the country and improve public policies;
- 1Bi Foundation, focused on technologies to improve basic education;
- Generating Falcons, which trains local leaders and offers professional qualification courses;
- Vocation, dedicated to developing people's skills through work with communities and comprehensive or professional education.
