|
JJ / While the pandemic and social distancing have accelerated cashless payments in America and Europe , China is a pioneer , propelled by Alibaba ’ s Alipay and Tencent ’ s WeChat Pay . In mid-2019 , there were 633 million mobile payment users in China , and by 2023 , it ’ s estimated that around 60 % of China ’ s 1.3 billion population will have made a purchase via mobile payment .
KP / In the next five years , social commerce is expected to become a $ 16 billion industry in India . Add that to the fact that ecommerce and consumer goods companies are able to successfully deliver to the remotest regions here and this can create a platform that generates sales channels for local brands and jobs for micro-entrepreneurs .
|
Will the trend of remote worker migration , with workers moving to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where the cost of living is lower , affect megacities in your region ?
JJ / Worker migration has already happened in China . Due to the high cost of living in the original Tier 1 cities ( Beijing , Shanghai , Guangzhou , and Shenzhen ), more workers , especially those with children , are relocating in search of better and less stressful living environments . This is driving the emergence of the “ new ” Tier 1 cities like Hangzhou , Chengdu , Nanjing , Wuhan , and others with their attractive environments , fast-growing economies , and lower property prices . These cities are introducing financial and housing policies to attract new talent , and consequently , many internet giants and big companies have opened offices .
|
KP / We saw a massive reverse migration of workers in India during the lockdown . However , with the gradual easing of restrictions and vaccines on the horizon , we have seen a sizable return of the workforce . Still , the ability to work from home , plus the lower costs of setting up a business , real estate , and hiring , plus the good amount of IT / ITeS sector presence , means Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities , which are already some of the fastest-growing cities in the region , and smaller towns will likely become hiring hot spots for white-collar jobs .
What are the top sustainable impact challenges facing your regions , and what is HP doing to help ?
TC / We ’ ve run campaigns in Australia and New Zealand to highlight the dangers of ocean-bound plastics , and in Singapore , we conducted one of the largest ewaste recycling campaigns . In Indonesia , we launched Project STOP , which is aimed at reducing the volume of ocean-bound plastics while providing employment for low-income families . By December 2022 , it is expected to expand to more than 450,000 people across
|
55 villages , with 90 tons of plastic bottles collected annually .
KP / While large organizations and well-funded educational institutes have been able to switch to digital , it has not been the same for many small businesses , workers , and students . Tech companies like HP can step in with tools and solutions that equip students , educators , and workers . The HP CLAP ( Continued Learning Access Project ) is a mobile van equipped with HP devices and learning content that visits underserved students in remote communities .
JJ / HP partnered with the WWF for the restoration , protection , and conservation of 200,000 acres of forest . Under this partnership , we will specifically work with the state-owned farms and forest plantations in China to enhance their capabilities of sustainable management . By collaborating with the WWF , HP is also working to increase the use of Forest Stewardship Council – certified paper .
|