Cainiao Network Technology Co., Ltd, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group Holding Limited, has launched Alibaba Green Logistics 2020.

According to Cainiao, the campaign is enabled by new technologies and represents the joint efforts across the Alibaba Group to improve material recycling, packaging, route planning and delivery methods in order to work towards a greener future.

By 2020, Cainiao will apply AI algorithms to drive smart routings in 40,000 villages, shortening the average delivery journey by 30% in rural areas. New energy-efficient vehicles will be deployed in 100 cities in China, minimizing the company’s carbon footprint. Cainiao will also expand the use of electronic shipping labels to 40 billion parcels by 2020.

“The logistics industry across the world is looking for green solutions that go hand-in-hand with increased efficiencies,” said Lin Wan, president of Cainiao Network. “Cainiao, with its market-leading technology, a vast logistics data platform, partners in the Alibaba ecosystem and other industries along the supply chain, has the potential to do much more that will benefit future generations without compromising the interests of our customers now. Green is an important element in building a brighter future for the logistics industry.”

Alibaba Green Logistics 2020 will be rolled out across a number of businesses in the

Alibaba Group. Taobao, Tmall and Xianyu will increase the use of recycled packaging, Lingshou

Tong will reuse delivery boxes to serve millions of mom-and-pop stores, and Ele.me will encourage users to place orders without asking for disposable cutlery.

Cainiao began its Green Logistics Project in collaboration with 32 logistics partners in 2016. In 2017, the company established the Cainiao Green Alliance Foundation, a charity specifically focused on alleviating the logistics industry’s environmental impact.

The company’s carbon footprint decreased by 136,000 tonnes in 2017, saving seven million trees, according to Cainiao.