Lei Chen on corporate purpose
From PDD Food Systems Forum - Fireside Chat with Chen Lei, Chairman and CEO, Pinduoduo · · PinduoduoInc
“We started Pinduoduo with a goal to make some positive impact over society, and agriculture is definitely one of such areas where we can use our current scale to do some good.”
On , Lei Chen, General Counsel, Co-CEO & Chairman at PDD Holdings, spoke about corporate purpose during PDD Food Systems Forum - Fireside Chat with Chen Lei, Chairman and CEO, Pinduoduo on PinduoduoInc.
About Lei Chen
At the PDD Food Systems Forum in July 2021, Chen Lei discussed Pinduoduo's initiatives in digital inclusion and technology's role in building a resilient agri-food system. He stated that the company was founded with the goal of making a positive societal impact, particularly in agriculture. Chen noted that Pinduoduo's first smart agriculture competition saw AI teams using precision farming technology deliver nearly three times the yield and generate about 80% ROI compared to conventional farming. He added that the company plans to continue this practice with a broader focus on quality and nutritional profiles. Chen also highlighted several specific projects, including the Doodle Fund poverty relief initiative in Yunnan province, collaboration with Singapore A*STAR to develop low-cost pesticide residue test kits, and the launch of Dodo Grocery, which filed patents for proprietary cold-chain logistics. He described the COVID-19 pandemic as a "stress test" on the world, observing that under stress people can behave well or badly. Chen expressed optimism that technology can create better resilience across the food system, from growing to distribution and consumption.