In the report, the company also said that it had adopted six new core values, among which one was a pledge to “respect the work-life balance decisions of every individual”, marking a step away from Ma’s recent comments urging tech company employees to work nights and weekends, which sparked a nationwide debate.
Ma also told guests that he hoped to see Alibaba shoulder more responsibility to improve society amid the sweeping changes brought about by technologies like big data and 5G. He said: “It is not easy to be a strong company, but it is more difficult to be a good company.”
“A strong company is determined by its commercial ability, while a good company is responsible and kind,” he closed.