(Yicai Global) Aug. 13 -- Alibaba Group Holding yesterday revealed progress on promoting mechanisms against workplace sexual harassment, saying it has decided to set up a work environment committee and anti-workplace abuse team to conduct internal checks and take up staff complaints about improper behavior.

The move comes days after a female employee went public with an 11-page account on Alibaba’s intranet, saying her manager and a client sexually assaulted her, and that superiors and human resources did not take her seriously.

The Chinese e-commerce giant said that it will set up a work environment committee, which will be the decision-making body for dealing with various matters, including sexual harassment, and will directly report to the board of directors.

The committee, headed by Chief Financial Officer Maggie Wu, is made up of senior women executives, including Chief People Officer Judy Tong, General Counsel Sara Yu, and Chief Risk Officer Jessie Zheng. It will invite a diversity of employee representatives to join in later.

The committee will appoint an independent working team responsible for investigating any complaints and reports related to sexual harassment and assault. It has also opened an email for reporting and an emergency support hotline.

Hangzhou-based Alibaba is improving the guidelines for employee engagement with customers and partners, specifying mechanisms for responding to complaints over and emergent handling of vicious incidents such as sexual harassment and assault to ensure a smooth reporting channel.

The e-commerce giant is also making other efforts. It has set up Ali-We, a team dedicated towards creating a safe space, to conduct internal checks and corrections against improper working behaviors, including but not limited to issues such as forced-drinking and tasteless comments that make employees feel uncomfortable.

Alibaba emphasized that “employees will have unconditional support to refuse any type of forced drinking.” Besides, gender quality status and healthy workplace culture will be included in the annual environmental, social and governance report.

The firm will organize regular employee training on sexual harassment prevention and self-defense. It has established a counseling and legal support hotline to provide employees with the necessary support and help.

The press release marked Alibaba’s third disclosure of the progress on dealing with the female staff’s online exposure.

On Aug. 7, the company announced the setting up of an internal investigation team, making the interim investigation results and handling decisions public on Aug. 9.

The internal investigation is almost finished, and Alibaba will announce the findings as soon as possible, yesterday’s press release noted.

Editor: Peter Thomas