At the 2026 National Green Development Conference for Private Enterprises held on June 17 in Haikou, Hainan, Waterdrop Inc. was successfully selected as a case study in the "2026 Enterprise Digital-Green Synergistic Transformation Development Cases" released at the conference, thanks to its innovative practices in "integrated digital and green development." This honor signifies national-level recognition for the company's exploration in driving a green, low-carbon transition through digital technology.
The 2026 National Green Development Conference for Private Enterprises was jointly organized by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and the People's Government of Hainan Province. With the theme "Gathering Enterprises for Innovation, Striving for Strength Through Green Development," the conference focused on the new vision for the 15th Five-Year Plan, guiding companies to embed a green foundation for high-quality development and accelerate the pace of synergistic digital-green transformation.
Key Achievements and Methodology
At the conference, the selected case from Waterdrop Inc. systematically demonstrated the phased results achieved by its dual-drive strategy of "digital empowerment + green operations," which builds a trinity synergistic system focused on "technology-driven efficiency, management-driven carbon reduction, and ecosystem-driven consumption reduction."
Digital Innovation and Green Operations
As a leading domestic insurance technology and healthcare platform, Waterdrop Inc. has consistently deeply integrated digital innovation with green, low-carbon development. At the technological innovation level, the company has independently developed "Waterdrop AI," targeting three major areas: insurance technology, healthcare, and general innovation. This AI has been deployed across diverse scenarios such as intelligent customer service, intelligent underwriting, insurance product development, clinical trial patient recruitment, and digital office collaboration, reconstructing traditional industry service chains and becoming the central nervous system of its operations. The fully online, paperless operational model has significantly reduced carbon emissions and resource consumption from the source.
On the green operations front, Waterdrop Inc. has completed an upgrade from "concept advocacy" to "quantitative management + systematic practice." The company has systematically conducted a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gases covering Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. Notably, the proactive calculation and disclosure of Scope 3 emissions mark the extension of the company's environmental management boundary from its own operations to its broader ecological impact. Furthermore, the company has actively promoted initiatives like green office practices and energy efficiency improvements, leading to a significant year-on-year reduction in its operational greenhouse gas emissions. This fully demonstrates the scientific and effective nature of its environmental management, setting a practical reference model for the industry's green, low-carbon transition.
ESG Performance and Broader Impact
In 2025, the company's ESG rating was upgraded from 'A' to 'A+,' and its score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment improved simultaneously. It also retained the "ESG Disclosure Contribution Pioneer Award" from the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency. Additionally, the company has fully embedded green and low-carbon requirements into its business processes and supply chain management, driving collaborative transformation across its upstream and downstream partners.
Business segments such as Waterdrop Crowdfunding, Waterdrop Insurance, and Yifan Pharmaceutical operate on fully online processes, efficiently empowering green development through digital technology. In 2025, empowered by AI, Waterdrop Insurance launched a cumulative total of 242 customized insurance products, including 57 products without health declarations and 221 elderly-friendly products, gradually building an "innovative insurance product universe for people with pre-existing conditions." As of the first quarter of 2026, Waterdrop Crowdfunding has helped 3.75 million patients with critical illnesses raise 73.5 billion yuan in donations, involving 494 million compassionate individuals. Its digital clinical trial solutions have partnered with pharmaceutical companies and CROs, fulfilling 1,718 clinical trial projects.
Future Direction
Waterdrop Inc. will continue its transition towards becoming an AI-native company. By leveraging AI technology, it aims to promote energy consumption optimization, green operations, and carbon emission reduction. The company will explore technological pathways for green optimization of large language models, striving to establish a benchmark for zero-carbon operations in the insurance technology industry and continue creating long-term, shared value for society.
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