Amazon Rolls Out ‘Climate Pledge Friendly’ Program

Amazon Rolls Out 'Climate Pledge Friendly' Program

To help make it simple for consumers to find and buy more sustainable items, Amazon has unveiled its new Climate Pledge Friendly program. Shoppers will now see the Climate Pledge Friendly label on more than 25,000 items, showing that the products have at least one of 19 sustainability certifications, according to a Wednesday (Sept. 23) announcement.

“Climate Pledge Friendly is a simple way for customers to discover more sustainable products that help preserve the natural world,” Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said in the announcement. “With 18 external certification programs and our own Compact by Design certification, we’re incentivizing selling partners to create sustainable products that help protect the planet for future generations.”

Grocery, personal electronics and beauty items, among others, are included in the Climate Pledge Friendly collection. Eligible items are marked in shopping search results, are showcased in a special section and contain further sustainability data on the product page.

Amazon has teamed with third-party certifications such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. The retailer noted in the announcement that “Cradle to Cradle Certified products are safe, sustainable products made to support a circular economy.”

The eCommerce retailer said its Climate Pledge Friendly program supports its goal to reach the Paris Agreement a decade ahead of schedule and to be “net-zero carbon” by 2040. The firm says it has already vowed to have all renewable energy by 2025, intends to invest $100 million in reforestation projects globally and has ordered more than 100,000 completely electric delivery vehicles.

The news comes as Amazon reportedly intends to open 1,000 small delivery locations in cities and suburbs throughout the nation. Amazon is looking at eventually opening up to 1,500 of the small delivery centers in an effort to quicken delivery times and make eCommerce shopping as convenient as a trip to the local big-box retailer.