If you've done any shopping on Amazon lately, you might have noticed a little green leaf on particular listings, highlighting some sustainability features of the product. This is part of the company's efforts to promote more sustainable purchases, which consumer surveys have shown are a top priority for many shoppers, as Sustainability Magazine reported.
Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program highlights products that meet third-party sustainability certifications such as Energy Star and EWG Verified, with a full list available on Amazon's website. According to ClimatePartner, one of the certifications that makes a product eligible, the program has also been linked to a 12% boost in sales in the first year for participating products. That's a clear sign customers are responding to eco-friendly options, giving businesses an incentive to participate in sustainability initiatives.
As an example, ClimatePartner's five-step certification process requires brands to measure and share their products' carbon footprints, commit to reductions, and contribute to vetted climate projects — all while making those details public.
For shoppers, seeing that certification is among the ways of making it easier to spot options that align with their values. For communities, it could mean a boost in public health with less harmful and planet-heating pollution clogging the air if more companies invest in reducing their pollution to help attract more customers who are mindful about the impact of their purchases.
From its investment in electric delivery vans to help cut neighborhood air pollution to its recent phaseout of plastic air pillows, Amazon has made notable steps to become a more sustainable company. At the same time, the retail giant's environmental footprint is massive. Considering issues including its staggering data center pollution, there's a long road ahead.
Still, advocates say these developments are proof that sustainability can be good for everyone involved.
"The surge in consumers opting for refurbished goods and repair services is already having a significant impact on the sector," Emily Cromwell, climate change and sustainability lead at Deloitte, told Sustainability Magazine. "Businesses who unlock value this way will also respond to growing interest from the market."
In an email to The Cool Down, an Amazon spokesperson said that 143.8 million customers have made a switch "from a conventional product to a product recognized by certification in our Climate Pledge Friendly program since 2020." Amazon mentioned that a Harvard Business Review independent study found that sustainability certifications increased consumer demand by 13%.
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