A lot has been written about the environmental cost of an Amazon package, from the time it’s picked from a fulfilment centre shelf to the moment it’s handed over by the delivery driver on the doorstep.
And in the wake of plenty of criticism, the online giant has been taking steps over the past few years to mitigate the carbon emissions of its downstream business, from hydrogen-powered forklifts and the electrification of its delivery fleet to the weight, flexibility and size of its packaging so that it takes up less room in vans.
But in its 2022 sustainability report, released this July, Amazon has begun to look more closely at an item’s upstream journey, long before it even reaches the fulfilment centre. The company has now committed to update its supply chain standards to require its suppliers to share their carbon emissions data and set themselves clear carbon goals.