Amazon expands ‘Climate Friendly Pledge’ programme to 200,000 products
Amazon today announced that customers can now buy from a selection of more than 200,000 Climate Pledge Friendly products, with over 100,000 of them available in Europe.
Amazon has added five new certification schemes to its scheme to guide shoppers towards more sustainable purchasing decisions.
- Associazione Italiana Agricultura Biologica (AIAB)certifies food, cosmetic and detergent products made without the use of chemical pesticides, following the principles of high level of biodiversity, natural resource preservation and animals’ welfare standards.
- EU Organic products have zero or minimal chemical pesticides or fertilisers, support animal welfare and non-genetically modified standards, and must contain at least 95% organic ingredients.
- Fair for Life certifies fair trade products across the entire supply chain, ensuring that human rights are safeguarded, workers enjoy good and fair working conditions and farmers receive a fair share.
- NATRUE is an international non-profit association committed to set and build strict requirements for the certification of natural and organic cosmetic products, covering sourcing, formulations, packaging and ethical requirements.
- Soil Association Certification supports a sustainable way of farming and producing food through meeting the Soil Association Organic Standards that works with nature to support wildlife, protect the soil, care for animals, and help farms combat climate change.
The new certifications will help Amazon’s customers to discover and shop for products that meet sustainability standards designed to help preserve the natural world.
Zak Watts, Amazon’s director of sustainability in Europe, said: “We’re delighted to be expanding our Climate Pledge Friendly programme to more than 100,000 products in Europe with these new third-party certifications. Climate Pledge Friendly has been designed as a simple way for our customers to shop more sustainably, and forms an important part of our commitment to building a sustainable business for our employees, customers, and communities. These new certifications provide yet more choice for our customers, and we’re excited to have such a diverse group of reputable sustainability certifications on-board.”
Clare McDermott, business development director at Soil Association Certification, said: “It’s fantastic to see Amazon working with trusted certification partners like ourselves to help make sustainable shopping easier and more accessible for customers. Online is a key channel for sustainable shopping that has grown significantly through the pandemic with one in four products now sold online in the UK – and this is just the beginning. We’re therefore delighted to be involved in such a wide-ranging sustainability programme like Climate Pledge Friendly to help bring more of our certified organic products to shoppers.”
In 2019, Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge. More than 200 signatories have now committed to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early and be net-zero carbon by 2040. As part of its commitment, Amazon is on a path to reaching 100% renewable energy across its operations by 2025 and has ordered more than 100,000 electric delivery vehicles, with thousands already making deliveries to customers in Europe.
