Amazon.com is the leader in the online retail world along with other market segments it
operates. It has grown exponentially from 1994 and is continuing to grow reaching sales of over
80 billion in 2014. However, Amazon lacks something that nearly all Fortune 500 companies
have in common. It has failed to imbed sustainability in its company. Nearly all the Fortune 500
companies strive to imbed sustainability in their companies; defining sustainability as putting
first and foremost their stakeholders. Some do this by feeding the hungry in underdeveloped
countries or using only recycled material in their factories, but the bottom line is following the
triple bottom line. They don’t do this just to build a good reputation but because it truly leads to
innovation and growth of a company.
In recent years Amazon has made some efforts to become a more sustainable company.
For example, its shipping containers are composed of 43 percent recovered fiber content and the
air-filled cushions that are used to protect valuable items in shipment are 100 percent recyclable.
Amazon has also given consumers the initiative to choose how their shipments are processed by
giving them the option of a less intensive carbon shipping process. It has even improved a few of
its warehouses by installing machines and servers that run on clean energy (Global Warming).
However, even with all these efforts to improve sustainability Amazon still falls short against the
competition. They have been the target of criticism and rank near the bottom on Greenpeace
Green IT ranking, which measures the sustainability of a company (Greenpeace). Amazon is in
many ways a great company, but that’s it. It is not a reputable company. Only through the
imbedding of sustainable practices can Amazon become a company that appeals to our people
and environment.
To begin with, Amazon must let its stakeholders know that it has a plan and show its
current data so that it has a measure of improvement. One of the root causes for Amazon’s
criticism is due to its lack of transparency. Yet, how can they argue their position when they do
not publish a sustainability report and, “unlike more than two-thirds of S&P 500 companies, it
does not disclose its greenhouse gas emissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project” (Greenbiz).
Amazon should begin by disclosing this information to its stakeholders and declaring its plan
that will address the current issues. This requires the company to invest in research and
technology that can track their carbon emissions, toxic or non-toxic waste, and all of its energy
sources. By releasing this information to its stakeholders it shows there dedication to run a
sustainable establishment. Only after collecting the necessary data to can they develop the proper
plan and follow through, failing to do so will leave a stigma of carelessness. To continue growing
Amazon really needs to consider the importance it places on sustainability
After analyzing these issues, Amazon’s CEO and Corporate management have the
