June 27th, 2021
According to data recently released by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2020 was one of the hottest years in recorded history, and scientists across the globe agree that we need to take steps to combat the effects of climate change. With all the talk of the rapidly changing global climate on our planet, and the detrimental effects that globalization and industrialization are having on Mother Earth, both businesses and consumers are trying to find more eco-friendly and sustainable ways to source, create, supply, and buy products that can help reduce our carbon footprint.
The Climate Pledge
In an effort to be greener, Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge initiative in 2019, and launched a brand new initiative called the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Badge. The goal is to be carbon net-zero across the business by 2040. Amazon is actively creating new ways for sellers to join their initiative to promote environmentally sustainable business practices.
In the last few years, Amazon has launched a few different sustainability initiatives, including drone and electric vehicle delivery as well as solar-powered fulfillment centers and Frustration-Free Packaging. The latest initiative is the Climate Pledge Friendly badge.
“Customers will now see the Climate Pledge Friendly label when searching for more than 25,000 products to signify that the products have one or more of 19 different sustainability certifications that help preserve the natural world, such as reducing the carbon footprint of shipments to customers,” Amazon announced in its Day One blog announcement.
Sellers will now have the possibility of obtaining an Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly badge on their listings if the product in question meets the eco-friendly standards for eligibility. Amazon has already created a dedicated storefront for the program, which allows shoppers to browse by category or search for specific products that have the green new label. According to Amazon, the badge can already be found on about 25,000 listings. Current Amazon customers can already see this label in action across all categories and products, from toothpaste to your favorite snacks. If you would like to know more about how to garner this coveted badge, then read on.
What is the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Badge?
Amazon actively works with 18 independent third-party sustainability certifications, such as the Rainforest Alliance, Bluesign, and Energy Star products to help certify products as climate friendly. A wide range of non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and independent laboratories, each with their own certification requirements are all reviewing products carefully to ensure that the standards to meet the Climate Pledge Friendly Badge are fulfilled.
Each organization that Amazon works with represents “certifications that are reputable, transparent, and have a focus on preserving the natural world,” says Amazon. As the initiative grows, Amazon will potentially add more certifications by evaluating and assessing other partnerships that can help further the cause to combat ecologically unsustainable business practices.
The 19th certification is Amazon’s own sustainability certification criteria called Compact by Design. The goal of this program is to identify products that are designed more efficiently and require less packaging to reduce waste and our carbon footprint. By removing excess air and water, products will need less packaging and will be more efficient to ship. At the end of the day, these small product size and weight differences will lead to significant reduction of carbon emissions, and every little step helps to make a big change.
Who's Eligible for the Badge?
If you are already an Amazon seller or vendor, then you have the option to enroll eligible products at your fingertips! Enrolling a product into the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program is quick and easy. To qualify for the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly badge, a seller's products must meet one or more of 19 sustainability certifications. Simply check to see if your product meets at least one of the certifications listed on the program’s page, including Amazon’s Compact by Design certification. If your product meets one of the certifications, then it may be eligible to display the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly badge
Another thing that a seller should do is to carefully review the current list of sustainability certifications to see if you already sell a product that has one of these designations. If you already have a product with one of these designations, then no further action is needed. If your product has a designation, but the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly Badge is not automatically displayed, then you can simply contact seller or vendor support to request that the badge be added to your listing.
Great news! There is no fee currently required to enroll eligible products into the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program.
Potential Benefits for Sellers
If you have any additional questions or want to learn more about these new Amazon programs and the qualification criteria, you can contact our team of Amazon experts directly, or you can visit Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly page to find more information on the program.