Amazon announced the launch of the Sustainability Exchange, a new platform offering free access to sustainability tools and resources used by the company to decarbonize its operations, aimed at sharing its learnings and experiences to help other companies – particularly those in its supply chain – to address their climate footprint.

The launch of the new platform follows Amazon’s co-founding, alongside climate change-focused organization Global Optimism, of the Climate Pledge, calling on companies to commit to achieve net zero carbon across their businesses by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Accord’s 2050 target, and to agree to steps including measuring and reporting on GHG emissions, implementing decarbonization strategies, and neutralizing any remaining emissions with high quality offsets.

In its own efforts to reach its 2040 net zero goal, Amazon highlighted a series of initiatives it has followed, including rolling out more than 24,000 electric delivery vehicles, building its new HQ2 headquarters that achieved LEED Platinum certification, developing sustainable product and packaging materials, and matching 100% of its electricity use across global operations with renewable energy.

In a post announcing the launch of the new Sustainability Exchange, Amazon Chief Sustainability Officer Kara Hurst said:

“It’s taken thousands of engineers, researchers and scientists, hundreds of thousands of hours, and billions of dollars to get to where we are today. We’ve learned a lot. We could keep those learnings to ourselves, but we know that achieving net-zero will require collective action from those that supply our operations. And we’re in a unique position to help drive significant global change.”

The new platform will initially offer resources on seven key focus areas, including Buildings, Carbon Neutralization, Carbon-Free Energy, Human Rights, Transportation, Waste and Circularity, and Water Stewardship. Some of the key tools available on the exchange include Carbon Measurement and Reporting and Renewable Energy Playbooks, offering information on developing carbon goals, identifying abatement opportunities, measuring and reporting sustainability data, and lessons learned from buying renewable energy, a guide to buildings, and a guide to establishing a water stewardship program.

Amazon announced the launch of the new platform with the release of its 2023 Sustainability Report, which also included an expectation for the company’s key suppliers to provide decarbonization plans. The company said that it is already working with many of these suppliers on reducing emissions, and that it will continue engaging with them and sharing learnings through the new Sustainability Exchange.

Hurst said:

“Fighting climate change will take more than just Amazon, and we’re excited to work even more closely with our suppliers in the days and years to come. Collectively, these steps will not only serve as an important part in meeting our own net-zero carbon goals, but will help create the lasting impact needed to combat climate change overall.”