4,268 (and counting)... That's the number of Amazon employees asking CEO Jeff Bezos and the Board to be more woke. And they all signed the letter. Their demand: Amazon adopt a "company-wide climate plan" to make the ecommerce icon a better global citizen.
Good timing... Tech comrades at competitors have successfully forced their companies to change policies on sexual harassment and AI ethics. Here's what the Amazonians want:
- 100% renewable energy: Amazon's failed to set a date to achieve it. Facebook and Google have.
- Cloud for Oil & Gas: Amazon Web Services (its cloud division) has special services to help energy companies slurp out more oil from the earth.
- Political donations: The Amazonians list 68 members of Congress that get Amazon donations who are solidly against climate change action.
Sustainability is Amazon's liability... "The Everything Store" has stellar likeability ratings (2019's #2 best corporate reputation). That's despite its business model's impact on Earth. With companies held more accountable for social issues, consumers could push back on ecommerce's carbon footprint: Amazon packing one pen in a desk-sized cardboard box.