Protecting natural resources

We strive to source and use natural resources like water, raw materials, and ingredients in a responsible way across our business and supply chain. We're also investing in conservation and restoration initiatives to support carbon emissions reductions, while protecting the natural world, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity.

Progress

$1B mobilized through the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance (LEAF) Coalition to protect tropical rainforests around the world

7B+ liters of water will be returned each year to local communities through AWS's water replenishment efforts

100% of Amazon private brand paper products in North America and Europe are either recycled or certified to Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification standards

Our approach

We invest in land conservation and restoration initiatives to mitigate carbon emissions across our business and supply chain, and also to help preserve the natural world. In our AWS data centers, we are investing in projects to reduce our water footprint, use more sustainable sources such as recycled water and harvested rainwater, and put discharged water back into our communities.

We have a commitment to make AWS water positive by 2030: returning more water to communities and the environment than we use in our data center operations. Guided by our Supply Chain Standards, we are committed to responsibly sourcing raw materials and ingredients used in our Amazon Private Brands products across categories, including apparel, grocery, home, electronics, and more.

Water stewardship

Water is essential for life, and we strive to use it efficiently across our operations. We’re using innovative technologies like evaporative cooling in data centers and low-flow fixtures to minimize consumption. In AWS data centers, we’re investing in projects to reduce our water footprint, use more-sustainable sources such as recycled water and harvested rainwater, and put discharged water back into our communities.

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Two people wash their hands in water basins.

Nature-based solutions

Amazon uses nature-based solutions to mitigate carbon emissions outside of our value chain and supplement the carbon-reduction efforts we’re driving across our operations. Nature-based solutions are conservation, restoration, and improved land management activities that increase carbon storage in areas such as forests, wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands. They have the additional benefit of helping to preserve the natural world by conserving wildlife habitats, protecting biodiversity, improving water quality, and reducing flood risk.

Nature-Based Solutions

Responsible sourcing

Across our business, we strive to support responsible supply chains and contribute to growing circular economies.

Protecting forests

To support the elimination of deforestation associated with raw materials and ingredients within our food and consumables Private Brands supply chains, Amazon has made commitments across the use of palm oil, paper and paper packaging, beef, soy, cocoa, coffee, and tea. In addition, learn more about our efforts to protect forests through nature-based solutions and our packaging progress in devices and delivery.

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Amazon Private Brands products

For our Amazon Private Brands products, we're working to enhance the certification and traceability of key raw materials and ingredients used. We participate in industry partnerships and working groups that drive greater adoption of sustainable and responsible practices. Amazon Private Brands consist of products across several categories, including apparel, grocery, home, electronics, and more. Explore our Private Brands on Amazon.com and Amazon Fresh.

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Body wash and body cream containers sit neatly on a bathroom sink countertop.

Several chocolate bars sit atop a table.

An overhead shot of a person sorting through cotton.

Materials and agricultural commodities sourcing

Outlined below are our goals and ambitions to source key commodities more responsibly. To see more details and the latest progress on meeting these goals, please reference our 2023 Sustainability Report. As used here, Whole Foods Market refers to Whole Foods Market in the U.S., except where stated otherwise.

Chemicals policy

Part of our commitment to quality is avoiding chemicals of concern in our products that can affect human health and/or the environment. We define chemicals of concern as those chemicals that:

meet the criteria for classification as a carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive or other systemic toxicant, or
are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic.

We use leading science and customer feedback to prioritize which chemicals of concern to focus on based on product type, customer concerns, and the availability of safer alternatives.