Making the Green: Profit vs Plant
All businesses have a responsibility not only to their owners or shareholders, but to their people and, more importantly, to the planet. In it’s simplest terms, this idea can be broken out as the 3Ps: people, profit and planet. Or, you might hear the “sustainability” term used to describe a company’s efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as it can. Just as important as making a profit is the significance of a company’s social responsibility – meaning it behooves a company to be cognizant of its existence within the community and, as such, they are there not only to boost their margins but are also entrusted to make a difference in both their employee’s lives and the planet itself.
For example, let’s look at one company specifically. Amazon is a global leader with respect to, really, anything you need. Music, movies, clothing, furniture, books (which is where they started) – prime members can get most items delivered to them the next day and sometimes even the same day. How does Amazon achieve this? How do they retain hard-working employees and create a safe work environment for them? Also, what are their goals and targets with respect to the planet? Let’s first look at the investments in their employees. Without happy and engaged employees, the profits will not come.
Amazon is ethically responsible with respect to their employees. Their investment in them can be quantified to depict Amazon’s commitment to their team members. 100% of full time employees receive comprehensive benefits from onboarding. They are entitled to 20 weeks paternal leave time with the arrival of a new child. Amazon employees 30K veterans and military spouses. They employ nearly 900K individuals either at full time or part time positions. Further, they invest in $700M in skill training for their employees to learn, grow and enhance their knowledge within the company. The starting pay for entry level positions of full or part time is $15/ hour nationwide. That all being said, Amazon takes care of the people, invests deeply in them and understands they are the backbone behind the corporation’s success.
Well what about the planet? Let’s examine that, too. Packaging is the first way in which Amazon is responsible. The company has been working to redesign their packaging to allow safe travels for the product within the box as well as environmentally – responsible ideas for the box itself. In other words, Amazon uses “…a science-based approach that combines lab testing, machine learning, materials science, and manufacturing partnerships to scale sustainable change…” (Amazon Sustainability, 2021). They continue to learn how to find the best fit for the product you’re ordering while designing packaging that is of the least waste potential.
In other aspects of global responsibility, they have a target to reach net zero carbon across their footprint by 2040, one decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. They continue on the track to reach 100% renewable energy by 2025. They purchased over 100K electric vehicles for their Prime Fleet. Also, they’ve invested $100 million in reforestation projects and climate mitigation solutions (Amazon Sustainability, 2021).
The only time I can recall where Amazon conducted itself in a manner that was socially or ethically inappropriate was when they were looking to change their logo. In January of this year, Amazon altered their logo with a colorful blue strip of tape on the icon that bore an unfortunate resemblance – Adolph Hitler. As one might imagine, outcry through social media was immense and Amazon quickly changed it. Amazon’s engagement with their customers through social media outlets is what helped them change their logo swiftly as to not have it affect their bottom line.
But do you feel the company is “green” for profit or “green” for the environment? I feel, as Alex’s Ted talk referenced, that Amazon is a company that takes pride in their people. They provide solid benefits and further training opportunities to their staff to help them grow either at Amazon or if they move on to another company. They also take pride in their commitment to the planet, reducing carbon footprints by redesigning packaging, purchasing electric vehicles and are tracking to reach full renewable energy within the next four years. Sure, Amazon’s profit is what gets the major headlines, but their commitment to their people and the planet should not go unnoticed.
References:
n.d. Amazon. All In: Staying the Course on Our Commitment to Sustainability.sustainabilityaboutamazon.com Retrieved from:https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/?energyType=true&workerCount=true&engagementProgram=true&productCategory=true
Gartenberg, Chaim. 1 Mar 2021. Amazon shaves app icon mustache that raised eyebrows. theverge.com Retrieved from: https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2021/3/1/22307870/amazon-new-app-icon-mustache-shave-change-design-update
