Why having a sustainability strategy is important
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1. Amazon is committed to it…
- Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, a commitment to be net-zero carbon across its business by 2040.
- Amazon also supports sustainable products on its platform via its Climate Pledge Friendly programme with products that have qualified for this programme getting an extra badge so that consumers know they have made improvements in at least one aspect of sustainability.
2. It’s important for consumers…
- A 2021 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, commissioned by the Worldwide Wildlife Fund (WWF) showed that the popularity of Google searches relating to sustainable goods increased by 71% globally between 2016-2020.
3. Businesses and investors are already beginning to prioritise it…
- 12,000+ companies based in over 160 countries have signed up to the UN’s Global Compact, which supports companies in aligning their strategies and operations to make improvements in areas such as human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption
- And for any Sellers that have ever considered getting finance for their business: the International Monetary Fund notes that the size of sustainable investment funds more than doubled over the past 4 years to reach $3.6 trillion in 2020. (NB: Many countries also have tax grants and business schemes for sustainable companies).
4. And, most importantly, it’s the right thing to do…
- The latest report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that - “Climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the globe” and that human influence is contributing to this, particularly for ‘hot extremes’
- The United Nations Environment Programme states on its website that 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year and that if current plastic pollution trends continue, our oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050.
Given these points, any businesses that don’t create and act on a sustainability strategy not only put themselves at risk of being in the wrong place ethically but also risk losing out on customer groups and limiting their ability to grow.
Any Amazon FBA Seller who is seriously considering how they can future proof their business needs to have sustainability as part of their key business model - as the growing effects of pollution and climate change are likely to lead to tighter restrictions on products from not just Amazon but also suppliers, transport companies and governments.
However… We know that like everything in business, making an Amazon FBA brand sustainable is a lot easier said than done. So, as a business that is focused on acquiring and growing great Amazon FBA brands – we’ve gathered everything that we’ve learned from our team of business, marketing, operations and sustainability experts to provide a series of articles on how small to medium Amazon FBA Sellers can make their brand(s) better for the planet with practical, simple, achievable and immediate steps.
