;s just part of our overall commitment to help customers make those more informed shopping choices,” Aley Hammer, head of sustainability at Amazon Australia, told Inside Retail. According to Hammer, the Climate Pledge Friendly program, like all of Amazon’s programs, was born from consumer demand. Prior to the launch of the program, Amazon consumers had to use key search terms like ‘organic’, ‘non-toxic’ and ‘sustainable’ to try and find eco-conscious products on the online marketplace. “We’re really just simplifying the shopping experience for that conscious consumer and also giving these brands, sellers and vendors who are making huge efforts the opportunity to be showcased,” Hammer elaborated. “This is the first time we’ve been able to easily provide an awesome shopping experience that allows that conscious consumer to filter for sustainable products,” she added. Certified green badge At launch, Amazon Australia had 180,000 products in its storefront that were part of the Climate Pledge Friendly program – and it anticipates for that number to only grow. “We are going to be going big. We have big goals – we are definitely going to be growing this program, so keep an eye out, there’ll be many more products, this is just the beginning,” stated Hammer. Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly products are verified by one of 38 globally recognised third-party certifications, including governmental agencies, non-profits and independent laboratories such as Rainforest Alliance, OEKO-TEX, or Recycled Claim Standard 100. Eligible products that are part of the program are clearly marked with a leaf icon, accompanied by a drop-down option that allows shoppers to easily explore each product’s sustainability features and corresponding third-party certifications. “The overseas success of the Climate Pledge Friendly program shows that an increasing number of customers are seeking more sustainable products,” Janet Menzies, country manager of Amazon Australia, said in a statement. According to Amazon, globally in 2023, more than 1.4 million products were available for purchase from the Climate Pledge Friendly program and 1.16 billion Climate Pledge Friendly units were sold in 2024.  On average, products that qualify for the Climate Pledge Friendly program in the US and Europe see a more than 12 per cent sales lift within the first year of becoming eligible. The bigger picture The Climate Pledge Friendly program is one of the many environmental initiatives Amazon has rolled out to meet its sustainability goals. “We’ve got so many amazing programs here at Amazon that are tailored to that conscious consumer,” shared Hammer. In 2023, Amazon achieved its goal of matching 100 per cent of its global electricity consumption with renewable energy, seven years ahead of schedule. “This is all a part of Amazon’s work towards our overall goal, which is our big commitment to reach that net zero carbon by 2040,” concluded Hammer. If achieved, this would put Amazon a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. The company is committed to taking steps to reduce packaging, minimise waste, increase recycling and provide options for customers to reuse, repair and recycle products with its Amazon Resale and Amazon Renewed programs. “Wherever Amazon can control fulfilment and product packaging, we’ve really tried to up our game to stop using single-use plastic with anything in the Australian distribution network,” concluded Hammer.