Circular certifications: Amazon and Ellen MacArthur Foundation scale planet-friendly e-commerce packaging

09 Jun 2023 --- Amazon is expanding its partnership with the non-profit Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch and scale circular economy solutions across its businesses and product offerings. The collaboration will focus on certifications for products with circular attributes.

The certifications are intended to qualify for inclusion into its Climate Pledge Friendly program, which helps customers discover more sustainable products by labeling items with sustainability certifications.

Along with the foundation, the e-commerce giant is working with two certification organizations – the NSF, which develops public health standards and services that help protect the environment, and SCS Global Services.

“As one of the biggest companies in the world, Amazon has the ability to innovate and influence on a global scale,” Joe Murphy, executive lead of network at Ellen MacArthur Foundation tells PackagingInsights.

“We’re looking forward to working with their teams on a range of projects from packaging to product design certifications, as well as re-commerce. Together, we will find new opportunities in the space where the circular economy and climate action intersect.”

Amazon aims to progress toward its Climate Pledge, which commits to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through third-party certifications. The goal is to establish key circular attributes for products and reward intentional packaging design that supports circularity.

The foundation’s plastics initiative is also working with reuse partners and experts to develop a vision for scaling returnable packaging systems. Amazon and Amazon Web Services Global Impact Computing Teams support this work with future visualization and analytical modeling to show how scaled reuse systems can perform economically, environmentally and experientially compared to single-use packaging.

Amazon aims to progress toward its Climate Pledge, which commits to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 through third-party certifications.Chasing arrows
Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly initiative informs shoppers of products certified either by an external certification, including governmental agencies, non-profits and independent laboratories or through two of its own certifications – Compact by Design and Pre-owned Certified.

The multinational company details that these certifications aim to provide customers with the information they need to make a more circular choice. They will also encourage brands, original equipment manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and e-commerce platforms to create products designed according to circular economy principles.

“Circular economy initiatives are integral to meeting our Climate Pledge goal, and as with many aspects of sustainability, industry standards and collaboration are also essential,” says Rich Loretto, director of circular economy at Amazon. 

“The foundation has done amazing research and work to create frameworks for us all to work toward. Its advice will be extremely valuable as we work on our initiatives, and its network will help to ensure those initiatives can scale to have a greater impact across the industry.”

Last December, Amazon invested in optimizing its packaging suite to minimize the amount of paper it uses for each package, saving approximately 60,000 metric tons of cardboard annually. The e-commerce multinational created a Frustration-Free Packaging program to reduce packaging and provide customers with easy-to-open, recyclable packaging.

It has also been implementing machine learning to help determine which products are suitable for flexible packaging. The technology informs which packages – such as padded mailers and bags, up to 75% lighter than similar-sized boxes – can be transitioned into more environmentally sustainable options. 

Industry collaboration
Amazon and Ellen MacArthur Foundation emphasize that the circular economy relies on cross-sectoral collaboration, adoption and scale. The circular economy relies on cross-sectoral collaboration, adoption and scale.

“We are excited to start working with Amazon on a range of circular economy initiatives – the company’s influence, ability to innovate and capacity to scale solutions means there is huge scope to drive real transformational change,” remarks Murphy. 

“We have already started and are looking forward to supporting [Amazon’s] circular economy journey with our long-term collaboration.”

The foundation recently introduced the Circular Startup Index to help businesses search and pick from an evolving database of start-ups driving a circular economy across different sectors, industries and geographies. 

Discussing circularity
On June 28, PackagingInsights will host a webinar titled “Top Packaging Trends 2023: How can industry achieve the circular economy?” 

With industry experts we will look at Innova Market Insights’ top five packaging trends for this year, with “Plastics Circularization” taking the lead spot. We will debate the viability of turning our linear economy into a loop, whether this is even possible, and how start-up and mainstream packaging innovators are rising to the challenge. 

We will also discuss how circularity efforts are impacting greenwashing litigation, boosting renewable material sourcing, and how connected technologies and reusable designs are aiding the industry’s transition toward a more sustainable future.

By Radhika Sikaria