Can “Sustaining Innovation” Deliver Sustainability? Amazon’s Innovation Processes on Corporate Decarbonization

Abstract

Responding to climate change requires rapid changes in corporate practices. This article assesses how Amazon, known for its speed and innovation, has leveraged internal processes to transition toward “Net Zero Carbon” by 2040. It argues that industrial decarbonization has primarily involved “sustaining innovations” and then examines how Amazon’s internal mechanisms have been applied to sustainability—including efficiency improvements, lower-carbon substitutions, longer-term innovation investments, and engagements with their supply chains. Amazon’s experiences are relevant to corporations working to advance decarbonization. It concludes by offering lessons for managers about how to leverage innovation processes to advance climate goals.