Monday 25 July 2022

Amazon offers $20,000 to small businesses for innovative sustainable products

Amazon has launched a new programme that will provide $20,000 to up to five small businesses that offer innovative products built with sustainability in mind.

The Products for Tomorrow programme will support US companies with products that are innovative in design, materiality or chemistry, “making them highly effective and desirable”.

The selected businesses will receive the grant, access to the Amazon Launchpad programme, guidance and assistance with sustainability certifications and product placement opportunities for their winning products in multiple Amazon storefronts this fall.

They will receive an assessment and funding for carbon-neutral certification for one year.

A recent study by Amazon found 30% of customers surveyed were buying what they considered to be more sustainable products.

Cyrus Wadia, Director of Product Sustainability at Amazon said: “We know customers want more-sustainable products, and we’ve set out to deliver this through large programmes like Climate Pledge Friendly and Amazon Aware.

“As we grow these programmes, we are constantly looking for ways to support our smaller selling partners and brands. Products for Tomorrow allows us to reward innovative products with sustainability attributes from smaller brands and provide them additional support to connect into our larger retail shopping programmes.”