Amazon.com

No publicly available information was found regarding Amazon’s overall commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment across its full value chain. The company does not disclose how it integrates these issues into its governance structure, strategy, processes or management systems, or how it engages with stakeholders to manage and improve its gender impacts. However, it is a signatory to the WISE Ten Steps, a framework that helps businesses improve the recruitment, retention and progression of women.

There is no information available to suggest the company has a grievance mechanism that reflects an understanding of gender roles and the inequalities women face in the workplace, for instance by allowing concerns to be reported confidentially and anonymously to someone other than a direct supervisor. However, suppliers are required to have both their own grievance mechanisms in place for workers to raise concerns as well as an effective process to investigate and address these concerns. Furthermore, subcontractors must have a mechanism in place to allow workers to report their concerns to management teams above the subcontractor.

The company screens for gender-related issues among its suppliers as part of its audit processes, including sexual harassment and discrimination against women based on their pregnancy and marital status. It also requires corrective action to be taken if these issues are identified.

Amazon considers the fair representation of women in the workplace and publicly discloses the gender composition across various levels of leadership at least annually. With a workforce that is 43% female, the company currently maintains gender balance – 40-60% women – among its board members (50%). However, women are underrepresented among senior executives (17%) and managers (28%). The company offers professional development programmes with specific support for women through initiatives such as leaders’ workshops focused on gender diversity at its AmazeCon conference. Its AmazeWIT conference in India also brings together women working in technology. No information was found regarding the gender balance of the company’s workforce across occupational function or the gender breakdown of employee turnover or absenteeism rates.

In the supply chain, Amazon requires its suppliers to have a non-discrimination policy that explicitly protects pregnant and married women workers, and it asserts that suppliers must not issue their workers mandatory pregnancy tests or any other medical tests that could be used in a discriminatory manner. Amazon does not indicate whether it procures from women-owned businesses, though the company has taken specific actions to increase support for women entrepreneurs. For example, in India, Amazon Saheli sources from and offers a wide selection of products, including clothing and accessories, made by women entrepreneurs. The company has also partnered with Nest, a non-profit focused on improving the well-being of women artisans.

While no details were available regarding recognition agreements with local trade unions or collective bargaining agreements currently in place, suppliers are expected to respect the rights of workers to establish and join organisations free from harassment or intimidation.

Amazon reports on its gender pay gap in the United Kingdom, thereby complying with national regulation, but there is no information regarding how the company specifically addresses the global gender pay gap to ensure its women employees around the world receive fair compensation for their work.

In terms of family-friendly benefits, the company provides 20 weeks of paid leave to birth mothers, including four weeks of pre-partum leave, and six weeks of paid carer leave to non-birth parents as well as monitors the number of employees who take advantage of this policy. Employees may also share parental leave with their partners who do not receive paid leave from their own employers. Moreover, Amazon’s Ramp Back programme allows employees to return to work on a flexible schedule for eight weeks after leave. The company provides childcare facilities for employees based at its new headquarters in the United States and assists them in finding off-site childcare. However, no information was found to indicate that it offers employees flexible working options.

In the supply chain, Amazon requires suppliers to extend workers formal contracts and pay workers the legal minimum wage, rather than a living wage. Suppliers are also required to enrol in the Better Work programme and evaluate whether workers’ salaries cover their basic needs. Furthermore, the company encourages suppliers to provide maternity leave but does not require them to do so. No details were available regarding how Amazon considers other key family-friendly benefits such as childcare and other family support to relieve workers’ unpaid care burden.

No information was found to suggest that Amazon covers any additional costs surrounding the maternal, sexual and reproductive health needs specific to its women employees. The company covers some mental health services by offering employees in its fulfilment centres 24-hour access to a counselling hotline, though there are no details to indicate that this service is not available to all employees.

In the supply chain, the company requires suppliers to provide their workers with a safe and healthy work environment, including access to drinking water and personal protective equipment as well as training on the correct use of the equipment and educational materials on associated risks. It also requires suppliers to provide transportation to and from work facilities, if these are not within a reasonable walking distance. Furthermore, the company encourages suppliers to monitor workplace health and safety risks that may impact pregnant women and nursing mothers, take reasonable steps to reduce these risks and inform workers of any hazards.

Amazon has not made a public commitment to provide workers with gender-responsive health information and services, for example by requiring suppliers to have an on-site clinic with credentialed health providers. While the company collaborates with the HERproject run by BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), which includes a health dimension to empower women workers, there are no details available to indicate how Amazon’s own women supply chain workers benefit with regard to their health and well-being.

Amazon seeks to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace and asserts that it does not tolerate any discrimination or harassment of any kind. In the supply chain, the company prohibits suppliers from engaging in violence or harassment, including sexual harassment. It also encourages suppliers to provide non-discrimination and harassment training.

However, no details were found regarding the company’s effective remedy for violence and harassment grievances reported by its employees or supply chain workers, such as not requiring private arbitration or silencing agreements.

No information was found regarding how Amazon addresses non-discriminatory practices in marketing and advertising, for example by committing to avoid harmful gender stereotypes or ensuring gender-responsive communications and engagement with its customers to support gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Amazon drives support for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the communities where it operates in various ways. For instance, the Amazon Women in Engineering programme engages in community outreach to increase the number of young women entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. The Women@Amazon affinity group is also committed to attracting, developing and retaining more women in both tech and non-tech roles. Further, the company runs Girls Write Now, a programme to mentor underserved young women through writing, and Mary’s Place, which provides shelter and services to women, children and families experiencing homelessness.

Amazon has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing scalable and reliable cloud computing services and technical support through its Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help customers with their research, remote work and learning. For its employees, support includes the distribution of masks and protective gear, scalable testing for the virus, a one-time bonus totalling over $500 million and paid time off for those diagnosed with COVID-19. Furthermore, the company offers full- and part-time permanent Amazon and Whole Foods Market employees ten days of subsidised childcare or adult care. It has also established the $20 million AWS Diagnostic Development Initiative to accelerate COVID-19 research and donated nearly $23 million to relief organisations supporting those most affected by the pandemic in Europe.