- What is the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program?
- Why is the Climate Pledge Friendly Badge important?
- How do I qualify for the Climate Pledge Friendly program?
- Conclusion
Amazon launched the Climate Pledge Friendly program to encourage sellers and vendors to develop sustainable products. It's no secret that consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, influencing their purchasing habits and decisions.
With the help of the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, customers can quickly determine whether a product is sustainable or not. This can give you an advantage over your competition.
This article will explain the badge's benefits and how you can qualify for it.
What is the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program?
In 2019, Amazon partnered with Global Optimism to launch "The Climate Pledge." Amazon committed to powering its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. "Climate Pledge Friendly" is part of Amazon's commitment to reaching these goals.
The Climate Pledge Friendly label was introduced in 2020 and includes products certified by one or more sustainability certification providers. Additionally, Amazon has introduced its own certification called "Compact by Design."
The badge appears in multiple locations on the Amazon site:
- The Climate Pledge Friendly badge is displayed in search results:
- Customers see the badge on the product detail page, right next to the product images and below the product title:
By clicking on the badge, customers can view the specific certification of the product. The product qualifies for the label because it has been certified by the external service provider "Climate neutral by ClimatePartner:”
- In the mobile app, customers can filter their search for "Climate Pledge Friendly" products:
This is particularly crucial for products in niche categories where few or no products have a certification. Here, you can be the only one or one of the few competitors shown when a customer filters by the badge.
- Amazon has established its own Climate Pledge Friendly shop. As the name suggests, this shop only lists products with the badge:
If environmentally conscious customers only visit this shop and your products are not listed here, you miss out on a sales opportunity.
Why is the Climate Pledge Friendly Badge important?
The advantages of badges on Amazon, including the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, are numerous. Here, we have summarized the key benefits for you.
Sustainability certifications influence customers' search and purchasing behavior
Over time, consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious, which affects their search and purchasing behavior. With a Climate Pledge Friendly certification, you demonstrate to consumers that your brand is trustworthy and responsible. The certification assists customers in finding sustainable products by displaying certification labels from authorities, nonprofit organizations, or laboratories.
The market for sustainable products is growing and is expected to expand further. Therefore, you should seize the opportunity to make and market your products in an environmentally friendly way.
Climate Pledge Friendly products are gaining more and more attention
As shown in the previous section, the badge is displayed in various locations on Amazon. Customers see it in search results, product detail pages, or advertisements. They can filter for the badge or visit the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly shop directly.
Amazon is currently prioritizing this issue. Measures have already been taken, such as replacing the "free shipping" banner in ads with the "Climate Pledge Friendly" badge. Furthermore, products with the Climate Pledge Friendly badge are given priority in ranking.
There were only 19 certification bodies (including Compact by Design) when the program was introduced. Amazon now offers 42, and new ones are constantly being added.
Incorporate the Climate Pledge Friendly badge into your advertising efforts
With the Climate Pledge Friendly badge, you have the advantage of being able to promote your products as particularly sustainable. One meaningful measure could be creating a separate page dedicated to this topic in your Amazon Brand Store. On this page, you can promote your climate-friendly products and present your brand as environmentally conscious and trustworthy. This message resonates well, allowing you to stand out from the competition.
For example, the Honest company has created a dedicated page on sustainability in its Brand Store. The Honest company presents itself in an environmentally friendly manner and showcases the sustainability certification.
Amazon sellers and vendors have the opportunity to convey a sustainable brand image. Using appealing images, texts, and sustainability certification establishes a connection between the brand and the customer.
Another measure is to display the certification behind the Climate Pledge Friendly badge in various locations on the product detail page. For example, you can upload one or more badges as images among the Amazon product images, add the badge in A+ Content, or mention the badge in the product description.
Due to these advantages and measures, environmentally friendly products should increase clicks and purchases. Your organic ranking will likely improve as you receive more purchases and reviews in the long run. Additionally, brand perception can improve. Sustainable customers who are satisfied with your products will associate environmentally friendly products with your brand.
How do I qualify for the Climate Pledge Friendly program?
There are two options to obtain the Climate Pledge Friendly badge:
- Third-party Sustainability Certifications: You can qualify for the Climate Pledge Friendly badge by obtaining one or more sustainability certifications from recognized third-party providers. These certifications can come from authorities, non-profit organizations, or laboratories. By demonstrating the certification of your product, you show that it has sustainable attributes.
- Amazon Compact by Design Certification: "Compact by Design" is an Amazon-owned certification program. Compact by Design identifies products with efficient designs that require less packaging, making them more efficient for shipping.
Amazon Compact by Design
Through Compact by Design, sellers and vendors can participate in the Climate Pledge Friendly program even if they don't have certifications from external third-party providers. Additionally, the Compact by Design certification is free.
How do I obtain the Amazon "Compact by Design" badge?
Amazon provides the following tips to make your product more efficient:
- Reduce packaging, for example, by minimizing the use of filler materials.
- Minimize empty space within the packaging by ensuring a perfect fit.
- Optimize the shape of the product for efficient packaging in smaller boxes.
- Reduce the weight of the product by using lighter materials.
- Utilize waterless technology, such as offering solid soap instead of liquid shampoo.
- Offer concentrated products that can be diluted at home, reducing the need for larger packaging.
A product must meet specific "Efficiency per Unit" requirements to qualify for the certification.
The formula provided by Amazon calculates the volume and weight utilization per unit, with lower values indicating higher efficiency.
Amazon has established threshold values for each product category. Products with the highest efficiency within a category qualify for Compact by Design and receive the Climate Pledge Friendly badge. You can find the threshold values for each category summarized in this PDF document provided by Amazon.
If you are uncertain whether your product meets the requirements but has not yet been qualified, let's walk through the prerequisites step by step using an example:
Suppose we are selling a hair conditioner on Amazon. The bottle's packaging measures 6.77 inches in height, 2.87 inches in width, 2.01 inches in depth, and weighs 1.10 pounds. The bottle contains 16.91 fluid ounces (500 ml) of hair conditioner.
- In the fraction's denominator, we have the unit. Let's consult the PDF document to determine what unit corresponds. In our case, it is 0.17129922.
- Now, let's proceed with the calculation. We simply plug the numbers into the formula provided by Amazon and obtain a value of 0.150235.
- In the final step, we refer to the threshold values table to determine if the unit efficiency of our product is lower than the specified threshold value. In our example, this is the case (0.150235 < 0.17129922). Thus, our product qualifies for Compact by Design.
Taking the time to perform these calculations for your products is worthwhile. You may already meet the Compact by Design requirements without being aware. If your product does not currently meet the criteria, consider how you can make future products more efficient or improve the packaging of your existing product.
Sustainability Certification by Third-Party Providers
In addition to the Amazon-owned Compact by Design certification, Amazon has partnered with the following external certification providers:
- BIFMA LEVEL
- Blue Angel
- Bluesign
- Carbonfree Certified
- CarbonNeutral product by Climate Impact Partners
- Carbon Neutral by Carbon Trust
- Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services
- Certified Animal Welfare Approved
- Climate neutral by ClimatePartner
- Compact by Design
- Cradle to Cradle Certified
- U.S. EPA Design for the Environment
- ECOLOGE
- ENERGY STAR Most Efficient
- EPEAT
- EU Organic
- EWG Verified
- Fair Trade Certified
- Fair for Life
- Fairtrade International
- Fair Rubber
- The Forest Stewardship Council
- Global Organic Textile Standard
- Global Recycled Standard
- Green Seal
- GreenCircle Certified
- ISCC PLUS
- Leather Working Group
- MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX
- MADE SAFE
- Natrue
- Nordic Swan Ecolabel
- Organic Content Standard 100
- Organic Content Standard Blended
- Pre-owned Certified
- Rainforest Alliance
- Recycled Claim Standard
- Recycled Content Certification
- Reducing C02
- Regenerative Organic Certified
- Responsible Wool Standard
- U.S. EPA Safer Choice
- Soil Association
- USDA Organic
- TCO Certified
- WaterSense
Here →, you can find a list of all certifications allowed by Amazon for the Climate Pledge Friendly badge. Click on the name of the provider to be redirected to their website. There, you will find information about the requirements for each certificate and how to apply.
Now, let's assume you already have a certification from an external provider and would like to submit it to Amazon to display the Climate Pledge Friendly badge on your products. To request the logo, download the Climate Pledge Friendly product template: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/02/CPF/CPFSelection/CPF-Product-Template.xlsx
Products must be certified at the individual product level
It is not enough for your brand or packaging to have a certification. Each product must have its own certification.
The template is specific to one certification. If multiple products have received the same certification, you can certify them collectively using one template. However, if your products have various certifications, you must fill out a new template for each additional certification.
On the second page of the Excel sheet, enter the following information:
- EAN/UPC/GTIN/JAN: Select a type from the dropdown menu.
- External Product ID: Enter the number of the EAN/UPC/GTIN/JAN here.
- ASIN
- Brand Name
- Product Title
- Marketplace
- Certification Level
- License or Label Number
- Certification Standard
- Certification Agent or Institute
- Expiration Date
- Product Composition
Any errors, such as incorrect formatting or missing information, will be highlighted on the third page of the Excel file.
Once you have filled out the table for all your products, go to Seller or Vendor Central, click "Help," and then "Contact Us." Select "Manage Catalog Data" and choose "Climate Pledge Friendly / Compact by Design." Upload the Excel sheet and describe your case.
Conclusion
The Climate Pledge Friendly program was launched to encourage sellers and vendors to develop sustainable products. With the help of the Climate Pledge Friendly logo, Amazon customers can instantly recognize that a product is sustainable and fair. The label signifies that a product has one or more third-party sustainability certifications or meets the requirements for Compact by Design.
By obtaining certification, you signal your customers that your products protect human and labor rights while preserving the natural environment. This message resonates with consumers, allowing you to differentiate yourself from the competition. This is especially impactful because the certification is displayed in various prominent positions on Amazon. Customers can see it in search results, access additional sustainability information on the product detail page, filter products based on the badge, or visit the Climate Pledge Friendly shop that sells only certified sustainable products.
Seizing this opportunity and making your products environmentally friendly and positioned accordingly is crucial. Make an effort to obtain the badge and then showcase it effectively. Add the Climate Pledge Friendly logo to your product images, A+ content, or product descriptions. The badge will benefit you in the long term in terms of conversion rate, impressions, reviews, and more.
