Amazon Australia
Online store
Amazon massively expanded in Australian presense in 2017, when amazon.com.au started up

Overall

Owned USA
Rating F
About the Ratings

Company Ownership

Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd
AUS
Amazon.com Inc
owns 100% of Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd
USA
Online shopping
Founded in 1994, today it is the world's largest online retailer. The company also produces consumer electronics including the Kindle e-book reader, and provides cloud computing services. Acquired US organic food specialist Whole Foods for US$13.7 billion in 2017 to expand its grocery operations.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Oct 2024)
Amazon Commercial Services Pty Ltd
Praise
3/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 3 (Advanced) in its 2024 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2024)
Criticism
Workers rights in Australia
Workers at this company claim that the workplace is built around a culture of fear where performance is timed to the second with are high pressure targets and 'abusive' supervision. Workers are 100% labour hire casuals and are not employed directly by the company so that Amazon has no legal obligation to them in regards to unfair dismissal or any sense of job security.
Source: ABC (2019)
Tax dodging in Australia
Amazon has paid little tax in Australia since setting up its local online retail business, its financial accounts show, with possibly hundreds of millions of dollars flowing offshore last year. The company has used a range of tactics and loopholes to legally reduce the income taxes it pays around the world. Amazon Australia has three local entities with combined revenues of more than $1 billion but a combined tax bill of just over $20 million in 2018.
Source: ABC (2020)
Information
Workers rights in Australia
Amazon Australia's Flex delivery service, described by some drivers as "Uber for parcels", has come under fire for unfair working conditions for its delivery contractors. A 2021 investigation by the ABC heard from multiple drivers that describe low pay, unreasonable expectations and unsafe working conditions. Drivers are paid $108 to deliver 30-40 packages in a 4-hour block.
Source: ABC (2021)
Renewable energy use
Greenpeace's Reenergise campaign ranks Australia's biggest electricity using companies on their commitments and actions regarding renewable energy use. This company has committed to powering their operations by 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and signed at least one power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power from a wind or solar project. However they have not invested in on-site solar.
Amazon.com Inc
Praise
CDP Climate Change score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of B.
Source: CDP (2023)
100% on Corporate Equality Index
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Turkmen Cotton Pledge signatory
This company has signed the Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Turkmen cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Turkmenistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. Each cotton season, Turkmen public sector workers are forced by the government to fulfill cotton picking quotas and private businesses are forced to contribute to the efforts financially or with labor. This places a huge burden on the health, education, and general well-being of Turkmen citizens.
10.5/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2023 and received a score of 10.5/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
JUST Capital ranking
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2024 rankings the public identified 20 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 212th of 937 companies, and 6th of 42 Retail companies.
Criticism
13.5% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 13.5%.
3/18 in Net Zero scorecard
As You Sow's 2022 report, 'Road to Zero Emissions', assessed the progress of 55 of the largest U.S. corporations in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the Paris Agreement's objective of limiting global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, which requires achieving "net zero" emissions by 2050. Companies are graded on: climate related disclosures; GHG reduction targets, and GHG reductions. This company received an Overall Net Zero grade of F.
F grade in Plastic Promises Scorecard
As You Sow's 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard measures the corporate ambition and action of 225 large companies across six industries on six core pillars of plastic packaging pollution prevention: 1) Recyclability, 2) Reduction, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Recovery, 5) Reuse, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of F.
Efforts to pay a living wage
The Clean Clothes Campaign report, Tailored Wages 2019 analyses responses from 32 top clothing brands about their progress in implementing a living wage for the workers who produce their clothes. This company received the lowest possible grade in the report, meaning they produced no evidence that any worker making their clothes was paid a living wage anywhere in the world.
Data privacy fine in Europe
In 2021 this company was hit with a record 746 million euros fine for allegedly breaking European Union data protection laws. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules requires companies to seek people's consent before using their personal data.
Source: BBC (2021)
Worker mistreatment
Amazon staff work in a punishing environment - hours are long and impossible targets are set. The unpacking, movement, and repackaging of goods is relentless, and increased to levels that employees struggle to meet. It also has a ruthless 'three strikes and you're out policy' - where staff who do not meet these targets are sacked straight off the bat.
29.7% in conflict minerals rankings
As You Sow's 2019 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 215 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was 29.7% (Weak).
Forced labour in China
The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including brands owned by this company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's 2020 report estimates (somewhat conservatively) that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps.
Source: ASPI (2020)
25% in Big Tech Scorecard
Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) evaluates and ranks 14 of the world's most powerful digital platforms on their policies and practices affecting people's rights to freedom of expression and privacy. In RDR's 2022 Big Tech Scorecard, none of the digital platforms earned a passing grade. This company ranked last, with a total score of 25/100.
Top 10 Corporate Criminal of 2017
This company appeared on Global Exchange's list of "10 Top Corporate Criminals of 2017" for poor labor conditions and unjust treatment of workers and for putting local small and mid-sized stores out of business, destroying local retail jobs and thriving downtowns.
Tax avoidance
Ethical Consumer in the UK are calling for a boycott on Amazon for tax avoidance. What singles Amazon out as a consumer-facing tax avoider is not just its size and market power, but the fact that its whole business model appears to be built around tax avoidance as a way of competing on price.
Fined for abusing market position in Italy
In 2021 Amazon was fined 1.13 billion euros by Italy's competition and market authority (AGCM) which has found that Amazon has abused its dominant market position and pushed third-party sellers to use the company's logistics service Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). Third-party sellers don't get the same treatment if they're leveraging FBA or using their own logistics stack.
Make Amazon Pay campaign
The Make Amazon Pay campaign brings together over 80 organisations to demand the world's largest retailer improve worker conditions, lessen its carbon footprint and pay more in taxes.
"Net zero" greenwash
'The Big Con' is a 2021 report by Corporate Accountability, Friends of the Earth and others that makes clear that Big Polluters' idea of "net zero" is part of their continued plan to protect deeply unjust global systems, distract from taking the real action needed, and to evade responsibility for the climate crisis and to continue to pollute. This company was named in the report as one whose "net zero" climate commitments are anything but real action.
15.1% in Human Rights Benchmark
The 2022 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 127 companies in the food and agriculture, ICT and automotive manufacturing sectors on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 15.1%. The overall average score was a disappointing 17.3% and the highest score was 50.3%.
0% in Sustainable Cotton Ranking
The 2020 Sustainable Cotton Ranking, published by WWF, Solidaridad and the Pesticide Action Network UK analysed the 77 largest cotton users among international apparel brands and retailers, reviewing their policies, actual uptake of more sustainable cotton and transparency in their supply chains. According to the report, this company is "not yet started" with a score of 0%. The average score was 18.2% and the highest score was 79.2%.
Workers rights in China
A 2023 report by China Labor Watch investigated labour conditions in China's consumer electronics sector using three stages of research: analysis of social media posts, case studies through online research, and in-person factory investigation. Labour abuses in factories supplying this company were identified in multiple social media posts. Labour abuses include discrimination, illegal use of student interns, deception, wage theft and wage arrear.
13/100 in Ethical Fashion Report
Baptist World Aid Australia's '2024 Ethical Fashion Report' assessed 120 companies on their efforts to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation in their supply chains, as well as protect the environment from the harmful impacts of the fashion industry. Assessment criteria fall into five main categories: policy & governance, tracing & risk, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental sustainability. This company received a score of 13/100. The average score was 31.3 and the highest score was 90.
Excessive CEO pay
As You Sow's 2023 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Andrew R. Jassy came in at number 9 on the list, having been paid US$212,701,169 in 2022. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
Political donations
This company is on OpenSecrets.org's list of "Top Donors", a list of the 100 biggest givers in US federal-level politics since 1990. Companies on this list lobby and spend big, with large sums sent to candidates, parties and leadership PACs. This company comes in at number 97 on the list, with contributions totalling $29,982,223 between 1990 and 2020.
22/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 22/100 in the Retailing category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Top spender on lobbying in USA
This company is on OpenSecrets.org's list of "Top Spenders on Lobbying", a list of the 20 organizations that have spent the most trying to influence US government policy. This company comes in at number 11 on the list, having spent $14,430,000 on lobbying in 2020.
Retirement plan investments
The Invest Your Values Corporate Retirement Plan Sustainability Scorecard by As You Sow rates retirement plans on seven environmental and social sustainability issues. This company's default corporate retirement plan offered to employees is the Vanguard Target Retirement Fund which is rated Fair for gender equality and civilian firearms, and Poor for fossil fuels, deforestation, prison industrial complex, military weapons and tobacco. This retirement plan has millions of dollars invested in fossil fuels, deforestation-risk agribusiness, and arms manufacturers.
Fined $46.7m for patent infringements
In 2023 Amazon was ordered by a federal court to pay $46.7 million USD for the infringement on four patents around the company's Echo smart speakers and Alexa assistant. Said patents relate to providing network-coordinated conversational services, tying advertisements to natural language processing of voice-based input, and a conversational voice user interface.
Information
Green Grades Report card
F for report card on paper practices of the office supply sector, (A best, F worst), covering chain of custody endangered forests plantations & controversial sources, responsible forestry & FSC-certification, recycling & reduction, and other leadership. [Listed under information due to age of report]
F in Guide to Greener Electronics
This company received a grade of F in the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics (Oct 2017), which assesses companies from the electronics industry across three impact areas: energy use, resource consumption, and chemical elimination. Of the 17 companies ranked, this company came fourteenth. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
2014 CHOICE Shonky Award
Named and shamed in the 2014 CHOICE Shonky Awards. Amazon's Knidle e-reader copped a Shonky for deceptive claims about its battery life.
D+ grade at Behind the Barcode
D+ grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's Behind the Barcode 'Ethical Electronics Guide 2016', which grades companies on their efforts to mitigate the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation throughout their supply chains. Assessment criteria fall into four main categories: policies, traceability & transparency, monitoring & training and worker rights. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Involvement with prisons
As documented by the Project of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), this company is involved in the USA prison industry. Amazon is the largest provider of cloud computing for US immigration authorities as well as the Israeli government and military, and also supports prison and police surveillance.
Source: AFSC (2021)
Failure to sign International Accord
This company has been called out by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) for not signing the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile & Garment Industry. All of the brands that have not yet signed the Accord continue to put workers' lives at risk and CCC urge them to sign on as soon as possible.
0.0% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 0/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Product carbon footprint label
This company has products that are certified by the Carbon Trust, signifying that the carbon footprint of selected products has been measured, managed and reduced. A life cycle product carbon footprint is determined by calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by a product, from extraction of raw-materials, to end-of-life.
Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
GC3 member (Green Chemistry)
This company is a member of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3), a business-to-business forum that advances the application of green chemistry and design for environment across supply chains. It provides an open forum for cross-sectoral collaboration to share information and experiences about the challenges to and opportunities for safer chemicals and products.
Source: GC3 (2019)
Responsible Minerals Initiative member
This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.
Source: RMI (2019)
PPA Participant
This company is a participant in the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA), a multi-sector and multi-stakeholder initiative to support supply chain solutions to conflict minerals challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region (GLR) of Central Africa. The PPA provides funding and coordination support to organizations working within the region to develop verifiable conflict-free supply chains; align chain-of-custody programs and practices; encourage responsible sourcing from the region; promote transparency; and bolster in-region civil society and governmental capacity.
Source: PPA (2024)
Responsible Business Alliance member
This company is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (formerly the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition), a non-profit coalition of electronics companies which supports the rights and wellbeing of workers and communities worldwide affected by the global electronics supply chain. RBA members commit and are held accountable to a common Code of Conduct and utilize a range of RBA training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement in the social, environmental and ethical responsibility of their supply chains.
Source: RBA (2022)
EOCA member
This company is a member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association, a non-profit charitable organisation which supports conservation work by raising funds from within the European Outdoor sector and promoting care and respect for wild places.
Source: EOCA (2021)
Sustainability Consortium member
This company is a member of The Sustainability Consortium, an organization of diverse global participants that work collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability. They develop transparent methodologies, tools, and strategies to drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social, and economic imperatives.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation member
This company is a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, whose stated mission is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation works with business, government and academia to build a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design.
How2Recycle member
This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.
Sustainable Apparel Coalition member
This company is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in March 2011 by a group of global apparel and footwear companies and non-profit organizations (representing nearly one third of the global market share for apparel and footwear). The Coalition's goals are to reduce the apparel industry's environmental and social impact, and to develop a universal index to measure environmental and social performance of apparel products.
amfori BSCI member
This company is a member of the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), an industry-driven movement that aims to monitor and assess workplace standards across the global supply chain. Participating companies are expected to follow a code of conduct which has 11 principles including no bonded labour, no child labour, fair renumeration, decent working hours and ethical business behavior.
C rating at ClickClean.org
Greenpeace's 2017 report 'Clicking Clean' looks at the energy footprints of large data centre operators and popular websites and applications, and calls on these companies to power their data centres on renewable energy. Companies are graded (A,B,C,D,F) on their commitment to and procurement of renewable energy, as well as energy efficiency, transparency and advocacy. This company's final grade was C. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Supply chain practices in China
The Green Supply Chain Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI) evaluates consumer-facing companies that have a sizeable supply chain in China. The evaluation uses government supervision data and public information to assess the environmental management of their supply chains in China. This company received a score of 31.28/100 (retrieved 24 Nov 2023).
Source: IPE (2023)
25/100 in What Fuels Fashion?
What Fuels Fashion? is a single-issue, special edition of the Fashion Transparency Index. The 2024 report ranked 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers according to their level of disclosure on climate and energy-related data in their own operations and supply chains. Brands owned by this company scored 25%. The average score was 18% and the highest score was 75%.
C+ in toxic chemical ranking
In 2021 the Mind the Store campaign ranked 50 of the largest retailers in North America on their efforts to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products. This company received a grade of C+.
Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
21.6% in Human Rights Benchmark
The 2023 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 55 companies in the apparel sector on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 21.6%. The overall average score was a disappointing 18.2% and the highest score was 53.4%.
31-44/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark
From 2021 to 2023 KnowTheChain benchmarked over 180 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to identify and tackle forced labour risks in their supply chains. This company received scores in all three benchmarks ranging from 31/100 to 44/100.
BHRRC company profile
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
37% in Gender Benchmark
The 2023 Gender Benchmark ranks 112 companies from the apparel and food and agriculture sectors on their efforts to drive gender equality and women's empowerment across their entire value chain. Companies are assessed on governance and strategy, representation, compensation and benefits, health and well-being, violence and harassment, and marketplace and community. This company ranked #17/112, with a total score of 37%. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 55%.
Repairability of devices
Engineers from ifixit.com disassembled and analysed a range of consumer electronics products, awarding each a repairability score between one and ten. Ten is the easiest to repair. A device with a perfect score will be relatively inexpensive to repair because it is easy to disassemble and has a service manual available. Each device is scored based on how difficult and time-consuming it is to disassemble and reassemble the product to fix or replace critical components. Points are docked where proprietary tools are needed, and points are awarded for comprehensive service manuals and wide availability of parts. E-readers and wireless earbuds released by this company in 2023 scored 5 points out of 10.
OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Transparency Pledge
The Apparel and Footwear Supply Chain Transparency Pledge (Transparency Pledge) helps demonstrate apparel and footwear companies' commitment towards greater transparency in their manufacturing supply chain. Transparency of a company's manufacturing supply chain better enables a company to collaborate with civil society in identifying, assessing, and avoiding actual or potential adverse human rights impacts. This is a critical step that strengthens a company's human rights due diligence. This company has published limited supplier factory information, and falls well short of the Pledge standard.
26/100 in Fashion Transparency Index
The 2023 Fashion Transparency Index reviewed 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers and ranked them according to how much they disclose about their human rights and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 26%, signifying it is doing a bit more than the others when it comes to having policies and commitments in place and auditing and reporting activities, but could be doing more. The average score was 26% and the highest score was 83%.
44.9% in Digital Inclusion Benchmark
The 2023 Digital Inclusion Benchmark ranks 200 companies on their responsibility to advance a more inclusive digital society. The companies were assessed using four measurement areas: access, skills, use and innovation. This company ranked #49/200, with a total score of 44.9/100.
Amazon.com controversies - Wikipedia
Since its founding, the website Amazon.com has attracted criticism and controversy from multiple sources, where the ethics of certain business practices and policies have been drawn into question. See an extensive list of controversies on Wikipedia by following the link below.
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Company Details

Type:
Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue:
134 million AUD (2018)
Employees:
190 (2018)

Contact Details

Address:
Market St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
Website:
www.amazon.com.au

Products / Brands

Amazon Australia
Amazon E-commerce
Amazon Toy Stores
Amazon Electronics Stores
Amazon Echo Smart Speakers
Amazon Music Music Streaming
Fire TV Stick Media Streaming Devices
Kindle E-readers
Prime Video Video Streaming