Amazon: Training 50 Million People in Sustainable Tech Jobs

Sustainability is becoming increasingly intertwined with advances in technology, as organisations seek to balance innovation with environmental responsibility. 

The rapid growth of AI, cloud computing and digital infrastructure is creating new opportunities to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and accelerate climate action. 

At the same time, expanding AI and cloud services requires greater investment in renewable energy, efficient data centres and skilled people to ensure long-term sustainable growth. 

Amazon's 2025 Sustainability Report demonstrates how technology, people and innovation can work together to support a lower-carbon future while continuing to meet growing customer demand.

AI and cloud powering sustainable innovation

AI and cloud computing are transforming how businesses operate while helping tackle some of the world's biggest environmental challenges. 

Amazon Web Services (AWS) continues to provide cloud infrastructure that allows organisations to run workloads more efficiently than traditional on-premises data centres, reducing energy consumption while supporting digital transformation. 

Across its operations, Amazon is using AI to optimise packaging, improve logistics, monitor buildings, identify equipment faults and enhance waste sorting, demonstrating how intelligent technology can reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency. 

Amazon is also expanding access to AI globally by providing AWS cloud and AI training to more than 100 customers from 34 countries through its Social Entrepreneur Accelerator, while distributing US$17.9m in AWS cloud and AI technology to support education and broaden access to digital skills. 

The company is also investing in responsible AI development, ensuring innovation is supported by strong governance while continuing to expand carbon-free energy to power growing AI demand.

Investing in people and sustainable data centres

Amazon believes that people are just as important as technology in delivering a more sustainable future. 

Through its Future Ready 2030 commitment, the company has pledged US$2.5bn to expand access to education and skills training, helping prepare at least 50 million people for the future of work. 

"As we continue working to sustainably meet our customers’ demands for AI, we’re also investing in our teammates and neighbours so they can take advantage of the new opportunities that AI creates, helping to build sustainable communities and power prosperity across the country and around the world," says Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon.

“It’s why we launched Future Ready 2030, a US$2.5bn pledge to help 50 million people gain new skills and benefit from the new opportunities in this changing economy.

"Working with local partners, we offer programmes ranging from prepaid college tuition and career certifications for our employees, to free AI skills training for people at any point in their careers, to computer science education in our schools.

"While change can be unsettling, we see huge new opportunities for so many people and are committed to doing our part."

Alongside this initiative, AWS re/Start has trained 14,400 unemployed or underemployed individuals through its 12-week cloud skills programme, creating pathways into technology careers. 

Amazon has also surpassed its original goal of helping 300,000 US employees gain new skills by 2025, with 599,000 US employees participating since 2019 and more than 980,000 employees globally benefiting from upskilling programmes. 

These investments in workforce development complement Amazon's continued investment in sustainable infrastructure, with highly efficient data centres using advanced liquid-to-chip cooling, renewable energy and water-saving technologies. 

In 2025, Amazon's data centres achieved a global Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.14, outperforming the public cloud industry average while supporting the continued growth of AI and cloud services with lower environmental impact.

Electrification and low-carbon operations

Technology is also transforming Amazon's logistics network as it works towards net zero carbon emissions by 2040. 

The company now operates more than 52,700 electric delivery vans globally, delivering 2.4 billion packages during 2025, while continuing to expand electric trucks, micromobility solutions and charging infrastructure. 

In the United States alone, Amazon has installed more than 50,500 EV chargers across 380 delivery stations, supporting what has become the country's largest private electric vehicle charging network. 

The business is also expanding the use of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) within its middle-mile transport network and increasing deliveries made by electric cargo bikes and other zero-emission transport solutions in urban areas, helping reduce congestion, air pollution and noise in communities. 

Alongside fleet electrification, Amazon is improving the sustainability of its wider transport operations through AI-powered route optimisation, consolidated deliveries and inventory positioned closer to customers, helping reduce delivery miles and emissions per package. 

Where electrification is not yet practical, the company continues investing in renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and renewable natural gas to lower emissions across its transport network. 

Combined with ongoing investment in renewable energy, AI, cloud infrastructure and highly efficient data centres, these initiatives demonstrate how digital innovation and electrification are helping build a lower-carbon future while supporting continued business growth.