Amazon employees allegedly risk being fired if they speak out on climate change
Employees at Amazon are required to seek prior approval before speaking about the company in any public forum.
Amazon employees protest against the company’s climate change ignorance. Image: Twitter/@AMZNforClimate
Embattled Amazon employees that are standing up for the world’s climate emergency risk being fired if they are too vocal about their views.
This according to a statement released by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ), a group of workers that have challenged the US multinational tech giant to put itself at the forefront of fighting for climate change.
AECJ worked for ten months and organised a walkout on September 20 last year for the youth-led Global Climate Strike. The group were victorious when Amazon announced its Climate Pledge, and set carbon emissions goals, after nagging the company over the past year, criticising its lack of transparency, and heavy dependence on fossil fuels.
Employees even claimed that Amazon refused to share a date for the release of the company’s carbon footprint in January last year.
In January 2019, Amazon leadership would not even share a date for releasing the company's carbon footprint. Since then, dozens of Amazon employees have spoken to the press about Amazon's climate impact and why it is so critical for us to stop harming the planet. 8/
— Amazon Employees For Climate Justice (@AMZNforClimate) January 2, 2020
Over 8,700 employees signed an open letter to owner Jeff Bezos to support an updated climate change resolution.
Despite this, AECJ said that since the Climate Pledge, the company had continued its operations without any changes, and that Amazon had also not attempted to stop climate-denying politicians funding the company.
“AECJ is also pushing Amazon to commit to zero emissions by 2030, not net-zero by 2040 as Amazon announced in September 2019…”
An Amazon software development engineer told Washington Post in October 2019 that Amazon’s cloud computing business helps continue the company’s exploration of oil and gas.
“Amazon’s new policy is trying to silence people at a time when leadership and courage is needed more than ever,” said senior product designer at Amazon, Danilo Quilaton.
Quilaton is referencing the company’s updated communications policy, with amendments being made after AECJ pledged to participate in the climate strike in September.
Employees at Amazon are now required to seek prior approval before speaking about the company to any public forum.
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