As a long-time retail industry insider and discerning shopper, I‘ve watched Amazon‘s meteoric rise with equal parts admiration and scrutiny. With its sprawling global fulfillment network and dominant market position, Amazon has achieved remarkable efficiency and selection that have raised the bar for customer convenience. But as a company that prides itself on customer obsession, workplace safety is an area where Amazon still has ample room for improvement to live up to shopper expectations.
While Amazon‘s advanced technology, Prime shipping speeds, and endless product catalogue tend to grab the headlines, the unsexy but critical work of keeping employees safe in the warehouses that power Amazon‘s e-commerce engine often escapes consumer attention – until something goes wrong. High-profile exposés of injury rates and working conditions at Amazon facilities in recent years have begun to crack Amazon‘s sterling reputation and raise alarm bells for shoppers who care about how their online orders impact real people behind the scenes.
Consider this: in 2021, Amazon reported 7.7 serious injuries per 100 workers in its U.S. warehouses – 80% higher than the industry average and up 20% from 2020.^1 At the company‘s annual shareholder meeting last year, a resolution calling for an independent audit of warehouse working conditions received a stunning 44% of votes.^2 And a 2021 survey found that 35% of consumers would be less likely to shop at Amazon due to concerns over worker treatment.^3
As both an expert and a customer, these red flags are impossible to ignore. It‘s clear that Amazon must dramatically transform its safety culture and performance, not only to protect workers but also to maintain shopper trust and loyalty in an increasingly socially-conscious market. The good news is that Amazon has the resources, innovation capabilities, and customer focus to make this a reality – but it will require CEO Andy Jassy and leadership to prioritize safety with the same rigor and intensity as they do growth and efficiency.
From my vantage point, here is a 10-point action plan for Amazon to become the undisputed global leader in retail and logistics safety by 2024:
1. Appoint a Chief Safety Officer reporting directly to the CEO
Safety needs to be represented in the C-suite and boardroom, on par with other core business priorities. Amazon should hire a seasoned Chief Safety Officer with deep industry expertise and the authority to oversee safety programs across the entire company. Making safety a direct report to the CEO signals it is a top leadership imperative and fosters the cross-functional collaboration and resources required to drive step-change improvements. Look no further than the success of Amazon‘s Sustainability organization under the Chief Sustainability Officer as a model.
2. Empower frontline workers to co-create safety solutions
Amazon‘s 1.6 million global employees are its most valuable asset in both serving customers and identifying safety risks and fixes, given their firsthand experience in facilities. Yet a 2021 Amazon warehouse worker survey found 95% did not trust managers to address their concerns.^4 Systematically soliciting and acting on worker ideas for safety improvements is key. Tactics like weekly solutioning huddles, digital feedback channels, joint worker-management safety committees, and equity for speaking up without retaliation would empower employees as true partners in safety. Innovations that come from the frontlines are often the most impactful and practical.
3. Set and disclose ambitious safety targets
What gets measured gets done. Amazon should set specific, time-bound targets for leading and lagging safety indicators like training hours, hazard identification, and injury rates. These metrics need to be prominently built into business reviews and employee communications. Externally, Amazon should begin reporting workplace safety data alongside its quarterly earnings reports, demonstrating that safety is a core operational and ESG goal. Transparency holds leaders accountable and gives stakeholders confidence that safety is truly the top priority. Targets make Amazon‘s safety ambitions concrete and measurable.
4. Double down on safety innovation and technology
Amazon has a massive opportunity to lead the industry by example in pioneering new safety solutions through its technology prowess. It should substantially increase R&D investments to incubate cutting-edge applications of AI, robotics, wearables, and other innovations to reduce ergonomic strain, detect unsafe behaviors, and automate high-risk tasks in its facilities. Successful pilots should be rapidly scaled across the network. Applying the same obsessive innovation mindset behind products like Alexa or Prime Air drones to workplace safety would be a game-changer – and a competitive differentiator shoppers notice.
5. Launch an unflinching root cause analysis of past safety incidents
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Amazon must carefully investigate and pinpoint the underlying factors behind every historical safety incident to identify systemic weaknesses and blind spots. Evaluating the full lifecycle from training to job design to supervisor actions in each case is essential. Findings need to inform targeted prevention programs and safety management system upgrades. Hosting transparent discussions with affected workers is also key for healing and rebuilding trust. While this process may be uncomfortable, it is necessary to meaningfully learn and improve.
6. Overhaul training with hands-on simulations and continuous microlearning
Safety training must go beyond lecture-style presentations to truly change behavior. Upgrading Amazon‘s curriculum with immersive technologies like virtual reality to simulate real-world hazards and model correct techniques would boost knowledge retention. Implementing daily safety micro-learnings and quizzes delivered to employee mobile devices also reinforces key concepts in digestible bites. Training must be an ongoing cadence, not a one-and-done. Measuring and incentivizing completion is critical. Well-trained employees are empowered to make safer decisions and spread a culture of safety organically.
7. Institute safety leadership training for all people managers
Manager actions and attitudes toward safety cascade to the frontlines. All Amazon people managers should participate in rigorous training on how to build psychological safety, communicate about safety, recognize at-risk behaviors, and provide effective feedback. Managers who consistently engage teams in meaningful safety discussions and champion safe work practices become powerful influencers. Tying manager performance evaluations and career progression to team safety metrics makes it a leadership priority. The more managers authentically embrace safety as integral to their role, the stronger safety culture will be.
8. Collaborate with customers on safety transparency and improvement ideas
As a customer-obsessed company, Amazon has a prime opportunity to give shoppers an active voice in shaping its safety journey and rebuilding trust through radical transparency. This could include:
- Prominently disclosing safety targets, progress, and incidents on Amazon.com and in shareholder updates
- Soliciting shopper ideas for safety improvements through surveys, focus groups, and a dedicated customer safety advisory council
- Showcasing employee safety testimonials and facility tours in social media and PR to humanize the people behind the packages
- Adding "Safety Champion" badges to products from suppliers with exceptional safety records in Amazon storefronts
- Polling customers on which safety programs and nonprofits Amazon should invest in
Proactively communicating and engaging customers would boost credibility, while crowdsourcing fresh safety solutions from Amazon‘s massive shopper base could uncover valuable new angles. Making customers feel they have a stake and seat at the table in Amazon‘s safety transformation is both good business and simply the right thing to do.
9. Partner with industry and government to elevate safety standards
As the 800-pound gorilla in e-commerce and logistics, Amazon has the scale and influence to drive system-wide safety improvements that lift up all boats. It should redouble efforts to:
- Collaborate with top equipment and robotics vendors to create the next generation of ergonomic, worker-friendly designs
- Lobby for more stringent industry safety regulations and partner with OSHA and other agencies on robust enforcement
- Share safety innovations and best practices with other major retailers and logistics providers to solve common challenges
- Fund academic research on breakthrough safety technologies and interventions with applications beyond Amazon
By leveraging its vast supplier and policy relationships, Amazon can be a powerful catalyst for stronger safety standards that become the default, not the exception. A rising tide of safety will boost outcomes for workers and communities everywhere.
10. Regularly report on safety progress and setbacks with authenticity
Finally, to sustain safety momentum, Amazon must commit to regularly measuring and transparently sharing progress – both the good and the bad – with employees, shoppers, and investors. Quarterly safety reports and annual safety retrospectives should cover everything from training and innovation highlights to lesson from incidents and stakeholder feedback. Communicating safety with the same rigor and cadence as Amazon reports its financial performance makes it a core operating priority and fosters accountability.
Honest, human-centric storytelling is also key. Spotlighting how safety programs have improved real workers‘ lives or openly acknowledging where Amazon fell short and is working to be better builds trust and shows that perfection is not the goal – genuine, continuous improvement is. Inviting employees and shoppers to participate in town halls with leaders to ask tough questions keeps the dialogue open and collaborative. Only by consistently proving that safety is an intrinsic part of Amazon‘s DNA will it gain the internal and external credibility needed for the long haul.
The Road Ahead: Redefining Responsible Retail
For Amazon, this safety action plan is about more than preventing accidents – it‘s about fundamentally redefining responsible retail in the eyes of increasingly socially-conscious shoppers, employees, and communities. In a world where consumers have endless choices, a reputation for mistreating workers has become a major liability. A staggering 83% of shoppers say they consider a brand‘s values before making a purchase.^5
By seizing this pivotal opportunity to overhaul its safety practices, Amazon can become the gold standard that all retailers and logistics providers aspire to – the same way it has set the bar for selection, convenience, and innovation. Just imagine logging onto Amazon.com and not only finding every product you desire, but also knowing that your order was fulfilled by workers who feel deeply cared for and protected every step of the way. Imagine seeing Amazon constantly in the headlines for its groundbreaking safety technologies and zero-injury facilities, rather than worker protests. That is the future of retail that customers deserve – and that Amazon is uniquely positioned to create.
But it will take an all-hands-on-deck effort that makes safety everyone‘s job, from the fulfillment center floor to the boardroom. Only by marrying Amazon‘s signature customer obsession with an equally relentless pursuit of employee safety can it truly live up to the promise of being "Earth‘s Most Customer-Centric Company." The health and well-being of over a million Amazon workers – and the loyalty of billions of ethically-minded shoppers – hang in the balance.
As Amazon plots its course for the next decade and beyond, I urge Andy Jassy and the entire leadership team to put safety at the very heart of what the company stands for. To borrow from Amazon‘s Leadership Principles, now is the time to "Think Big", "Dive Deep", and "Deliver Results" to meaningfully move the needle on safety. Because in the eyes of this expert and finicky shopper, safety is not a "nice to have", but a moral and business imperative for the future of retail. And Amazon has the once-in-a-generation chance to lead the charge – if it acts with the boldness and urgency this critical issue demands.
The road ahead to becoming the world‘s safest and most customer-obsessed retailer by 2024 will be long and winding – but I have no doubt Amazon is up for the challenge. Let‘s roll up our sleeves and get to work building an Amazon that empowers employees, delights shoppers, and makes our communities proud. Together, we can make Amazon‘s facilities the safest and most fulfilling places to work on Earth. That‘s the Amazon I want to shop with – and I know countless other customers feel the same.
