Decarbonization report cards & progress reports

Amazon is not using its full sphere of influence and resources to achieve zero-emission maritime shipping in accordance with its commitment. From 2019 to 2023, while these efforts were underway, Amazon’s maritime emissions actually increased by 26%. Its pledge to reach net zero by 2040 is not aligned with science-based targets to prevent further climate chaos and it has failed to disclose a roadmap to reach this goal.

As the largest retailer in home improvement, Home Depot has the market-shaping power to transform maritime shipping from polluting fossil fuels to zero-emission operations. Its ambitious Scope 1 and Scope 2 reduction targets—40% by 2030 and 50% by 2035—show climate ambition. However, beyond these targets, Home Depot has taken little action toward zero-emission maritime shipping, which would greatly cut its Scope 3 emissions.

IKEA is a company that has taken concrete action to decarbonize its maritime shipping logistics operations in recent years. As one of the largest furniture retailers in the world, IKEA has been both ambitious and admirable in making good on the goal of becoming climate positive by 2030. Unfortunately, IKEA has not yet leveraged its influence and those early successes to help motivate industry peers to embark on their own efforts to decarbonize.

From the smartphones we make calls on to the washers and dryers we use to clean our clothes to the refrigerators where we store our food, the electronics mega retailer LG’s presence in our daily lives is nearly ubiquitous. Unfortunately, LG has failed to publicly show it can be a corporate leader in reducing the climate emissions of shipping those products we use daily. While LG does purport lofty climate goals in the long term, its apparent lack of action suggests that LG may not be deeply committed to a zero-emission ocean shipping future.

Samsung is a global business leader providing electronics and technology that help drive our lives. From holding 30% of the premium TV market share worldwide to shipping 226 million smartphones in 2023, Samsung is a force in the market. It is unfortunate, however, that Samsung is not doing more to address its impact on the climate. While Samsung proudly touts its “net zero” goals for 2050, those goals and the plans to achieve them have remained vague and not nearly ambitious enough to address the climate crisis we are facing.

Amazon is a global retail giant with immense power and influence in both global markets and its shipping pollution footprint. The company’s score on reducing shipping pollution was disappointing. While this report card is primarily focused on ocean shipping emissions, it also credits efforts to reduce air pollution from port operations and product transportation emissions more broadly.

Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States with annual revenue over $157B USD. It is ranked of #20 on the Fortune 500. Home Depot is also the sixth largest United States–based employer and had 490,600 employees in 2021. Despite its size and high marks with consumers, Home Depot needs to “Get More Done” on maritime shipping pollution.

IKEA is the world’s largest furniture retailer, operating in 50 countries and with approximately 460 stores worldwide. The company has committed to becoming climate positive by 2030. It is the highest scoring company across all retail brands considered due to its significant efforts to address its maritime shipping pollution.

LG Electronics is a South Korean multinational conglomerate with annual revenue over $60B USD. LG claims its “products and services are designed with the consideration of contributing to a sustainable future for our customers, communities, and the environment.” Unfortunately, LG has failed to prioritize reductions in its product transportation air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, including maritime shipping.

Despite Samsung’s stated intention in its Global Code of Conduct to do its “best to conduct environmental improvement activities” (Principle 4-1) and prioritize the “health and safety of human beings” (Principle 4-2), South Korean multinational Samsung earned just 16.5 of 100 available points, or an “F” grade, on the Ship it Zero 2023 Report Card. The company has room for improvement to end its ocean shipping pollution.