Amazon investors again reject all shareholder proposals on climate change

Amazon.com investors at its annual meeting again rejected all outside shareholder resolutions, including three meant to address the online retail giant’s impact on climate change. Voters

approved the reelection of 12 directors and proposed executive compensation. Shareholders put forth eight proposals, all of which Amazon encouraged investors to vote against. Last year,

there were 14 resolutions and all failed to get sufficient votes to be enacted. Among the eight this year were a proposal that would have required additional reporting on Amazon’s overall

carbon emissions, another targeting data centers’ climate impact and one calling for further disclosure about packaging materials, particularly plastic. EXPLORE MORE Amazon said its existing

disclosures are sufficient and that it is working towards reducing its environmental impacts. Two other proposals aimed at the development of artificial intelligence software were also

rejected. One resolution would have had Amazon assess its board structure to consider how it might develop AI more responsibly, while the other would have required a report on data usage and

collection around AI. Seattle-based Amazon asserted that it is a leader in responsible AI development, and so no changes are needed. Shareholders had also proposed that Amazon create a

policy ensuring the separation of its CEO and board chair roles. The company already separates the two roles between CEO Andy Jassy and founder Jeff Bezos, but not as a mandatory policy. As

CEO until 2021, Bezos had also held the chairmanship. Amazon will later provide a full tally of the investor vote in a securities filing. Shareholders voted against a resolution that would

have required the company to create a report on risks presented by advertising, in an effort to keep it politically neutral. Also rejected was a proposal soliciting a report on warehouse

working conditions, a perennial source of criticism of the company.