Sustainability in Italy

At Amazon's fulfillment center in Passo Corese, solar panels located along 6,500 square meters of the roof’s surface generate 1,050,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually. The orientation and inclination of the panels are optimized to maximize energy production throughout the year. These solar panels generate enough energy to heat the facility and provide hot water throughout the building.

Featuring LED lighting and a building management system that conserves energy throughout the day, the Passo Corese facility is 40% more efficient than a standard building with 35% less CO₂ emissions than a building of the same size and intended use. There are 36 electric vehicle charging stations outside the main entrance. Dedicated pedestrian and bicycle paths surround the facility, and a bus shuttle service helps associates with their daily commute.

Amazon opened its doors in Passo Corese in September 2017 with 400 associates hired mostly from neighboring towns, and with the local community and the environment top of mind. The facility is surrounded by budding olive groves and a soon-to-be-grown community garden. Newly planted olive and Judas trees along with the vegetable garden and 50 beehives for honey production will be used as a teaching garden for local high school students, and one day will provide a bounty of produce for the chef at the Amazon canteen.

Amazon Sustainability Ambassadors is a grassroots organization of Amazonians working to expand the efforts of the global teams that work directly on managing Amazon’s environmental and social impacts. During Earth Day 2019, Sustainability Ambassadors at Passo Corese used discarded packaging and other recycled materials to create an artistic installation in the shape of a tree. To fill in the branches, associates posted over 200 suggestions for personal actions to protect and preserve the environment.