What The Climate Pledge does

The Climate Pledge is a free, cross-sector corporate commitment coalition co-founded in 2019 by Amazon and Global Optimism, the latter led by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, the architects of the Paris Agreement. Signatories commit to three actions—regular greenhouse gas measurement and public reporting, implementation of decarbonization strategies aligned with the Paris Agreement, and neutralization of residual emissions with credible offsets—to reach net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement's 2050 target. Eligible members are for-profit private-sector companies with at least 20 employees, at least two years of operating history, at least one product or service in market, and a board and CEO; non-profits and very small businesses are excluded (the latter directed to the SME Climate Hub). As of 2024 the coalition spans 700+ signatories across 50+ countries and 58 industries, with a collective workforce of approximately 15.33 million employees.

The platform is anchored by four core surfaces: the public commitment framework, the Passport private online community for signatories, Joint Action Projects (e.g., Laneshift electric freight with C40 Cities in India/Brazil/Mexico, the Electrifying Drayage Alliance with Smart Freight Centre, and the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub playbook for lower-carbon concrete), and three Cohorts (Science Club, Supply Chain, SME). Adjacent offerings include the $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund (Amazon-financed venture backing climate tech in hard-to-abate sectors), the Future Forward documentary series in partnership with National Geographic, Climate Pledge Friendly (Amazon's product sustainability certification), and Amazon's carbon credit service offered at discount to signatories. The MIT joint action project represents the only documented AI capability, using generative and predictive AI to recommend lower-carbon concrete mixes, with core capabilities intended for free public release by 2027.

The business model is non-commercial: The Climate Pledge is fully funded by Amazon, with no fees, no pricing tiers, and no revenue accruing to the initiative. Customer acquisition is community-led, leveraging Amazon's brand authority, word-of-mouth among existing signatories, peer pressure from industry leaderboards, and visibility at global climate events (COP26, Climate Week NYC, London Climate Action Week, Bloomberg Green Festival). The organization operates with approximately 25 employees, with offices in Renton, WA (headquarters) and Seattle, WA, and is led by Sally Fouts (Director), Hilary Sparrow (Head of Communications & Content), and Sarah Dimson-Tararuj (Head of Strategic Projects & Programs).

Name

The Climate Pledge

Legal name

The Climate Pledge

Website

https://theclimatepledge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Climate Pledge is a free cross-sector coalition co-founded in 2019 by Amazon and Global Optimism, uniting 700+ companies across 50+ countries and 58 industries in a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, supported by joint action projects, cohorts, and a $2 billion climate tech venture fund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Climate Coalition

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Net-Zero Target Setting & SBTi/Net-Zero Standard Support (EUABAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decarbonization Strategy & Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) Advisory (EUABAKAC), GHG Accounting & Net-Zero/Decarbonization Planning (Scopes 1–3) (EUAHAJAC)

Keywords

• Corporate climate coalition
• Net-zero commitments
• Carbon reduction initiatives
• Sustainability coalition
• Climate action partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle, WA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. The Climate Pledge is a free commitment program for companies; there is no revenue model. Amazon funds the operational management, resources, tools, events, and engagement opportunities provided to signatories. The initiative is not a product or service sold to customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Climate Pledge is a free, cross-sector commitment framework through which companies pledge to measure and report emissions, halve them by 2030, and reach net-zero by 2040 via the UN Race to Zero. Signatories receive access to a private community portal (Passport), cohort-based collaboration, Joint Action Projects, the Climate Pledge Fund, and consumer-facing programs such as Climate Pledge Friendly.

Product overview

The Climate Pledge is a unified commitment platform and coalition—not a traditional SaaS product—offering companies a membership-based framework to achieve net-zero carbon by 2040. The core product is The Climate Pledge itself, a commitment initiative where signatories join a coalition and gain access to Passport (a private online community with practical tools and industry connections), Joint Action Projects (collaborative climate initiatives like electric freight and port electrification), and Cohorts (collaborative spaces including Science Club, Supply Chain, and SME cohorts). Supplementary offerings include the $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund for climate tech investments, Climate Pledge Friendly (Amazon's sustainability certification for products), the Future Forward documentary series, and Amazon's carbon credit service offering discounts to signatories. All offerings are interconnected through the central commitment framework and Passport platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Climate Pledge commitment A free, public commitment in which signatories agree to measure and report emissions, halve them by 2030, and reach net-zero by 2040 via the UN Race to Zero. Available to companies across 30+ industries and 50+ countries.
• Passport A private signatory community where members of The Climate Pledge can access resources, tools, events, and engagement opportunities.
• Joint Action Projects Time-bound, multi-company collaboration projects where signatories work together to develop decarbonization solutions, including AI-driven low-carbon concrete mix optimization (MIT and Prologis).
• Cohorts Industry- or sector-specific cohort programs that group signatories for shared decarbonization work, such as the freight cohort with the Smart Freight Centre.
• Climate Pledge Fund A $2 billion corporate venture investment vehicle backing decarbonization technologies and services, with deal sizes ranging from $100,000 to tens of millions of dollars.
• Climate Pledge Friendly A consumer-facing sustainability certification and labeling program on Amazon that highlights products with sustainability certifications.
• Future Forward Documentary Series A documentary series that profiles climate leaders and their decarbonization solutions, used to amplify the coalition's storytelling.
• Amazon Carbon Credit Service Amazon's carbon credit service offered to other companies to support them in meeting their own climate commitments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Signatories commit to reaching net-zero carbon emissions a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement's 2050 goal — by 2040.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• C40 CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023C40 Cities is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world's leading cities committed to limiting global heating to 1.5°C and building healthy, equitable, and resilient communities by halving emissions by 2030. C40 Cities co-launched Laneshift with The Climate Pledge — an initiative accelerating the transition to electric freight in India, Brazil, and Mexico. C40 provides city government relationships, policy expertise, and urban electrification infrastructure to the partnership. Executive Director Mark Watts represents C40 in joint public statements. This is a flagship joint action project.
• Global OptimismflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Global Optimism is the co-founding organization of The Climate Pledge alongside Amazon. Founded with the mission to catalyze transformative climate action, Global Optimism is led by Christiana Figueres (former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, 2010-2016, who oversaw the delivery of the Paris Agreement) and Tom Rivett-Carnac (former political strategist at UNFCCC). Global Optimism co-created and co-manages The Climate Pledge community, provides signatories with access to expertise from teams, sectors, and partner NGOs, and hosts the 'Outrage + Optimism' podcast. The organization shapes the pledge's strategy, programs, and thought leadership.
• Smart Freight CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Freight Centre (SFC) is a globally active non-profit organization for climate action in the freight sector, mobilizing the global logistics ecosystem to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SFC's goal is to achieve zero-emission global logistics by 2050 or earlier, consistent with 1.5°C pathways. SFC collaborates with The Climate Pledge on the Electrifying Drayage Alliance (EDA), a cross-industry initiative accelerating port drayage electrification at major ports in North America, Europe, and Asia. SFC provides freight emission measurement frameworks and connects signatories to freight decarbonization best practices.
• MIT Concrete Sustainability HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT's Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) collaborates with The Climate Pledge on a joint action project developing an AI-powered dynamic playbook for identifying and adopting lower-carbon concrete alternatives. The tool uses generative and predictive AI to recommend lower-carbon concrete mixes that meet structural requirements, comply with local building codes, and reduce embodied carbon. The team aims to make core capabilities free and publicly available by 2027. This project is the first phase of MIT's PACCT (Program for Advancing a Climate-smart Concrete Transformation) industry consortium. Led by Randolph Kirchain, Director of CSHub.
• The Nature ConservancysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1951, recognized as one of the most effective and wide-reaching conservation organizations globally. With efforts in 79 countries and territories across six continents, and over a million members, dedicated staff, and scientists, TNC is described as a key partner helping The Climate Pledge drive change at both individual and corporate levels. TNC brings expertise in nature-based solutions and conservation to the pledge's ecosystem.
• National Geographic SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Geographic Society is an international nonprofit that uses science, exploration, education, and storytelling to reveal and protect the wonders of the natural world. National Geographic Society and The Climate Pledge partnered to support National Geographic Explorers documenting the global climate crisis as part of the Society's Global Storytellers Fund, recruiting and funding a global community of photographers, writers, filmmakers, cartographers, and multimedia artists. The partnership has supported the work of ten National Geographic Explorers to date, including Ciril Jazbec, whose film 'Dream to Cure Water' won at the Jackson Wild Media Awards. The partnership also includes a National Geographic Society series with 15 visual storytellers documenting climate change over three years.
• We Mean BusinesssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Mean Business is a global nonprofit coalition working with the world's most influential companies to take climate action. Its mission is to ensure the global economy is on track to avoid dangerous climate change while generating sustainable growth and prosperity for all. The Climate Pledge team collaborates with We Mean Business to promote The Climate Pledge as an ambitious commitment standard and drive joint action, including participation at COP26 events at the We Mean Business Pavilion.
• Race to ZerosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRace to Zero is a global campaign rallying leadership and support for a healthy, zero-carbon recovery by creating well-paying jobs, unlocking sustainable and inclusive growth, and preventing future threats. The coalition of leading zero-emission initiatives currently represents thousands of cities, regions, businesses, investors, and universities. The Climate Pledge is aligned with and referenced alongside Race to Zero as part of the broader corporate climate commitment ecosystem.
• TED CountDownsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTED CountDown, launched 10/10/2020, is a global initiative advocating and accelerating solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action. As an open initiative, all organizations, businesses, cities, nations, and citizens are invited to collaborate with CountDown and take action, with everyone having a vital role to play. The Climate Pledge collaborates with TED CountDown on storytelling campaigns and climate events.
• Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) drives ambitious climate action in the private sector by showing companies how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects of climate change. The Climate Pledge FAQ notes that while setting a science-based target is a best practice, it is not a requirement for joining The Climate Pledge.
• SME Climate HubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SME Climate Hub is a pioneering global initiative that aims to create a tipping point for mainstreaming climate action and fostering business resilience. Its pragmatic approach removes barriers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face in taking climate action — whether reducing emissions in their own business or introducing green solutions to their market — and helps them access valuable incentives. In collaboration with The Climate Pledge and core partners including ICC, Exponential Roadmap, Race to Zero, and We Mean Business, the SME Climate Hub serves as a one-stop shop where all SMEs can commit to science-based climate action and access the best resources and tools. Companies with fewer than 20 employees are directed to the SME Climate Hub rather than The Climate Pledge.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SME Climate Hub: Initiative co-founded by the ICC, Exponential Roadmap, Race to Zero, and We Mean Business, designed for small and medium enterprises. Climate Pledge directs sub-20-employee firms to the SME Climate Hub, evidencing direct coordination between adjacent commitment ecosystems.
• The Climate Group: International nonprofit that convenes companies, governments, and civil society on climate action (e.g., RE100, EV100). Direct peer in mobilizing corporate climate commitments with overlapping signatory base and a shared focus on accelerating decarbonization.
• We Mean Business Coalition: Coalition of nonprofit organizations working with influential businesses to take climate action. Strategic peer that co-hosts COP26 events with The Climate Pledge and jointly promotes corporate climate commitments.
• Ceres: Nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization mobilizing business and investor leadership on climate change. Comparable coalition-builder that drives corporate climate commitments and investor engagement across North American enterprise audiences.
• Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi): The leading corporate net-zero target validation initiative, SBTi defines the science-based methodology many Climate Pledge signatories use. Both compete for the same enterprise commitment audience and are explicitly cross-referenced in the Pledge's FAQ.
• Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ): Financial-sector coalition of 500+ institutions committed to net-zero financed emissions by 2050. Comparable commitment coalition model focused on financial services signatories, including Mastercard, and operates with parallel UN Race to Zero alignment.
• Race to Zero: UN-backed global campaign rallying non-state actors (businesses, cities, investors, regions) to halve emissions by 2030. The Climate Pledge is explicitly aligned with and referenced alongside Race to Zero as a leading corporate commitment campaign.

Broad incumbents

• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global nonprofit sustainability consultancy working with 300+ member companies on climate strategy, supply chain sustainability, and human rights. Broader incumbent offering advisory services that overlap with The Climate Pledge's decarbonization strategy support to signatories.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global disclosure system for environmental impact reporting used by thousands of companies, investors, and cities. Overlaps with The Climate Pledge's regular GHG reporting requirement and serves a similar corporate sustainability audience, but is broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Net Zero Tracker: Independent research initiative tracking net-zero pledges from governments, companies, and other actors. Serves as an accountability benchmark whose findings can either validate or expose gaps in The Climate Pledge's signatory roster.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheClimatePledge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/COP26
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheClimatePledge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theclimatepledge
• Instagraminstagram.com/theclimatepledge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Climate Pledge