Amazon cuts some jobs in its communications, sustainability units

A stunning view of The Spheres at the Amazon.com Inc. headquarters in Seattle, Washington, captured on Nov. 14, 2022.

Photograph by David Ryder | Courtesy of Getty Images News

Amazon has announced layoffs in its communications and sustainability units, as revealed by an executive managing these divisions internally on Wednesday.

A note to employees, seen by CNBC, by Drew Herdener, the head of public relations, stated that the company is trimming some positions in these areas as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the “current organizational structure” of these divisions.

“In reviewing our current organizational design and implementing the aforementioned changes, we identified certain roles that were too narrow in scope or introduced unnecessary hierarchies, where restructuring or workload shifts were not feasible,” Herdener explained. “To address this and benefit the business, we are reducing a small number of positions in Communications and Sustainability. This decision was made after careful consideration by my leadership team and myself.”

Brad Glasser, an Amazon spokesperson, confirmed the layoffs and mentioned in a statement that these job reductions would “enhance our agility, foster ownership, reinforce our corporate culture, and bring teams closer to our customers.” Earlier, Bloomberg reported on these job cuts.

Herdener mentioned the possibility of rehiring some employees for lower-level roles, stating that in other cases, the headcount would be reallocated to different departments within the organization. Herdener assured that Amazon would offer financial assistance, ongoing benefits, and aid in job placement to affected employees.

In efforts to control costs, Amazon eliminated over 27,000 positions company-wide in 2022 and 2023 under CEO Andy Jassy’s leadership. Subsequent smaller rounds of job cuts in 2024 have extended into the current year. Additionally, the company has been phasing out some experimental or unprofitable ventures, such as a “Try Before You Buy” apparel service and a swift brick-and-mortar delivery program.

Herdener emphasized that Amazon is streamlining its communications and sustainability departments following substantial growth in recent years. Herdener’s responsibilities expanded recently, now encompassing corporate responsibility, which includes the sustainability sector.

During the Covid-19 crisis, Amazon significantly increased its workforce, adding employees to its corporate staff and to its numerous warehouses across the United States. By the end of 2021, its global workforce had grown to over 1.6 million, up from 798,000 in the fourth quarter of 2019. As of the end of the third quarter, the company employed more than 1.5 million individuals.

As part of a reorganization, Amazon is making adjustments to its “hub strategy,” dictating the primary office locations for teams. The objective is to have “more team members working in the same physical location as the majority of their teammates and/or manager,” according to Herdener. He delegated the decision of suitable locations for teams to his direct reports.

Recently, Amazon mandated that corporate employees work in the office five days a week. In an effort to bring employees back to the office, some were required to relocate to hubs in different states. Following the announcement of the “return to hub” policy, several Amazon employees informed CNBC that they opted to leave the company rather than relocate.

As part of the five-day office requirement, Amazon aims to streamline its corporate structure by reducing the number of managers in each organization.

Amazon has prioritized sustainability within the company, setting ambitious environmental objectives in 2019, including a pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. The company also aims to power its operations with renewable energy sources by 2025 and has accumulated a portfolio of over 500 wind and solar projects worldwide.

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