Sustainability is no longer a side initiativeāitās becoming the heart of how forward-thinking companies operate. At Amazon Web Services (AWS), one leader is helping shape a future that serves people, profits, and the planet.
Meet Hilary Tam, AWS's Commercial Sustainability Leader for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), who is turning bold climate ambition into practical, scalable solutions.
š± From a Tea Farm to Global Change
Hilaryās passion for sustainability began early, but a visit to a multi-generational green tea farm in China left a lasting impression. She witnessed firsthand how unpredictable climate patterns were impacting crop quality and livelihoods. That experience sparked a mission: to use human-centered innovation to tackle complex environmental issues.
š¼ What Does a Commercial Sustainability Leader Do?
At AWS, Hilary collaborates with customers and partners to drive sustainable innovation. Her mission?
āGood for people and planet is also good for business.ā
She helps businesses align their unique capabilities with the United Nationsā Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), transforming climate risk into a competitive advantage.
š Understanding the Big Picture: Scope 3 Emissions
One of the biggest sustainability hurdles companies face is Scope 3 emissionsāthose outside their direct operations.
š Did you know? Between 80% to 95% of an organizationās carbon footprint often lies in Scope 3āsuppliers, partners, and customers.
Hilary believes technology and data are key to tackling this challenge. Manual tracking is outdatedātodayās sustainability leaders must leverage cloud infrastructure to gain visibility and take action.
š Innovating Toward Net Zero
According to Tam:
ā40% to 60% of the innovations needed to reach net zero by 2050 havenāt been fully developed or deployed at scale.ā
Thatās where cloud services like AWS come ināaccelerating digital transformation to support climate goals.
š Nature and Climate Are Interconnected
Hilary stresses that sustainability isn't just about carbon emissions. Restoring biodiversity and protecting nature are equally critical. Through partnerships like the one with the Natural History Museum, AWS supports data-driven insights that can guide conservation efforts across industries.
š ļø Tips for Aspiring Sustainability Leaders
If you think sustainability is someone elseās jobāthink again.
āThose without 'sustainability' in their job titles will increasingly be responsible for executing sustainability strategies,ā says Tam.
Her advice? Start small. Think big. Go fast.
- Hack sustainability into your existing work
- Build on your existing expertise
- Use storytelling to inspire actionābut back it with data and results
š§ Final Thoughts
Hilary Tam is helping shift the sustainability narrativeāfrom limiting harm to creating net-positive impact. Her work embodies AWS's principle:
āSuccess and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility.ā
Whether you're a developer, designer, engineer, or business leaderāthereās a role for you in shaping a sustainable digital future.
š¬ Whatās Your Role in the Sustainability Journey?
Have you explored how your work can support environmental or social sustainability? Letās share ideas in the comments š”š
Tags:
#aws #sustainability #cloud #leadership #climatechange #netzero
Top comments (0)