# Amazon's year in review: 2021

*Our month-by-month highlights included creating good jobs, expanding training for employees, and supporting communities across the U.S. *

## January

![A woman's hand holding a set of keys with a keychain that shows a house on it. ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/42faa43/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1429+0+0/resize/767x548!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F49%2Fe3%2Fbe13ec724a359e33755eb61c125f%2Fshutterstock-519502300.jpg)
*We launched an effort to preserve and create over 20,000 affordable homes. We’ll do this through a [$2 billion Housing Equity Fund](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-launches-a-2-billion-climate-pledge-fund) in Washington, Virginia, and Tennessee.*

## February

![An image of Andy Jassy at an event at Seattle University in 2019. He is speaking with a group of students at a social gathering and smiling while shaking one student's hand.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/c1b43b6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/767x511!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fa0%2Fdc%2Ff7ae03c74b7aaf76e64ea4fab51c%2F20190513awsfiresideseattleu-blog-14.jpg)
Andy Jassy was announced as [Amazon’s next CEO](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/email-from-jeff-bezos-to-employees) as Jeff Bezos shifted to exec chair of the board.

![A man in a construction helmet and orange safety jacket is photographed at a construction site on Amazon's campus in Seattle, WA. He is using a circular saw to cut through metal. ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/2fa5b4f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1333+0+0/resize/767x511!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fe0%2F53%2F96e92ff24a3f94bb71358087dc27%2F20180824buildingamazon-blog-23.JPG)
Amazon investments over the past decade have led to [the creation of 780,000 indirect jobs](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazons-commitment-to-americas-communities-and-economic-recovery) across the U.S.

## March

![Amazon associate Melvyn wears a mask, high visibility vest, and safety gloves while standing amongst stacks of pallets on an Amazon fulfillment center shipping dock](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/2b51be0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1220x686+0+0/resize/767x431!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F8b%2Ffc%2F0cdc0cb64acbb854f5a787581d50%2Fmelvyn-1220x686.jpg)
*An independent study found Amazon’s pay increase in 2018 (to at least $15/hr.) resulted in a 4.7% increase in the average hourly wage among other employers in the same area.*

## April

![Yellow Amazon smile](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/ef78b39/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x500+0+0/resize/767x767!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fd2%2F14%2F6d819c004add95454c166e5106b5%2Fdownload.jpg)
For shareholders, Jeff Bezos reflected on Amazon’s early days and his [hope to create an “enduring franchise](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/2020-letter-to-shareholders).”

![A woman and two men photographed on a tiered concrete seating area.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/e09d8fd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1334+0+0/resize/767x512!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F21%2Fd8%2Fe73015be405a896e05217f164c47%2Fz9a4391-copy.jpg)
LinkedIn ranked Amazon at No. 1 on its [Top Companies 2021](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/linkedin-names-amazon-no-1-company-where-americans-want-to-work) list of the most sought-after places to work.

## May

![A man wearing a t-shirt receives a COVID-19 vaccination from a man wearing a Virginia Mason lab coat, mask, and gloves. ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/c1dbae1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x1066+0+0/resize/767x511!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fe7%2F91%2F0f3fb1dc47df857f452b940c8233%2Fcad1b19c-ae78-4550-929e-749f0065a9f1.jpg)
*Amazon’s front-line employees had [access to on-site COVID-19 vaccinations](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazons-covid-19-blog-updates-on-how-were-responding-to-the-crisis), and we offered vaccinations to residents in several communities throughout the year.*

## June

![The sun sets on a wind and solar panel farm.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/0778d6e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/767x431!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F23%2F7b%2F3411025249eca007145cf27fc8ce%2Famz-sus-2.jpg)
Amazon was ranked as the [No. 1 investor in America](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/job-creation-and-investment/amazon-ranked-no-1-investor-in-america) with $34 billion spent on infrastructure in 2020 alone.

![Karen Blackwell, founder and CEO, Kanda Chocolates smiles and poses with her hand on her hip. She has dark curled hair to her shoulders and is wearing a colorful leaf-patterned dress.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/f809283/2147483647/strip/true/crop/613x613+0+0/resize/767x767!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fa6%2Fa2%2Fdcd7ef84458fa3663ad8f63f2247%2Fheadshot-karen-m-blackwell.jpg)
We committed [$150 million to help Black entrepreneurs](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/small-business/amazon-commits-150-million-to-empower-black-entrepreneurs) with access to capital and business guidance.

## July

![Amazon's Leadership Principles featured on a wall in an Amazon office building. A woman is walking in front of them.](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/20c13c3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/800x800+0+0/resize/767x767!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fbc%2F46%2Fb64a1edc4a2c99485f69bbae25c9%2Famazon-leadership-principles.jfif)
*Amazon added [two new Leadership Principles](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/two-new-leadership-principles) to guide how we lead and innovate: Strive to be Earth’s Best Employer; and Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility.*

## August

![A view of a newly-opened Amazon Air hub ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/101928c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1334+0+0/resize/767x512!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fb0%2Fad%2F966535144c9b8e398d360e41b19c%2Fdoc06364.jpg)
*We began operations at our new [Amazon Air Hub](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/welcome-to-the-amazon-air-hub) and welcomed the first employees who will bring the $1.5 billion investment in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky to life.*

## September

![A person sitting behind a series of monitors works on Amazon Career day](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/ad92ca2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x800+0+0/resize/767x384!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F72%2F02%2F57c770d5495f9c23361871407bdb%2Fcareer-day-2021.jpeg)
[Amazon’s Career Day](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/job-creation-and-investment/amazon-career-day-2021-attracts-over-1-million-job-applicants) attracted more than 1 million applicants. We offered coaching and training.

![An Amazon Astro bot in a home setting](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/a4d6292/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x1200+0+0/resize/767x511!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F7e%2Fcb%2Fe6779b40478da582397f6b5990ce%2Fastro-invite.jpg)
Amazon launched devices and services to delight our customers including, [Astro, our home robot](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/meet-astro-a-home-robot-unlike-any-other).

## October

![Amazon employee at a COVID-19 vaccination event](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/e55542a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1980x1374+0+0/resize/767x532!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fa5%2F14%2F947fbb6246c89ea739d495cbe5c4%2Fserina-sat21.jpeg)
We continued to prioritize the well-being of our employees with [$15 billion in COVID-related costs](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/15b-in-covid-19-related-costs-to-prioritize-employee-health-and-safety).

![Scenes from the new Climate Pledge Arena ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/9211b6e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1121+0+0/resize/767x430!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2Fe7%2F2d%2F35fdae9740b3ae8eebc1c2ccdf5b%2Fdpdrones-climate-pledge-arena-sunset-night-01.jpg)
[Climate Pledge Arena](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/seattles-climate-pledge-arena-makes-history), the first net-zero carbon certified arena in the world, opened in Seattle.

## November

![A river runs through untouched greenery on a mountainside](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/220bdb4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1055+0+0/resize/767x405!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F6a%2F25%2Fb5acea78450ea7e4713e25c7481e%2Friver-running-through-greenery.jpg)
*More than 200 global businesses joined The Climate Pledge to become net-zero carbon by 2040. Among our efforts this year, [Amazon helps mobilize $1 billion to save rainforests](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-helps-mobilize-1-billion-to-protect-rainforests-worldwide).*

## December

![AmazonSmile has donated $215 million to non-profits ](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/8a387e8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1400x1086+0+0/resize/767x595!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F01%2Fd7%2Fb22c789c41e5b0de99eac59ba26c%2Faspca-4-1400x1086.png)
AmazonSmile donated $321 million to charities—from global humanitarian efforts to school PTAs.

![A woman wearing a mask navigates a pallet of humanitarian goods in an Amazon fulfillment center](https://assets.aboutamazon.com/dims4/default/bfa43d6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2000x1500+0+0/resize/767x575!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.aboutamazon.com%2F9e%2F36%2F047208214ca0bdb3a994949ebf1c%2Fdisasterreliefhub-92.JPG)
Over the years, we donated [15 million relief items](https://www.aboutamazon.com/impact/community/disaster-relief)to support people impacted by natural disasters.