Download our 2022 Recommerce Report highlights
SUSTAINABLE COMMERCE
SUSTAINABLE COMMERCE
We embrace sustainable practices to support a thriving environment.
Environmental Footprint
Learn more about our Science-Based Target and annual TCFD reports, and read our Environmental Policy for more.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
We report our GHG emissions in accordance with the World Resource Institute’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol. We set a Science-Based Target to reduce Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 90% by 2030 from our 2019 baseline. Data coverage includes 100% of our operations. In 2022, we were carbon neutral for Scopes 1 and 2.
Emissions by Scope
When looking at our corporate footprint, data centers comprise 70% of our direct Scopes 1 and 2 emissions, while offices and direct business travel contribute to the remainder. As with most companies, our Scope 3 emissions far outweigh our Scopes 1 and 2. And as an online marketplace, the majority of our value chain emissions specifically come from the delivery of products.
Scopes 1 and 2
In 2022, we continued to implement energy-efficient practices, such as heating and cooling upgrades in Dublin and LED lighting in London. In our data centers, we continue to invest in more efficient cooling systems to reduce operational energy use. We’ve also purchased offsets to achieve carbon neutrality for the remainder of these emissions.
Scope 3
In 2022, our Scope 3 emissions were primarily derived from the shipping and transportation of items purchased online. In addition, purchased goods and services and use of sold products comprised other significant sources of Scope 3 emissions. For eBay, use of sold products refers to the use of our online marketplace on electronic devices.
USPS Carrier Engagement
We champion sustainable transportation practices on behalf of the millions of sellers and buyers on our marketplace.
Throughout 2022, we partnered with Etsy to encourage the U.S. Postal Service to adopt more innovative and sustainable shipping practices for small businesses who rely on USPS to reach their customers. Our efforts culminated in a letter, published in February 2023, congratulating USPS for their commitment to exclusively purchase electric delivery vehicles by 2026. This shift will help not just the environment, but also our customers by enabling lower costs and other benefits offered by an all-electric delivery fleet.
Our carrier partners are central to the success of our entrepreneurs, and we will continue to work closely with them to strengthen their ability to best serve small businesses with accessible and affordable package delivery while reducing our climate impact and promoting a cleaner future.
Energy
Like other tech companies, our largest environmental impact comes from energy use in our offices and data centers — which is why we’re committed to investing in clean energy sources, with a goal to use exclusively renewable energy.
Energy Use
Our data centers comprised 86% of our total energy use in 2022. We started a multi-year retrofit of our data centers to reduce electrical redundancy and replace the existing Uninterruptible Power Supply system with high-efficiency models. To date, each of our primary data centers has earned the ENERGY STAR® for Data Centers Label.
Renewable Energy
In our efforts to use 100% renewable energy by 2025, we consistently search for local, renewable energy solutions to power our offices and data centers. eBay has also invested in projects such as VPPAs in Texas and Louisiana when local solutions are not available, and we use 100% renewable energy at our San Jose headquarters along with eight other offices. In 2022, we completed an assessment of renewable energy options at international offices and will prioritize local green programs as feasible.
EPA Green Power
Since 2020, we have been an official member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Power Partnership, which encourages organizations to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity by using green power. In 2022, we were once again included in the partnership’s Top 30 Tech & Telecom list, which highlights top Green Power Partners in tech.
Water and Waste
We’re continuing to make strides in water conservation and waste reduction across our global offices.
Water Consumption
Water consumption continues to be of utmost importance. We work to ensure our water use data collection is precise, and we annually perform a global water risk assessment. In 2022, we converted to low-drip irrigation at our San Jose headquarters to reduce water usage. Our data centers use closed-loop water-based cooling systems to decrease water loss as well.
Waste Diversion
We remain committed to reducing the amount of waste that leaves eBay owned sites and have maintained a high waste diversion rate at our San Jose headquarters. In addition, we continue to refine our waste data collection process and increase reporting sites across global operations.
Biodiversity
We continue to seek opportunities to protect biodiversity and limit our impact on local ecosystems.
Biodiversity Risk Assessment
At the end of 2020, we conducted an analysis of our locations and examined their proximity to protected areas. This assessment evaluated potential risks throughout eBay’s portfolio of physical locations, including metro areas where eBay has a large presence. While none of our locations were deemed high risk, we continue to monitor each site closely for climate, biodiversity or nature risks and impacts. We plan on updating this assessment in 2023.
At eBay, we’re driving positive change. We are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint — embracing sustainable practices and promoting the circular economy to advance the future of our planet.
Recommerce
Promoting a Healthy Cycle
The resale of pre-loved and refurbished goods on our global platform conserves energy, resources and costs — bringing us one step closer to a more sustainable future.
Recommerce is and always has been central to eBay’s impact goals. Our environmental analysis now includes seven product categories in seven markets (U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Australia), and we’re continuing to expand our understanding of our environmental impacts. From 2021 to 2025, we aim to avoid 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions and 350,000 metric tons of waste. We also plan to enable the creation of $22 billion in positive economic impact from money saved by purchasing pre-loved and refurbished goods on our marketplace. These goals have been adjusted from the initial ambition to account for our expanded boundaries in product categories and markets.
Our sellers and buyers around the world recognize recommerce as an important source of income and savings, with the added benefit of contributing to a healthier planet. In our third annual Recommerce Report, we found that economic opportunity and sustainability remain key drivers behind the secondhand resale market.
eBay Refurbished
We’re investing further in the circular economy with our eBay Refurbished program. Refurbishing extends the lives of existing products and requires less energy compared to making new products, allowing shoppers to reduce their environmental impact.
Our customers can find fully functional items from premium brands like Apple, Samsung and Dyson, sourced directly from those brands and top-rated sellers. The program also offers one- and two-year warranties, making eBay a go-to destination for selling and buying refurbished goods. The program has grown significantly since its launch and marked its biggest sales week ever during Cyber Week 2022.
In February 2023, we completed a series of case studies examining the benefits of buying refurbished smartphones, laptops and vacuums in the U.S. — items that are representative of wider product categories on our marketplace, including mobile tech, computing and home goods. Our findings highlighted the avoided carbon emissions, avoided waste and financial benefits associated with shopping refurbished, such as the fact that in 2022, refurbished smartphone sales on eBay avoided 19,800 tons of CO2 emissions, equal to taking 3,900 cars off the road for a year.