eBay operates as one of the world’s largest and oldest re-commerce platforms, and its sustainability model is structurally distinct from that of traditional retailers: its primary environmental contribution comes not from green manufacturing but from enabling the reuse of existing products. In January 2026, eBay published its inaugural Climate Transition Plan with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation, setting a net-zero target for 2045 across its full value chain. The 2024 Impact Report, published in May 2025, documents material gains in operational decarbonization, packaging waste prevention, and recommerce-driven emissions avoidance.
eBay achieved 100% renewable electricity coverage across all offices, data centers, and authentication centers in 2024, one year ahead of its 2025 target. It earned a place in the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership National Top 100 and Top 30 Tech and Telecom lists. The company also reduced direct Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 92% from its 2019 baseline, exceeding its 2030 operational reduction target six years early.
Source
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/eBay-Impact-2024-Report.pdf https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/news-events/ebay-publishes-2024-impact-report https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/ebay-unveils-first-climate-plan-targets-net-zero-by-2045-2026-01-14
Sustainability Strategy and Goals
eBay’s strategy rests on two interdependent pillars: decarbonizing its own operations and scaling recommerce as a system-level solution to overproduction and consumer waste. The strategy aligns with UN SDGs 8, 12, and 13 and operates within the SBTi 1.5°C pathway. The 2025 Climate Transition Plan formalized these commitments into a structured multi-decade roadmap.
Net Zero and Carbon Emissions
eBay commits to net-zero GHG emissions across its entire value chain by 2045, representing a 90% absolute reduction from the 2019 baseline. Near-term targets include a 27.5% absolute reduction in Scope 3 downstream transportation and distribution (T&D) emissions by 2030. Scope 1 and 2 emissions now represent just 0.2% of eBay’s total footprint, making Scope 3 logistics the defining decarbonization challenge.
- Operational emissions reduced 92% from 2019 baseline by 2024, exceeding the 2030 goal
- Scope 3 T&D emissions reduced 21% from baseline in 2024, against a 2030 target of 27.5%
- 46% of total planned decarbonization assigned to carrier collaboration with DHL, UPS, and FedEx
- 22% of total planned decarbonization assigned to wider industry collaboration with shipping NGOs
- 17% of residual emissions to be neutralized through permanent and durable carbon removals by 2045
Water Stewardship
eBay’s physical infrastructure footprint is comparatively limited, with data centers and offices rather than manufacturing facilities driving water demand. The 2024 Impact Report does not publish a standalone water-positive commitment or a quantified water withdrawal target, placing eBay behind peers like Amazon and Microsoft on formalized water stewardship. This represents a gap in eBay’s ESG framework relative to the scope of its peer benchmarking.
Regenerative Agriculture
eBay does not operate in agriculture or food supply chains and does not publish commitments on regenerative sourcing. The company’s sustainability footprint is concentrated in logistics, digital infrastructure, and recommerce, not material production or land use. This is consistent with its asset-light, marketplace business model.
Deforestation and Biodiversity
eBay’s direct deforestation exposure is negligible. The company’s contribution to biodiversity protection is indirect: by enabling the resale of existing goods, particularly electronics and apparel, eBay reduces demand for virgin materials that drive resource extraction, deforestation, and ecosystem degradation. The Climate Transition Plan does not include a formal nature-based solutions program. Carbon removals planned for 2045 are described as permanent and durable but have not yet been contracted or disclosed in detail.
Packaging and Circular Economy
Recommerce is eBay’s defining circular economy contribution. The sale of pre-loved and refurbished goods on the platform in 2024 alone avoided 1.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions and prevented 70,000 metric tons of waste. eBay’s Circular Fashion Fund and its eBay Refurbished Program (with Allstate SquareTrade warranties) are the two most structured institutional levers in this strategy.
- eBay acquired Tise, Norway’s leading social resale app, in September 2025 to accelerate C2C pre-loved fashion in Europe with Gen Z and Millennial buyers
- Sellers using recyclable packaging receive increased platform visibility through sustainability-linked seller rewards
- The Ships in Product Packaging equivalent for eBay is the marketplace model itself: no new packaging from eBay is needed for the majority of transactions
- The eBay Refurbished Program covers “Certified,” “Excellent,” “Very Good,” and “Good” tiers to standardize quality and increase buyer confidence in pre-owned electronics
Human Rights and Responsible Sourcing
eBay’s Third Party Code of Business Conduct and Ethics prohibits forced labor, bonded labor, child labor, and all forms of workplace discrimination. The company’s Human Rights Policy Statement aligns with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s Fundamental Conventions. Suppliers must provide safe working environments, pay applicable legal wages, and ensure equal treatment for women workers across all aspects of employment.
- eBay requires that Third Parties verify materials do not originate from sources benefiting armed groups that perpetrate human rights abuses
- Employment decisions at eBay are non-discriminatory across 14 protected characteristics including gender identity, disability, and ethnicity
- eBay commits to public, transparent reporting on diversity and inclusion progress globally
Nutrition and Health
eBay does not operate in food or grocery categories at scale and does not publish nutrition or food waste targets. This is outside eBay’s core operational scope.
Community and Social Impact
In 2024, eBay for Charity raised $192 million for nonprofits globally, making it one of the largest corporate charity commerce programs in e-commerce. The platform’s economic impact model extends to small businesses, which accounted for roughly 70% of gross merchandise volume (GMV) across the U.S., UK, and Germany in 2024. From 2021 to 2025, eBay committed to driving $22 billion in positive economic impact, preventing 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions, and diverting 350,000 metric tons of waste.
Governance and Transparency
eBay’s 2024 Impact Report aligns with GRI Standards, SASB sector standards, and TCFD disclosures. The Climate Transition Plan, validated by SBTi in early 2026, represents the first time eBay has published a formal, externally verified decarbonization roadmap. eBay’s board-level oversight of climate risk, sustainability performance, and ESG disclosure is conducted through a dedicated committee that reviews material risks at least quarterly.
Technology and Innovation
eBay has invested in AI-powered tools for grading, authentication, and dynamic pricing of used goods, directly improving the economics and reliability of recommerce at scale. The company partnered with startups in textile recycling and recommerce to build supply-side capacity for its circular fashion ambitions. These investments reduce the cost and friction of resale, which is the most effective mechanism eBay has to scale environmental impact.
- Glacier AI integration (mentioned through Amazon’s context but eBay is separately investing in AI sorting tech) helps reduce return rates and misgraded product listings
- AI-powered authentication for luxury, collectibles, and electronics reduces fraud and increases buyer trust in pre-owned categories
- Virtual power purchase agreements in the U.S. include growth buffers to absorb future electricity demand from AI infrastructure investment
Global Partnerships and Advocacy
eBay’s carrier decarbonization strategy depends on DHL, UPS, and FedEx all meeting their own fleet decarbonization and net-zero commitments. The company is engaged with non-governmental organizations and industry coalitions to drive low-carbon logistics at the sector level, not just within its own supply chain. The acquisition of Tise in September 2025 represents eBay’s most direct partnership investment to deepen recommerce reach in Europe.
Source
https://esgpost.com/ebay-sets-out-path-to-net-zero-supply-chain-emissions-by-2045
https://www.esgdive.com/news/ebay-unveils-climate-transition-plan-reach-2045-net-zero-target-sbti/809634
https://allthingscircular.com/inside-ebays-circular-economy-strategy/
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/2024-GRI-SASB-and-TCFD-Indices.pdf
https://prospershow.com/ebay-report-touts-sustainability/
https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/news-events/ebay-publishes-2024-impact-report
https://www.ebayinc.com/company/supplier-code-of-conduct https://www.ebayinc.com/company/human-rights-policy-statement
https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/reports/ebay-and-circular-economy-continued-look-advancing-sustainability-through-recommerce
https://www.ebayinc.com/recommerce-report
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/eBay-Impact-2024-Report.pdf
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/Climate-Transition-Plan.pdf
https://www.ebayinc.com/impact/sustainable-commerce
Progress vs. Target Tracker
| Commitment | Target | Current Status | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% renewable electricity (offices, data centers, authentication centers) | 2025 | Achieved in 2024, one year early | On track |
| 90% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from 2019 baseline | 2030 | 92% reduction achieved in 2024 | On track |
| 27.5% reduction in Scope 3 T&D emissions from 2019 baseline | 2030 | 21% reduction achieved in 2024 | On track |
| Net-zero GHG emissions across full value chain | 2045 | Climate Transition Plan published January 2026, SBTi validated | On track |
| $22 billion in positive economic impact (from recommerce, 2021–2025) | 2025 | $5 billion in 2024 alone from recommerce; full program nearing close | On track |
| 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions prevented (2021–2025) | 2025 | 1.6 million metric tons avoided in recommerce alone in 2024 | On track |
| 350,000 metric tons of waste diverted (2021–2025) | 2025 | 70,000 metric tons of waste prevented through recommerce in 2024 | On track |
| Full Scope 3 upstream procurement and business travel disclosure | No fixed deadline | Partial; not fully disclosed in 2024 report | At risk |
| Formal water stewardship target | Not set | No quantified water target published as of 2024 | Missed |
| Nature-based or durable carbon removal contracts for 2045 residuals | Pre-2045 | Not yet contracted or disclosed in detail | At risk |
Source
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/eBay-Impact-2024-Report.pdf https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/Climate-Transition-Plan.pdf
Key Sustainability Innovations and Technologies
eBay’s innovation pipeline runs through four primary domains: AI-driven recommerce tools, carrier decarbonization partnerships, renewable energy procurement, and circular fashion infrastructure.
AI-Driven Recommerce and Authentication
eBay’s AI investment in authentication and dynamic pricing is central to its circular economy model. The platform uses machine learning to grade electronics, luxury goods, and collectibles, increasing buyer confidence and reducing returns, which represent a significant source of reverse logistics emissions. These tools also enable more accurate pricing of pre-owned inventory, which reduces the discount gap between new and used goods and drives higher sell-through rates on items that might otherwise be discarded.
Carrier Decarbonization Partnerships
The Climate Transition Plan assigns 46% of eBay’s total decarbonization to carrier collaboration. All three of eBay’s primary shipping partners, DHL, UPS, and FedEx, have published fleet decarbonization or net-zero targets as of December 2025. eBay is actively working to contractually bind carrier partners to verified emissions reduction pathways rather than relying solely on voluntary commitments.
- DHL, UPS, and FedEx all confirmed as having fleet decarbonization targets as of December 2025
- eBay targets a 27.5% absolute reduction in T&D Scope 3 emissions by 2030, requiring carrier partners to actively decarbonize their fleets
- The company seeks to achieve a further 22% of reductions through sector-wide logistics industry collaboration
Renewable Energy with Growth Buffers
eBay’s virtual power purchase agreement in the U.S. was structured with built-in capacity buffers to absorb future electricity demand from AI-related infrastructure growth. This forward-looking procurement design prevents the common pitfall where renewable energy coverage falls below 100% as infrastructure scales. Achieving 100% renewable energy coverage in 2024 earned eBay a place in the U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership National Top 100.
Circular Fashion Infrastructure
The eBay Circular Fashion Fund and the 2025 acquisition of Tise (Norway’s leading C2C resale app) represent eBay’s most direct investments in building European recommerce infrastructure for fashion. These moves target Gen Z and Millennial consumers in Europe, a demographic segment with disproportionate sensitivity to sustainability credentials. The eBay Refurbished Program, backed by Allstate SquareTrade warranties, provides a quality assurance layer that standardizes the buyer experience in pre-owned electronics, reducing returns and extending product lifecycles.
Source
https://trellis.net/article/ebays-big-climate-transition-focus-product-delivery
https://allthingscircular.com/inside-ebays-circular-economy-strategy/ https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/Climate-Transition-Plan.pdf https://www.esgdive.com/news/ebay-unveils-climate-transition-plan-reach-2045-net-zero-target-sbti/809634
Measurable Impacts
eBay’s 2024 data presents a strong operational decarbonization story paired with compelling system-level recommerce impact numbers.
Carbon and Energy
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduced by 92% from 2019 baseline by 2024, exceeding the 2030 goal
- Scope 3 T&D emissions reduced by 21% from 2019 baseline in 2024, toward a 2030 target of 27.5%
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions represent just 0.2% of eBay’s total 2024 footprint
- 100% renewable electricity sourced for all eBay-controlled operations in 2024
- Recommerce activity in 2024 avoided 1.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to removing over 300,000 vehicles from roads annually
Waste and Circular Economy
- 70,000 metric tons of waste prevented through recommerce in 2024
- $5 billion in positive economic impact generated through recommerce in 2024
- Cumulatively from 2021 to 2025, eBay committed to preventing 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions and diverting 350,000 metric tons of waste through recommerce
Community and Economic Impact
- $192 million raised through eBay for Charity in 2024
- Small businesses accounted for approximately 70% of GMV in the U.S., UK, and Germany in 2024
Source
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/eBay-Impact-2024-Report.pdf https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-publishes-2024-impact-report https://carboncredits.com/ebay-maps-out-path-to-net-zero-by-2045-with-science-based-climate-plan
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
eBay faces three structural challenges that could constrain its long-term credibility as a sustainability leader.
Scope 3 Dependence on Third-Party Carriers
Scope 3 logistics emissions represent nearly 100% of eBay’s remaining carbon footprint after the 92% operational reduction. eBay does not own or operate its delivery fleet, which means 46% of its planned decarbonization is structurally dependent on DHL, UPS, and FedEx meeting their own separate net-zero commitments. If any of these carriers miss their targets or delay their fleet transition timelines, eBay’s 2030 Scope 3 milestone and its 2045 net-zero goal are directly exposed. This is a material third-party dependency risk that eBay cannot fully control.
Absent Water Stewardship Framework
eBay has not published a quantified water stewardship target or water withdrawal baseline in any public reporting as of its 2024 Impact Report. As AI infrastructure demands grow and eBay’s data center footprint expands to support recommerce authentication tools, water consumption will become a more relevant disclosure topic. The absence of any water commitment places eBay behind Amazon (53% progress toward 2030 water positivity) and Microsoft in this ESG sub-category.
Carbon Removal Gap
eBay’s 2045 net-zero target requires permanent and durable carbon removals to address the 17% of residual emissions that cannot be decarbonized through operational or supply chain measures. As of January 2026, eBay has not yet contracted, disclosed, or partnered for these removals. Direct air capture and durable biological removals are capital-intensive and require long procurement lead times. Microsoft has already contracted 22 million tonnes of carbon removals as of FY2024. eBay’s inaction on this front is a credibility risk the further it moves toward 2045 without a concrete removal pipeline in place.
Source
https://esgpost.com/ebay-sets-out-path-to-net-zero-supply-chain-emissions-by-2045
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/Climate-Transition-Plan.pdf
Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
eBay’s 2030 roadmap centers on the 27.5% Scope 3 T&D reduction target, maintaining 100% renewable electricity coverage as AI infrastructure expands, and scaling recommerce through new market acquisitions and the Circular Fashion Fund. The company is working to include upstream procurement, business travel, and employee commuting in its expanded Scope 3 disclosure framework, which will be required for full SBTi net-zero alignment.
By 2045, eBay commits to 90% absolute emissions reduction from the 2019 baseline across its full value chain, with permanent carbon removals addressing the residual 10%. The company plans to grow recommerce volume significantly, with the global secondhand apparel market alone projected to reach USD 367 billion by 2029, and eBay positioned as a major platform participant in that growth.
eBay leads peers in using the marketplace model itself as its primary sustainability mechanism. By enabling trade in pre-existing goods, it avoids emissions and waste at a scale no green manufacturing investment could match. Its 2024 recommerce impact figure of 1.6 million metric tons of avoided emissions is a direct consequence of its business model rather than a sustainability overlay. The challenge ahead is whether eBay can scale that model while resolving the carrier dependency, water disclosure, and carbon removal gaps that its current strategy leaves open.
Source
https://carboncredits.com/ebay-maps-out-path-to-net-zero-by-2045-with-science-based-climate-plan
https://trellis.net/article/ebays-big-climate-transition-focus-product-delivery
https://transition-pathways.europa.eu/textiles/articles/resale-rise-key-insights-thredup-resale-report-2025
Comparisons to Industry Competitors
eBay competes most directly with Etsy and ThredUp in the recommerce and sustainable marketplace space, though all three operate different business models within the broader circular e-commerce category.
Etsy committed to net-zero by 2040 and achieved a 37% reduction in Scope 3 emissions intensity relative to its 2020 baseline by 2024, with 100% renewable energy for offices and Google Cloud operations. Etsy was the first major online shopping destination to offset 100% of its shipping emissions in 2019 and has maintained that commitment through verified carbon offset purchases annually. ThredUp focuses exclusively on secondhand apparel and reports that resale reduces carbon emissions by 82% relative to new clothing production, with the global secondhand apparel market projected to reach USD 367 billion by 2029.
Source
Etsy 2024 Environmental and Social Impact: https://www.etsy.com/in-en/news/crafting-a-better-world-etsyas-2024-environmental-and-social-impact-highlights
Etsy SBTi net-zero target: https://eco-act.com/case-study/etsy-sets-ambitious-science-based-near-and-long-term-net-zero-targets/
ThredUp Resale Report 2025: https://transition-pathways.europa.eu/textiles/articles/resale-rise-key-insights-thredup-resale-report-2025
Etsy carbon-neutral shipping: https://3degreesinc.com/insights/etsy-leads-e-commerce-towards-carbon-neutral-shipping/
What to Watch: 12 to 18 Month Indicators
1. Carrier decarbonization progress disclosure in the 2025 Impact Report (expected mid-2026)
eBay assigned 46% of its total decarbonization to carrier collaboration with DHL, UPS, and FedEx. The 2025 Impact Report will be the first opportunity to assess whether Scope 3 T&D emissions are tracking faster than the 21% reduction recorded in 2024, toward the 27.5% by 2030 goal. A slowdown in progress would signal that carrier fleet transitions are not accelerating at the pace eBay’s net-zero model requires, exposing the 2045 commitment to credibility risk.
2. Carbon removal procurement announcement
eBay’s 2045 net-zero target requires permanent and durable carbon removals for 17% of residual emissions, yet no contracts, partnerships, or procurement vehicles have been disclosed as of January 2026. Any announcement of carbon removal investments in the next 12 to 18 months would be a positive signal of execution intent. Continued silence would widen the gap between eBay’s stated ambition and its operational readiness, particularly as peer companies like Microsoft have already contracted tens of millions of tonnes of removals.
3. Recommerce volume growth and GMV composition shift
eBay’s recommerce contribution of $5 billion in positive economic impact and 1.6 million metric tons of avoided emissions in 2024 is its most powerful sustainability metric. If the 2025 Recommerce Report and Impact Report show that recommerce as a share of total GMV is growing, it will validate eBay’s circular business model thesis. A flat or declining recommerce share would indicate that growth in new goods categories is outpacing the platform’s circular economy mission.
Source
https://www.ebayinc.com/recommerce-report
https://esgnews.com/ebay-targets-net-zero-by-2045-and-expands-sbti-validated-climate-plan/
https://trellis.net/article/ebays-big-climate-transition-focus-product-delivery
eBay’s sustainability model is architecturally different from most large e-commerce companies. Its core business, enabling the resale of pre-owned goods, is inherently lower-carbon than new product commerce, and the 1.6 million metric tons of avoided emissions in 2024 is a real and material contribution to climate outcomes that does not require green technology investment to generate. That structural advantage, combined with a 92% operational emissions reduction, makes eBay one of the more credible sustainability stories in the e-commerce sector on current metrics.
The credibility risk lies in what eBay has not yet resolved. The company’s net-zero path assigns the majority of its future decarbonization work to third parties (carriers at 46%, industry collaboration at 22%), with no contracted carbon removal pipeline for the remaining 17%. For a company that achieved its operational and renewable energy targets years ahead of schedule, the absence of proactive carbon removal procurement and carrier contract binding is a strategic inconsistency.
Three takeaways for practitioners benchmarking or replicating eBay’s model:
- The recommerce-as-sustainability model is replicable for any platform business that connects buyers and sellers of existing goods. Practitioners building resale programs should track avoided emissions and waste prevention against a new-product baseline, as eBay does, to make system-level impact quantifiable and communicable to investors and regulators.
- Carrier dependency is a governance risk that requires contractual solutions, not just stated alignment. eBay’s reliance on DHL, UPS, and FedEx for nearly half of its planned decarbonization is a concentration risk. Procurement teams should tie logistics contracts to verified, time-bound emissions milestones and build alternative carrier options into freight strategy.
- A 100% renewable energy target is achievable and communicable for asset-light digital platforms, but forward-looking energy procurement, including demand buffering in power purchase agreements as eBay has done, is required to maintain coverage as AI infrastructure expands. Companies that set static renewable energy contracts without growth buffers will find their coverage percentage eroding within two to three years of AI deployment at scale.
https://static.ebayinc.com/static/assets/Uploads/Documents/Climate-Transition-Plan.pdf
