The Seattle Times reports that "Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos vowed to hire 25,000 veterans and spouses of active-duty military personnel over the next five years, joining a 5-year-old White House program to support military families and furthering the tech giant’s steps into the civic spotlight."
The story notes that "beyond hiring the 25,000, the company also committed to training 10,000 additional veterans and military spouses in the booming business of cloud computing.
"Amazon, which has significantly increased its lobbying spending in recent years, has also made a greater case for its economic impact, showcasing on its website how its platforms help create millions of jobs. It has also stepped up its participation in local civic affairs, allowing one of its buildings to become a temporary homeless shelter for families run by Mary’s Place. This week Bezos matched $1 million in donations for the nonprofit, which focuses on homeless women."
The story notes that "beyond hiring the 25,000, the company also committed to training 10,000 additional veterans and military spouses in the booming business of cloud computing.
"Amazon, which has significantly increased its lobbying spending in recent years, has also made a greater case for its economic impact, showcasing on its website how its platforms help create millions of jobs. It has also stepped up its participation in local civic affairs, allowing one of its buildings to become a temporary homeless shelter for families run by Mary’s Place. This week Bezos matched $1 million in donations for the nonprofit, which focuses on homeless women."
- KC's View:
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As Amazon becomes a ubiquitous presence, playing an expanded role in America's civic life is going to become more important, because that's what a lot of consumers demand of the companies with which they do business. This is something that Bezos largely has avoided over the years, but now it looks like he is picking his spots and trying to make a difference and move the needle.
Good for him.
