Jeff Bezos has said he hopes to become known for his philanthropy. In an interview with CNN, he said he plans to give away most of his net worth (which currently stands at $124 billion) to charity. Most of it will go to fighting climate change or supporting those who can create “unity” for humanity. While Jeff Bezos didn’t share many details, he and his partner Lauren Sánchez said they are “building the capacity” to give away that fortune and hope to make a difference with it.
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Before the revelation, Bezos announced a $100 million donation to singer Dolly Parton. The executive had previously pledged $10 billion over a decade to the Bezos Earth Fund, which aims to advance policy and technological solutions to man-made climate change. Bezos' ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, has already given about $4 billion to organizations in recent months.
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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have both pledged to donate a large portion of their wealth to charity. Following in their footsteps, Bezos has now announced that he will also donate a significant portion of his money to various causes.
Like other tech CEOs who have made big donations, Bezos has faced criticism over his legacy. While Amazon has repeatedly fought climate legislation, its emissions saw a sudden spike in 2021, despite its pledge to reduce its environmental impact. And he has argued that Amazon should treat its employees better.
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Some wonder why he waited until now to give most of his money to charity. He has made charitable commitments in the past, but he has also invested heavily in side projects that currently don't seem to contribute much to the advancement of humanity. There is a fear that Bezos is simply trying to use this act of charity to improve image .
Information source: engadget.com
