Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Workplace Safety at Amazon, stated that the company aims to set the "global standard" for workplace safety and maintain a safe environment for its employees. Rhoads made this statement in a blog post published by Amazon on January 23.

"The ability to effectively plan and mitigate risk is especially critical in my new role as I help make decisions for the company's number one priority—the health and safety of our employees," said Rhoads. "We want to set the global standard for workplace health and safety excellence, and that doesn't happen overnight."

According to the blog post, Rhoads credits her leadership skills to her time in the Navy. As VP of Workplace Safety, she leads a team of over 1.1 million employees worldwide. She employs a "Crawl, Walk, Run" approach to executing long-term visions, which she likens to her pilot training. "It’s a gradual process that takes some time, but the thorough training is important since safety and excellence are critical, just like it is at Amazon," said Rhoads.

Amazon may run test trials on new or developing technology in one facility; if successful, these trials will expand to more facilities and eventually different sites globally. "Effectively executing on a long-term vision isn’t like a light switch you can simply turn on and off. It’s important to be methodical and develop a thorough plan with test runs when possible before charging ahead at full speed," said Rhoads in the blog post.

Another significant aspect of workplace safety is setting priorities. She used terms from her experience as a fighter pilot: "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate," comparing them to Amazon's role in employee safety, customer care, and cost management. While priorities include creating safe technology and systems for deliveries, Rhoads emphasized that employees at Amazon should also "feel safe and confident" while working.

Rhoads is a 12-year U.S. Navy veteran who currently serves as Vice President for Workplace Safety at Amazon. She has held leadership positions at Amazon for 13 years, starting with Amazon Global Air where she helped build their air cargo network.