Amazon has issued an apology after a chief executive was informed she could not bring her breastfed baby to a business course held at one of its facilities in Fife.
Rachael Bews, co-founder and CEO of Nu Coton, had proactively informed the company that she would need to breastfeed her five-month-old daughter throughout the day while attending the programme.
However, while already en route to the event, Ms Bews received a call from Amazon stating that her circumstances could not be accommodated at the fulfilment centre where the course was taking place.
"I assumed they’d be able to accommodate me breastfeeding my baby during the day, with my husband caring for her nearby so I could fully participate," Ms Bews shared in a LinkedIn post.
She acknowledged the necessity of safety regulations, adding: "I completely understand the need for strict health and safety rules in an active industrial environment. But the practical outcome is that I can’t take part on the first day because there isn’t a workable way for me to breastfeed my baby during the programme."
An Amazon spokesperson clarified that the company offers paid lactation breaks, flexible scheduling for nursing mothers, and dedicated private rooms for expressing milk. However, they stated: "for health and safety reasons, we are unable to allow children under the age of six on any of our fulfilment centre sites."
The spokesperson added: "We sincerely apologise to Ms Bews that our site access policy was not communicated clearly before she travelled to the event. That should not have happened, and we understand her frustration. We are reviewing our communications process to prevent this from happening again, and have invited her to join us at a future event."
Ms Bews explained that her intention was for her husband to care for their daughter elsewhere on the Amazon campus, allowing her to attend workshops and leave to feed her baby as required. She had not anticipated bringing her daughter into the fulfilment centre itself.
Having already spent nearly £80 on train tickets, Ms Bews was travelling to the Dunfermline campus when she received the call.
"I burst into hot, sweaty tears," she wrote on LinkedIn. "I’ve packed for myself and my three children. Arranged childcare. Arranged pet sitting. We’ve travelled the length of the country, and now I can’t participate. Is this really where we are in 2026?"
She concluded by advocating for greater inclusivity: "I’d love to see more organisations think about how leadership programmes and accelerators can be made accessible to breastfeeding parents, and those with care responsibilities generally. Opportunities like these shouldn’t become inaccessible simply because someone is feeding their baby."
