Education

Education First

Education First (EF), a global leader in international education, partnered with Amazon Business to unify its procurement process, boost efficiency, and empower teams to focus on their ambitious mission: opening the world through education.

A global mission to connect the world

Founded in 1965, EF has evolved into an organisation with more than 50,000 employees, operating in over 100 countries. Each year, millions join EF’s wide range of programmes, from language learning and cultural exchange to academic degrees, all designed to help people cross borders and broaden their perspectives. This scale is inspiring, but it also brings operational hurdles.

EF’s model relied on local autonomy: schools and offices around the world sourced supplies independently, which encouraged flexibility but resulted in a fragmented and time-consuming procurement process. With hundreds of separate teams purchasing on their own, administrative work piled up, and efficiency suffered.

''The Amazon Business platform’s ease and flexibility align perfectly with EF’s culture as we ca buy as one organisation but preserve the autonomy and agility that are so important for our teams.''

— Viktor Sunnerlöf, Finance Transformation Manager at EF

A unified solution for a global organisation

EF recognised the need to bring clarity and structure to their procurement habits, without dampening the entrepreneurial spirit of local teams. Amazon Business provided that answer, offering a centralised system flexible enough to fit EF’s global culture.

With Multi-User Accounts and Single Sign-On, EF staff everywhere now use their own credentials to order what they need, whether it’s classroom resources or items for student residences. Managers gain clear oversight and budgeting aligns automatically. The entire process is simple, transparent, and scaled for an organisation of EF’s size.

Simplicity quickly became the most important change: what once meant juggling different platforms, personal reimbursements, and manual tracking is now handled in a single unified system. The result is time saved, better consistency, and a renewed focus on delivering exceptional experiences to students and travellers.

"Managers appreciate the visibility and being able to track spend across different teams since everything is unified into a single platform. Amazon Business is simple, transparent and scalable, exactly what an organisation like our needs.''

— Viktor Sunnerlöf, Finance Transformation Manager at EF

The journey has been supported at every step by the Amazon Business team, who adapted local rollouts to meet unique market needs. Whether navigating complex regulations or guiding staff through onboarding, the support offered has made implementation seamless and effective, freeing staff to concentrate on what matters most: student success.

With Amazon Business, EF has achieved significant operational and cost improvements, all while preserving the autonomy and agility that define its culture. The partnership continues to expand, opening new opportunities in every region. Together, they demonstrate how a global organisation can stay connected, efficient, and true to its mission, helping people learn, understand, and unite across cultures.

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Education First

A global mission to connect the world

''The Amazon Business platform’s ease and flexibility align perfectly with EF’s culture as we ca buy as one organisation but preserve the autonomy and agility that are so important for our teams.''

A unified solution for a global organisation

"Managers appreciate the visibility and being able to track spend across different teams since everything is unified into a single platform. Amazon Business is simple, transparent and scalable, exactly what an organisation like our needs.''

Create a free account

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