Software company declares net zero across its entire value chain
Global consumer relationship management software company Salesforce today announced that it is a net zero company across its value chain and has achieved 100% renewable energy for its operations.
Salesforce has developed strategies for reducing emissions in Scopes 1, 2, and 3 in four key categories: Work From Anywhere, Infrastructure, Business Travel, and Supply Chain. The company is also unveiling Sustainability Cloud 2.0. The Salesforce Sustainability Cloud is a carbon accounting platform aimed at helping customers accelerate their path to net zero by enabling organizations to track and reduce their carbon emissions and become sustainable businesses. New features in Sustainability Cloud 2.0 include Slack-First Sustainability for better collaboration with suppliers, a carbon offset ecosystem, and industry-specific climate action plans.
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Changing the discourse on capital, politics and employment energy needed to achieve net zero
Salesforce CEO and President Marc Benioff commented, “Climate change is one of the most pressing crises we face as a planet, and each of us has a responsibility to help. I’m proud that Salesforce is one of the few companies to reach net zero and 100% renewable energy, but we can’t stop until we embrace all the solutions and integrate all the companies. Together, we can sequester 100 gigatons of carbon by restoring, conserving or growing 1,000 billion trees; energize an eco-market revolution to develop innovative climate solutions and accelerate the Fortune 1000 to reach Net Zero.
Suzanne DiBianca, Chief Impact Officer and EVP of Corporate Relations at Salesforce, said: “Climate change impacts everyone and everything and it has a disproportionate impact on the poorest and most vulnerable, amplifying global inequalities. Sustainability Cloud has accelerated our path to Net Zero, and we’re giving customers the transformation tools and trusted data they need to reduce their carbon emissions and take climate action.
According to Salesforce, sustainability is key to becoming a business you can trust. The company estimates that with 58% of people willing to spend more with companies fighting climate change, customers want to do business with companies that are fully committed to the cause.
Salesforce Extends Net Zero Across Its Entire Value Chain
Salesforce continues to move towards a 1.5 ° C future by focusing on six sustainability priorities: reducing emissions, eliminating carbon, restoring trillions of trees and ecosystems, education and engagement, innovation , and regulation and policy.
Today, the company is releasing its Climate Action Plan to provide a plan for others to accelerate their journey to net zero.
Nigel Topping, high-level UN climate champion for COP26, said: “We need bold and urgent action if we are to deliver on the promise of Paris and a healthier, cleaner and more carbon-free world. more resilient in time. Salesforce has shown significant leadership in climate action through its work in innovation, supply chain decarbonisation and policy advocacy and I encourage companies around the world to get involved now and to join us in the race for zero emissions.
The road to a net zero value chain
Salesforce achieved zero net emissions by:
- Publicly commit to the shared global goal of achieving a just and just transition to Net Zero, in line with a 1.5 ° C future.
- Prioritize emissions reduction as quickly as possible and align its own emissions across its entire value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3) on the global trajectory of approximately 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and near zero emissions by 2040. With Sustainability Cloud, Salesforce identifies the most impactful opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint.
- Offset the remaining emissions by purchasing renewable energy and carbon credits with high credibility, impact and co-benefits. Long term using only suppression credits and short term using a combination of avoidance and suppression credits.
In 2021, Salesforce reached 100% renewable energy, purchasing enough renewable energy to match all the electricity it uses around the world. Since first committing to this goal in 2013, the company has worked to accelerate the global transition to clean and renewable sources of electricity with the goal of a future where renewable energy feed the world around the clock.
To fight climate change, companies need to reduce their emissions and increase carbon removals from the atmosphere. Salesforce is focused on deploying natural carbon removal tools, including trees and oceans, while advancing technology-based carbon removal solutions. From eco-entrepreneurs to businesses, innovation is necessary to accelerate the path to decarbonization.
Sustainability Cloud 2.0 Accelerates Businesses Toward Net Zero
Over 70% of people think emissions reduction should be factored into business operations, but tracking a company’s entire value chain is complex and time consuming. With Sustainability Cloud, Salesforce was able to reduce its carbon accounting process from over six months to just six weeks.
Sustainability Cloud is designed to help customers track and reduce their emissions and take action with a comprehensive view of their environmental footprint with investor-grade data for customizable ESG reports. This data is essential for third-party audits, financial records, corporate reputation, and building trust with all stakeholders. Customers such as Clif Bar & Company, ISDI, Miller Knoll, Uhuru and XERO are already starting to use Sustainability Cloud to track their carbon emissions and take action.
Today, Salesforce introduces Sustainability Cloud 2.0 to help companies accelerate net zero by progressing on the six sustainability priorities and turning commitments into action.
In the next generation of Sustainability Cloud, companies will see the following:
- Suppliers are an important part of the carbon reduction equation. Businesses will achieve investor-level Tier 3 reporting with Slack-First Sustainability, enabling them to effortlessly connect and collaborate securely at scale with vendors around science-based emission reduction goals through Slack Connect.
- Each industry has unique needs. Businesses will be able to visualize their fastest path to net zero with climate action planning, which includes integrated forecasting, scenario planning and decarbonization plans.
- Climate action needs everyone to mobilize and collaborate. Salesforce invests in building an open trading ecosystem, where customers can buy and manage high-quality carbon credits from eco-entrepreneurs, advocate for science-based climate policies, and democratize sustainability by educating teams.
Nature-based solutions are essential to tackle the climate crisis
At Salesforce, the environment is a key stakeholder and trees are one of the most efficient solutions for removing carbon from the atmosphere. That’s why Salesforce is a founding partner of 1t.org, a movement to conserve, restore and grow 1,000 billion trees by 2030.
The company believes that protecting our planet requires everyone – governments, investors, businesses and individuals – to work together today to take climate action.