ESG readiness starts with ESG data.

A net zero world is a world in balance. Achieving net zero on a global level means emitting no more greenhouse gases than we are able to remove, either by natural means or through technological solutions. Right now, we are way out of that balance.

At Salesforce, we believe that net zero is a continuous journey, requiring us all to:

• Commit publicly to the shared, global goal of achieving a just and equitable transition to net zero emissions, in line with a 1.5°C future
• Prioritize reducing emissions as quickly as possible and aligning full value chains (scope 1, 2, and 3) to the global trajectory of ~50% emissions reduction by 2030 and 90% emissions reduction by 2040
• Compensate for any remaining emissions by purchasing renewable energy and carbon credits of high credibility, impact, and co-benefits, in the long term using removal credits only and in the near term using a combination of avoidance and removal credits

ESG data is a grouping of metrics outlining a company's environmental, social, and governance performance. Some examples include: 

• Environmental data, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water management, waste management, and energy usage   
• Social data, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics, labor practices, supply chain data, and product safety metrics
• Governance data, such as policy-related metrics, executive compensation, and board governance information

Net Zero Cloud is an ESG management platform designed to help organizations manage their environmental footprint and track their progress to net zero. It tracks scope 1, scope 2, and the majority of scope 3 emissions. Companies that use Net Zero Cloud get a single source of truth for their carbon emissions. They can analyze individual assets and understand impact across location and time. Net Zero Cloud also provides useful reports and executive-ready visualizations in a few clicks, allowing you to easily track and manage emissions.

Salesforce has been on a sustainability transformation journey for over a decade and has been publicly committed since the Paris Agreement to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. In September 2021, Salesforce reached the milestone of net zero residual emissions across our full value chain (scopes 1, 2, and 3) and achieved 100% renewable energy for our global operations. This was an important milestone. But Salesforce recognizes that maintaining net zero residual emissions and achieving our long-term sustainability goals is a continuous journey, requiring us to continue reducing emissions as quickly as possible and aligning our full value chain (scopes 1, 2, and 3) to the global trajectory of ~50% emissions reductions by 2030, and to near-zero absolute emissions by 2040. We will continue to compensate for any remaining emissions by purchasing 100% renewable energy and purchasing high-quality carbon credits to compensate for any emissions that remain.

Note: 100% renewable energy means procuring electricity and/or the claims to electricity produced from renewable energy resources equivalent to the electricity we use globally on an annual basis.

It is not. SBTi’s definition of net zero states that for a company to claim it has achieved net zero, it must reduce 90% of its gross emissions before offsetting any remaining emissions with carbon removal credits only (no carbon reduction or carbon avoidance credits).

We believe that companies should be able to claim they have net zero residual emissions if all of these conditions are met: 

•  they’re fully committed to decarbonization  
• have demonstrated they’re on the path to achieving the deep emissions reductions that will put the planet on a 1.5°C trajectory 
• they’re compensating for their remaining emissions with high-quality carbon credits to achieve net zero residual emissions across their full value chain 
• they're transitioning to using removal credits only over time.

The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change lists six atmospheric gases causing global warming and climate change. They are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. Amounts are usually expressed as CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent.

Carbon credits represent the avoidance, reduction, or removal of emissions of greenhouse gases in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. They are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). One carbon credit is equal to one tCO2e reduced or removed from the atmosphere.

Join the Net Zero Cloud and/or Net Zero Marketplace groups in the Trailblazer Community to ask questions, get answers, learn best practices, and share experiences as you start or continue on your net zero journey.