Salesforce has long been committed to setting ambitious climate targets and advocating for cutting edge public policy changes to drive climate action. Today, Salesforce is codifying that work by officially including climate as a part of the company public policy platform, joining priorities like equal rights, privacy and security, and others. 

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues humanity has ever faced. And, the costs weigh heaviest on the world’s most vulnerable communities, amplifying global inequality. It will require collaboration, regulatory changes and technological advances to meet this urgent challenge of climate change and the opportunities that come when we succeed — equality, improved health, economic growth, job creation and a more sustainable world for all

Advocating for a more sustainable future

Salesforce works with lawmakers and regulators around the globe to support policies that positively impact our employees, customers, communities, business and planet. This advocacy work is rooted deeply within our core corporate values of Trust, Innovation, Customer Success, and Equality. 

We are committed to actively advocating for clear and consistent science-based climate policies that facilitate a just and equitable global transition to a 1.5°C future. We are proud that last year Salesforce won The Climate Group’s Best Policy Influencer Award for our leadership in bringing about supportive environmental policy changes. Our work has created meaningful impact, but we still have much to do. 

The Salesforce climate policy platform is guided by three principles: 

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• Reduce emission sources and scale nature-based solutions to reach net-zero emissions by 2050: A 1.5°C future requires the world to halve economy-wide emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. Salesforce will advocate for policies that reduce global emission sources and increase the scale of nature-based solutions in line with science. Our work has already begun by: 
  • First, committing to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement and reaffirming America is All In to tackle climate change.
  • And, by joining businesses in a joint letter to the UK Prime Minister to advocate for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in line with a net-zero emissions by 2050 target. And, in the European Union (EU), joining companies calling on leaders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, and 
  • being a founding partner of 1t.org and committing to support and mobilize the conservation, restoration, and growth of 100 million trees by the end of 2030. 

• Reorient economies and financial systems around a net-zero future: By creating clear market-based demand for low-carbon products and services, Salesforce will demonstrate the market opportunities offered by the transition to a net-zero carbon future and empower governments, investors, and businesses to consider climate-related risks and opportunities. We have engaged with lawmakers, including:
  • In 2019, joining companies for the largest climate-focused business gathering on Capitol Hill in nearly a decade, calling for a well-designed price on carbon as an important part of the U.S.’s policy solution.
  • And, supporting Virginia lawmakers in passing legislation to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. 

• Ensure an equitable transition to a more resilient society: Salesforce is committed to working with our stakeholders to improve society and ensure a just and equitable transition for people and communities to a more resilient net-zero society. Our recent work here includes:
  • Being a signatory for the largest ever UN-backed, CEO-led climate advocacy effort to urge governments to incorporate climate action in their economic recovery plans, and  

Advocating for climate action in regional economic recovery plans in the U.S., the U.K., and the EU.

Participating in the climate policy conversation: A business imperative

It’s not enough for Salesforce, or any company, to only think about its own footprint. Together, we must accelerate change to deliver progress at the scale the world needs. When creating our climate policy principals, we strove to take a holistic approach and worked with a number of global organizations to help guide our efforts.

When speaking with Halla Tómasdóttir, CEO of The B Team, a group of global leaders – including Salesforce – working together to transform business for a better world, she emphasized, “Corporate leadership must use its influence to advocate for climate policies that align with the pace of change needed to keep warming under 1.5°C. I’m thrilled to see Salesforce prioritizing and accounting for climate action in their business model, while helping advance a just, equitable and inclusive transition.”

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change recently released its NDC report, which shows country-level climate action commitments are falling woefully short. As we march towards COP26, we must commit to ambitious targets to limit global warming to 1.5˚C that leaves no one behind.

Now, more than ever, we need every business, individual and community to join us on this journey and use their voice to influence climate policy, helping create a more fair, equal, and better future for all. 

Learn more about our Corporate Public Policies, Sustainability efforts, and how technology can help solve the climate crisis.