Commercial, Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Commercial, Sourcing Renewables  -  April 14, 2017

Using efficiency, clean energy, carbon credits, Salesforce reaches net zero GHG emissions

Salesforce has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and is providing a carbon neutral cloud for its customers, the cloud computing software company announced April 13.

The San Francisco-based company said reached those milestones by building on longstanding efforts to drive efficiency in the company's operations; executing two 12-year renewable energy agreements; and supporting sustainable development projects through the purchase of high-quality carbon credits. Citing Salesforce sustainability director Patrick Flynn, the San Antonio Express-News reported April 13 that the company's investments in carbon credit projects in Honduras and India were a primary driver in offsetting its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Salesforce announced its two, 12-year agreements for wind generation from Texas and West Virginia in December 2015. 

Salesforce said in a news release announcing the milestones that its multi-tenant architecture is 50 times more energy- and carbon-efficient than traditional on-premise software, enabling Salesforce and its customers to avoid significant emissions over time: two million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2016.

Salesforce has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by building on longstanding efforts to drive efficiency in the company’s operations, executing two 12-year renewable energy agreements announced last year and supporting sustainable development projects through the purchase of high-quality carbon credits.

"Achieving net-zero emissions is a tremendous and important achievement that is also good for business," Executive Vice President and CFO Mark Hawkins said. "By embracing sustainability across every aspect of our business, Salesforce is cutting costs and reaching new levels of efficiency." 

The company said the quality of the carbon credit projects it has selected meet "rigorous environmental standards," and provide economic and social benefits to local communities. Two of the projects supported by Salesforce include:

• Proyecto Mirador: Replaces open, wood-burning cookstoves in Honduras with a more efficient alternative, decreasing emissions and deforestation while improving human health through better indoor air quality. Each cookstove reduces CO2 emissions by nearly 15 metric tons over its 5-year life.
• India Solar Water Heating: Provides households, small- and medium-sized businesses and institutions with a cleaner and more reliable hot water supply fueled by renewable energy rather than carbon-intensive sources.

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