Salesforce Net Zero Cloud

Many companies will be affected by the obligation to report on sustainability (CSRD, ESG, GRI) as of 2024. The Net Zero Cloud is a central IT system that records emissions and social factors across all areas, which in turn helps in the preparation of the CSR report.

The Net Zero Cloud evaluates companies’ forecasts, emission targets and current carbon footprint in user-friendly reports from scope 1, for example the company’s buildings, to scope 3, the supply chains.

Next stop: net zero hero

Germany wants to become climate neutral by 2045. This means reducing net carbon emissions to zero. According to the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), Germany emitted 739 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents (tCO2e) in 2020, making it the seventh largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world (Statista, 2022). The energy industry, manufacturing, agriculture and transport are the biggest drivers of emissions. The transport sector generates 20 per cent of Germany’s total emissions, with road transport alone responsible for 95 per cent of these emissions (emission sources, 2021).

Looking at these figures, it is easy to see that they are very high compared to the zero climate target. But the industry needs to move towards:

• Climate neutrality
• Net zero
• No carbon footprint
• Sustainable management

Moving closer to the goal of climate neutrality requires tools that show how large companies’ current carbon footprints are. The Net Zero Cloud calculates the individual carbon footprint generated by company activities using reference data provided, for example, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The emissions generated by the activities (all the resources and processes needed to implement a project) are divided into three scopes in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Scopes 1, 2 and 3 categorise a company’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Direct and controllable emissions such as the company’s cars and buildings are calculated in scope 1. Scope 2 reflects the indirect emissions of the purchased energy resources, including electricity, water and petrol. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emission factors in the value chain. These can be divided into upstream emissions – before the product is manufactured – and downstream emissions – at the end of the product life cycle.

Scope categorisation in the Net Zero Cloud makes it possible to track where and how many tonnes of CO2e an action has caused. A forecast can also be created, for example to show steps that need to be taken to become climate neutral by 2030. And that is the goal the Net Zero Cloud takes into its own hands: climate neutrality.

The Net Zero Cloud is a Salesforce product and stores certain data. This includes, for example, how many kilometres an aircraft has travelled on a business trip. The carbon footprint can be calculated based on this or other data.

How does the data get into the cloud? It can be uploaded manually or automatically. Key figures are implemented from the business areas where the company wants to evaluate its carbon footprint or social factors. This data is converted into emission values –such as how many tonnes of CO2e a flight causes – using reference data.

After they have been evaluated, these key figures can be presented in a report and grouped on a dashboard in the respective scopes or according to countries or branches, for example. The dashboards are provided by an out-of-the-box solution from Salesforce, the ‘CRM Analytics Tableau’. Salesforce provides a toolbox from which a variety of solutions can be created that are individually tailored to a company. It also includes visibility settings and access to the individual data in the cloud.

Added value and advantages

• The latest data can be retrieved at the touch of a button
• Pre-configured out-of-the-box features
• Seamless integration of CRM Analytics Tableau
• The evaluations are ready for the audit
• Reports can be exported
• Support to meet regulatory requirements
• System integration: can be connected to other IT systems

The company can use this data to identify different areas where emissions can be reduced. For example, the company could switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles, optimise its transport routes to reduce the number of kilometres travelled or invest in renewable energy sources for its warehouses and offices.

After a few months, the initial progress can be tracked, and the business strategies can be adjusted should they need to be. By reducing their carbon footprint, companies can not only protect the environment, but also demonstrate their commitment to sustainability to customers and stakeholders.