See How Salesforce Accelerates Progress on the SDGs

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

Discuss Salesforce’s role in accelerating progress on the SDGs.
Make your contribution to achieving the SDGs, starting today.

Salesforce and the SDGs

Salesforce is committed to improving the state of the world. We understand that critical challenges like climate change, poverty, conflict, and inequality require businesses, governments, and the social sector to innovate together. Our purpose is strongly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and we are committed to leveraging our data and technology to help changemakers meet the 2030 Agenda.

At Salesforce we strive for “Responsible Trailblazing,” which includes taking action to accelerate progress toward the SDGs. In the Resources section at the end of this unit, you’ll find the Salesforce Stakeholder Impact Report which highlights our work to support the SDGs.

Salesforce addresses all of the SDGs through a combination of our Technology for Social Change portfolio, our philanthropy, our equality and sustainability initiatives, and our work in communities.

Our Technology for Social Change Portfolio

Salesforce.org is a social impact center of Salesforce. Salesforce.org equips nonprofit, educational, and philanthropic organizations with powerful technology to help them operate efficiently, raise funds, and connect. We also empower those organizations to use CRM technology through training, partnerships, and community building or relationships. Targeted proliferation of technological solutions helps others build the capacity to advance every SDG. For FY20, we contributed $1.09B in social value, which is the sum of the value of our product donation and discounts and pro bono value.

Our Philanthropy

Salesforce has given over $10 million in grants to organizations across the globe addressing COVID-19. Salesforce also invests in creating and supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce of future-ready leaders who have the skills to thrive in the 21st century. Salesforce has addressed SDG 4 by giving over $90 million to schools around the world, and has addressed SDG 8 through its workforce development grants and partnerships. Salesforce has made contributions of more than $330 million in support of the SDGs through other philanthropic grants.

Our Equality and Sustainability Initiatives

In terms of Equality and SDG 5, Salesforce has committed to have half of our US workforce coming from underrepresented groups by 2023. And we have continued to support our commitment around equal pay.

When it comes to environmental sustainability, Salesforce’s dedicated sustainability program addresses:

SDG 4: Quality Education
SDG 5: Gender Equality
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13: Climate Action
SDG 15: Life on Land

For example, Salesforce plays a meaningful role in creating a sustainable, low-carbon future by committing to 100% renewable energy, setting targets and disclosing them, and leveraging the Salesforce platform for climate action. As a host of the Global Climate Action Summit, Salesforce partnered with Mission 2020 to create the Step Up Declaration, a new alliance that aims to decarbonize our economy, including the tech sector. In January 2020, the WEF and partners, including Salesforce, launched 1t.org to connect, empower, and mobilize a global reforestation community of millions.

Our Work in the Community

Salesforce is a member of a "Business Avengers" coalition of 17 global corporations—including Unilever, Nike and others—to make 2020 a year of activism and show how businesses can amplify actions to help hit the targets of the 17 SDGs.

At Davos 2020, Salesforce, together with other founding partners, the World Economic Forum (WEF), Deloitte, and LinkedIn, launched UpLink, which is a global platform for action to connect changemakers and social entrepreneurs to WEF networks, resources, and more to advance the SDGs.

Salesforce has also contributed more than 5 million employee volunteer hours, in our 21-year history, reflecting another way we help others advance every SDG.

How You Can Accelerate Progress on the SDGs

The SDGs are a call for the public, private, and social sectors to come together. Can the effort of one person make a difference? You bet it can! You’ve already started by familiarizing yourself with the Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the history behind them. If you’re ready for the next step, see our guide to Responsible Trailblazing in the Resources section at the end of this unit. The guide is meant to provide you with ideas and inspiration.

Most developed countries have significant work to do if they expect to reach their goals by 2030. The statistics on climate change, for example, may feel alarming. Despite progress, there are critical delays with regard to many of the SDGs throughout the world. The UN recently noted that the world is not on track to accomplish the SDGs by 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals reflect our collective future. We all own them, and we must act now. Responsible Trailblazing outlines individual actions and activities that add up to collective impact. We’ve also provided some additional resources that will hopefully inspire you to continue to contribute toward achieving the SDGs.

Only together can we make the goal of reaching the 2030 SDG deadline a reality.