As the urgency for climate action intensifies, companies across industries are looking inward to address their environmental impact, and technology leaders are no exception. For Salesforce and its implementation partners, as well as IT providers, the opportunity to drive sustainability through innovative digital solutions is significant. By adopting sustainable IT practices and leveraging the Salesforce platform’s powerful suite of tools, organizations can minimize their digital carbon footprint, optimize operations, and set new standards for environmental responsibility.
The digital carbon footprint encompasses all the greenhouse gas emissions generated by digital technology and IT infrastructure, from data centers to network usage. Often overlooked, these emissions are on the rise. According to research by the Shift Project, digital technology’s share of global greenhouse emissions has doubled since 2013, reaching around 4%—almost equivalent to the emissions from the airline industry.
In this context, Salesforce and its ecosystem offer a unique advantage, allowing organizations to not only reduce emissions but also embed sustainable practices into their business models. By addressing the full lifecycle of digital resources—from initial design to disposal—Salesforce implementation partners can play a pivotal role in helping their clients achieve significant sustainability gains.
Optimize Data Storage and Processing
Data centers are significant contributors to carbon emissions, accounting for nearly 1% of global electricity demand. Salesforce provides cloud-native solutions that are optimized for energy efficiency and scalability, allowing companies to reduce the volume of resources consumed by on-premises servers. Through strategic data management and streamlined processing, Salesforce partners can help their clients reduce unnecessary data storage, minimize duplicative workflows, and utilize only the necessary computing power.
Enable Smart Resource Management
Salesforce’s suite of tools, including Salesforce Sustainability Cloud, enables organizations to monitor, manage, and report on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. With real-time insights, companies can track their energy consumption, optimize resource allocation, and monitor key sustainability KPIs. This allows businesses to identify areas for improvement, take proactive measures, and continually adapt to meet evolving sustainability goals.
Promote Sustainable Development and Coding Practices
Building a more sustainable IT infrastructure begins at the development stage. Consulting companies can advocate for efficient coding practices that minimize energy consumption, reduce server load, and eliminate unnecessary data transfers. Salesforce developers can prioritize code efficiency and consider energy consumption in their development practices, from database calls to UI design. Additionally, Salesforce offers eco-friendly sandbox environments that require less energy than full-scale production deployments, further reducing the environmental impact.
Facilitate Remote Work and Digital Transformation
By enabling remote work through Salesforce’s collaborative platform, organizations can lower their physical footprint, cut down on commuting emissions, and significantly reduce office space energy demands. With tools like Slack and Salesforce’s Customer 360, businesses can operate efficiently from anywhere, supporting a remote-first or hybrid work culture that aligns with carbon reduction goals. Consulting firms can aid clients in crafting custom solutions to facilitate a seamless transition to remote operations, minimizing disruptions while enhancing sustainable operations.
Leverage Sustainable Supply Chain Solutions
Salesforce’s ecosystem includes tools like Salesforce Sustainability Cloud and Commerce Cloud, which allow companies to track, evaluate, and manage their entire supply chain with sustainability in mind. By leveraging these tools, Salesforce consultants can help clients gain visibility into supplier practices, reduce waste, and improve the overall sustainability of their supply chains. This kind of supply chain transparency builds trust with consumers, who increasingly prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions.
For true transformation, sustainable IT practices must be embraced at every level of an organization. Consulting firms can play a key role by promoting sustainability training, developing green IT policies, and encouraging leadership to invest in sustainable technologies. For example, by providing educational programs on energy-efficient practices and eco-conscious procurement strategies, Salesforce consultants can instill a culture of environmental stewardship within their clients’ teams.
Salesforce partners have a unique opportunity to not only drive efficiency and innovation but also help clients align their IT strategies with larger sustainability goals. Through education, policy development, and continuous improvement, consultants can embed environmental responsibility into the core of their clients’ digital operations.
Sustainable IT is no longer a niche concern; it’s a strategic priority. As we move deeper into a digital-first world, the impact of our technology choices will only grow. Salesforce, with its powerful cloud capabilities, integrated solutions, and commitment to sustainability, is perfectly positioned to help organizations thrive in this new reality.
Salesforce consulting firms, like Jax, have a crucial role to play as change-makers, guiding our clients to reduce their digital carbon footprint, adopt energy-efficient technologies, and realize their potential as responsible digital citizens. By embracing sustainable IT practices, consulting firms can help clients create positive environmental change and demonstrate that profitability and sustainability can indeed go hand in hand.
The time to act is now—let’s leverage digital transformation to build a sustainable future, one solution at a time.
