ERM, Salesforce Partnership Blends Sustainability Consulting, Net Zero Cloud Services

ERM, which positions itself as the largest pure play sustainability consultancy, is partnering with cloud CRM giant Salesforce. The effort leans heavily on Salesforce Net Zero Cloud coupled with ERM's decarbonization services, the two companies said.

Salesforce Net Zero Cloud, launched in 2019, can integrate and track data involving customers' Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions, energy use and waste and water management from multiple sources, the cloud software giant asserts.

ERM, in turn, assists customers with sustainability planning and target-setting, integrating and implementing decarbonization strategies across operations and value chains and supporting reporting and disclosure requirements, the company said.

ERM and Salesforce Sustainability Partnership: Key Executives to Know

Key executives mentioned in the partnership announcement include:

• Matt Klein, global corporate sustainability & climate change co-head at ERM;
• Kushal Mashru, head of strategic partnerships at ERM; and
• Tyler Harnish, head of global distribution, Net Zero Cloud at Salesforce.

In a prepared statement about the relationship, Matt Klein said: “Businesses today face the urgent challenge of accelerating their decarbonization progress while driving profitable revenue growth. By combining Net Zero Cloud’s insight into carbon emissions with ERM’s decarbonization strategy and delivery expertise, our partnership with Salesforce will help organizations implement comprehensive decarbonization plans to support their sustainability goals and harness the opportunities offered by the transition to a net zero economy.”

Salesforce Sustainability Partnership: Business Backgrounds

ERM, based in London, United Kingdom, had more than 9,000 employees listed on LinkedIn as of February 2023. ERM helps customers to develop sustainable products and supply chains that ultimately align with sustainable economy strategies. The company advises on:

• Corporate sustainability and climate change
• Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
• Capital project delivery
• Low carbon economy transitions
• Operational performance
• EHS management and compliance
• Liability portfolio management and remediation
• Safety services
• Digital services
• Product stewardship

ERM has grown both organically and through acquisitions. Example ERM acquisitions include NINT in March 2023 and Coho in February 2023.

Meanwhile, Salesforce also operates the Net Zero Marketplace, a platform that "makes carbon credit purchases simple and transparent, allowing organizations to accelerate climate positive impact at scale," the company asserts. The marketplace connects buyers and so-called ecopreneurs (environmentally-focused entrepreneurs who lead and drive climate action worldwide) to promote a catalog of third-party rated carbon credits that users can purchase in realtime.

The Salesforce Dreamforce 2023 conference, set for September 12-14 in San Francisco, is expected to include plenty of sustainability content.