World Earth Day: Salesforce Teams Up with UN for Climate Solutions

Salesforce, the global leader in CRM solutions, this World Earth Day launched "Reboot the Earth”, a series of climate-focused innovation hackathons in collaboration with five United Nations agencies: the United Nations Secretariat, UN Youth Office, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology, and Digital Public Goods Alliance. The hackathon held in Hyderabad, aims to bring together young computer programmers, administrators, architects, individuals familiar with the Salesforce ecosystem, scientists, and other interested individuals to develop solutions to address the current climate crisis.

With Sustainability ingrained as a core value, Salesforce has recently unveiled multiple initiatives, through the India CSR grants, aimed at addressing the challenges of climate change. The afforestation projects over the last year to date have resulted in planting of over 4 lakhs saplings. Here are some of the key initiatives:

• The Malligavad Foundation Project: The Malligavad Foundation's project is a 17-acre local lake in Hyderabad, known as Regula Kunta. The goal is to improve water retention capacity and implement natural sewage treatment methods for the betterment of the community's health and environment. Additionally, this investment supports the planting of 6,000 native saplings using the Miyawaki method in Hyderabad. This initiative expands urban green spaces and contributes to efforts aimed at mitigating climate change.
• The Miyawaki Afforestation Project: With Green Yatra, the afforestation project in Gholai Nagar, Thane transformed a former dump yard into a green oasis with 33,334 saplings planted across 3.5 acres using the Miyawaki method, to increase urban green cover, promoting local biodiversity, addressing environmental degradation, and contributing to carbon sequestration, all in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals.
• The Solar Blazer Project: In collaboration with the Youth of India Foundation, Salesforce will also launch the “Solar Blazer Project” in three villages located in the Jangaon district of Telangana. This project is designed to provide sustainable solar energy solutions to rural communities, thereby contributing to the production of 260,000 kWh of clean energy annually and reducing CO2 emissions by 226 tonnes. The primary objective of this initiative is to support impactful decarbonization efforts, bolster India's renewable energy targets, and empower marginalized tribal villages by offering training in green skills, establishing microgrids, and promoting the adoption of renewable energy sources. Through these efforts, the project aims to enhance energy resilience, foster sustainable development, and create a positive impact on the environment.

Sanket Atal, Managing Director - India Operations, Site Lead - Technology & Product, Salesforce India, said, “At the heart of Salesforce’s core values is our unwavering commitment to a sustainable future. We are not just participants but proactive leaders in the nature-positive movement, fervently driving towards sustainability. Our collaboration with the United Nations to launch 'Reboot the Earth' is one such testament to our resolve, mirroring our ambition to use technology to drive change. Together, we can reimagine and rebuild a world that prioritizes the well-being of our environment, ensuring a healthier, more resilient planet for everyone and more importantly our future generations."

Additional details on Reboot Earth

Reboot the Earth provides a dynamic platform for innovators to collaboratively develop open source digital public goods addressing local climate crises, fostering sustainable solutions that leverage diverse expertise and cutting-edge technology to catalyze meaningful global progress toward resilience and sustainability. At the hackathons, participants will use various technologies, including open data, AI, Salesforce tools, and more, over two days to build solutions that can address a local climate crisis unique to their community needs and be utilized by others. At each event, a winning team will be chosen and awarded a prize package, which includes support funds, an opportunity to attend the official Reboot the Earth awards ceremony at the OSPO's for Good conference in NYC this July, and pro bono mentorship from Salesforce and its partners.

The India event is set to take place in Hyderabad on May 22nd and 23rd. To secure your spot, kindly sign up for the event through Reboot The Earth - Hyderabad. For more information, please refer to the Event FAQ section.

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