Salesforce says it has reached net-zero emissions

Salesforce, the customer relations management company that many readers may know for its Slack software, announced it has achieved net-zero emissions throughout its value chain.

Driving the news: This includes the energy used by its customers, it says.

• Salesforce has also hit its target of 100% renewable energy, Patrick Flynn, Salesforce's global head of sustainability, tells Axios.
• The company is rolling out a suite of new sustainability tools for its customers to use to aggressively cut their emissions.

Yes, but: Net zero does not mean zero emissions, yet. Salesforce is on its way to nearly zeroing out greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, Flynn says.

• For now, it is compensating for remaining emissions by buying renewable energy and purchasing what the company views as highly credible carbon credits, says Flynn. 
• These consist of a portfolio that’s heavy in natural climate solutions and avoidance credits, while other climate tech solutions become scalable. 
• Over the long term, the company plans to use only carbon removal credits, Flynn says.

Of note: Salesforce is advocating for policies to reduce planet-warming emissions, which includes voicing support for provisions included in the congressional Democrats' infrastructure bills.