Deloitte Boosts ESG Reporting with Salesforce Collaboration

Salesforce has announced that Deloitte, the worldwide consulting behemoth, has incorporated GreenLight powered by Salesforce (GPBS) within its vast operational framework, spanning over 120 nations.

But what is GPBS? The programme, first launched in 2023, is the result of a fruitful partnership between Deloitte and Salesforce. It merges sophisticated elements of code and capabilities from both companies' data systems with the aim of simplifying the process of ESG reporting.

The latest news from Salesforce is that Deloitte has woven the programme into its own operational fabric, using itself as a test case. Signs show that the deployment of GPBS has been a big success, which could serve as a global-scale case study for potential clients intrigued by the product.

But, you might wonder, why is GreenLight Solution critical for companies today?

Deloitte's motivation

Deloitte's ambitious WorldClimate strategy was the catalyst for this technological advancement.

Essentially, setting new sustainability goals requires a novel, top-notch management system. Therefore, Deloitte embarked on designing a product that not only meets its stringent requirements but is also viable for client implementation.

Kwasi Mitchell, Deloitte's Global Chief Sustainability Officer, highlighted the significance of this technological progress, saying: "As organisations prioritise developing strategies to advance sustainability, having the right technology solutions to achieve their net zero and sustainability goals is critical."

This move is especially poignant given a recent study by Deloitte and Touche LLP unveiled a stark reality – while 99% of US public companies brace for imminent sustainability disclosure norms, more than half of the executives pointed to data quality as a formidable challenge.

GPBS aims to tackle this problem head on, streamlining the reporting process and bolstering data integrity.

Why did Deloitte choose Salesforce as a partner?

At its essence, GPBS taps into Salesforce's flagship sustainability reporting framework – Net Zero Cloud.

Its unique allure for Deloitte? The programme's ability to synthesise data from disparate silos into one cohesive snapshot.

In contemporary corporate vocabulary, 'silos' refer to teams or individuals working in isolation from the broader business ecosystem.

Net Zero Cloud disrupts this compartmentalisation, allowing for more seamless connections across teams.

Deloitte's choice was clear – amalgamate the strengths of Salesforce's offering with its proprietary technology to craft a tailored reporting platform for sustainability, accessible across industries.

Deloitte as "client zero"

Deloitte's primary objective was to leverage the might of Net Zero Cloud for its gargantuan data needs. As a global powerhouse, sifting through heaps of data to eloquently articulate ESG narratives was paramount.

Deploying Salesforce's programme has empowered Deloitte to achieve this. Given the success of the prototype, Deloitte has broadened its horizons. It is now set on scaling the product to benefit its vast global clientele.

The story of GPBS and its success

Since rolling out GPBS, Deloitte has been able to celebrate quite a few significant improvements.

The technology has transformed numerous manual operations into automated processes, instilling a financial-reporting-grade discipline into ESG metrics.

Now, teams including sustainability, social impact and procurement can all converge on one platform for their reporting needs, which simplifies matters a great deal.

Another thing – Deloitte has been able to more accurately measure its greenhouse gas footprint using this system.

And, looking at sustainability in broader terms, Deloitte has been able to develop a data framework to monitor 35 detailed societal impact KPIs, covering a whole range of metrics – from donations to the impact of its societal initiatives. This extensive reporting underscores Deloitte's commitment to channel over US$3bn into societal impact over the next decade.

Smruti Naik-Jones, Deloitte's CSO of UK and North-South Europe, shared insights at Sustainability LIVE London, showcasing Deloitte's latest strides in sustainability.

Post-presentation, Smruti reflected on the evolving corporate sustainability scene. She said: "Companies that continue to proactively accelerate meaningful action and amplify impact through collaboration are going to be well positioned to thrive in the economy of the future."

Has Deloitte just set a benchmark for the industry?

As the dust settles, the potential for GPBS becoming a standard-bearer in ESG and sustainability reporting is tantalising.

In a world where reporting is not just mandatory but critical for business success, the Deloitte-Salesforce alliance stands at the precipice of influencing change far and wide.

Suzanne DiBianca, Salesforce's EVP and Chief Impact Officer, believes their teamwork could prove transformative.

She says: "Collaborating with Deloitte to implement GreenLight powered by Salesforce is a significant step forward to helping companies achieve their sustainability goals.

"With Net Zero Cloud, we're providing businesses a powerful, unified platform to view and report on their ESG data."

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