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The Sustainable Development Goals Will Be Front and Center at Dreamforce ‘19

Sustainable Development Goals

An introduction to the sustainable development goals (SDG) and how individuals can engage at Dreamforce to accelerate the decade of delivery.

At Salesforce, giving back is core to who we are as a company, and has always been an integral part of Dreamforce. In past years, attendees have helped support an AIDS-free generation and worked to end homelessness in the Bay Area.

This year, we’re tapping into the collective impact of our Dreamforce community to help tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. We’re kicking off a year of action to accelerate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We’re kicking off a year of action to accelerate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to donate $17M and 1M volunteer hours to support the SDGs by Dreamforce 2020. To jumpstart our efforts, we are donating an additional $1 million to organizations focused on advancing the SDGs: UN Women, the United Nations Foundation, and World’s Largest Lesson in partnership with UNICEF.

We will offer opportunities for attendees to learn, give back, and act to support the causes they are most passionate about, because we all have a role to play in advancing the SDGs.

What are the world’s most pressing challenges?

You may have seen Salesforce talking about the SDGs and why they’re so important. Simply put, the SDGs represent the world’s to-do list for people and the planet by 2030.

diagram of sustainable development goals

Yet, this isn’t your average to-do list. Together, these 17 goals are an urgent call for action to combat poverty, mitigate climate change, and secure a more equal and peaceful future.

Entering the “Decade of Delivery”

The SDGs are proof that the public, private, and social sectors can work together to create a better world. We’ve already seen signals of progress: extreme poverty has declined significantly, immunizations continue to save millions of lives, and the vast majority of the world’s population now has access to electricity.

However, despite this progress, recent reports show that the world is moving too slowly in several key areas. For example, the past four years have been the warmest on record, one million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction, and more than half of the world’s children are falling behind in reading and math. While the SDGs provide the right action plan, it’s up to all of us to act faster and more ambitiously by 2030.

We are challenging our Dreamforce attendees to help get the Sustainable Development Goals back on track. Here’s how you can participate at Dreamforce:

Learn: Immerse yourself in the SDGs

  • Are you just getting started on your SDG journey? Can’t decide which of the 17 goals is right for you? Take the SDG quiz to find your match.

Give Back: Support the cause that matters most to you

  • Care about Quality Education (SDG 4)? Visit Kids Coding Camp in the Trailhead Zone throughout the week to support education in local public schools. On Wednesday, hear students pitch their innovative SDG solutions and vote for your favorite at the Future Trailblazer Challenge, a worldwide maker contest inspiring young innovators to use technology as a force for positive change.

  • Passionate about Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)? Sign up for Speed Networking on Friday during Future Executive Summit, where we’ll engage and inspire the next generation of leaders. For the second year, Salesforce will host 400 young adults from the Bay Area, providing them with career exposure and network-building, Salesforce knowledge and skills, and the tools they need for civic and social engagement.

  • Have a great idea to solve the SDGs? Submit your proposal to the Impact Labs team. Then head over to the Salesforce.org Lodge in the Westin St. Francis to develop innovative solutions to some of the toughest social issues facing nonprofits and educators.

  • Want to further Equality (SDG 5) or Sustainability (SDG 13, 14, 15)? There will be easy opportunities to contribute in big and small ways, from refilling your water bottle to joining inspiring sessions at the Equality and Climate Summits.

  • All attendees can give back by playing Quest to help unlock $1 million to accelerate progress on the SDGs! For every Quest completed, Salesforce will donate to an organization focused on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Act: Make your own personal commitment to accelerate the SDGs

Stop by the Dreamforest for a chance to share and celebrate the SDGs that matter most to you. You’ll have a chance to amplify your message and together, we’ll celebrate the power of our collective movement.

To learn more about how you can contribute to the SDGs at Dreamforce, watch our latest Road to Dreamforce episode, “Dreamforce as a Platform for Change.

 

Naomi Morenzoni, SVP of Philanthropy at Salesforce
Naomi Morenzoni Senior Vice President of Philanthropy, Salesforce

Naomi leads the company’s philanthropic programs at the intersection of community and climate resilience. This includes the company’s $100M Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Justice fund, COVID-19 community response, and their Racial Equality and Justice Task Force. Naomi is a founding and board member of the Pledge 1% movement of 17,000+ companies around the globe committed to making the community a core stakeholder in their business. She has spent her career at the intersection of business and social good with positions at Google, Global Philanthropy Forum, and Business for Social Responsibility.

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