GreenBiz22 and Salesforce Net Zero 2.0
In February, the Orion team had the pleasure of attending GreenBiz22 in Arizona. From the session topics, to the food, to the overall energy of the event, GreenBiz22 showed the world how to manage an in-person event coming out of a pandemic. It was the first in-person conference in almost three years for the team and the experience was terrific!
GreenBiz22 gathered some of the top ESG and sustainability minds in the world for a 3-day event. It was filled with joy, learning, and great connections. Orion's participation was to support the Salesforce announcement of Net Zero Cloud 2.0. We are proud to be listed as a top implementation partner.
Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk
Our CEO, Yacov Wrocherinsky, spoke alongside Patrick Flynn, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sustainability for Salesforce. This "sold out" session focused on the newly revealed Net Zero Cloud 2.0. The excited crowd heard from Patrick about the state of the product and had a live demo. Patrick then engaged with Yacov as the two of them sat on stage. They discussed the details of implementation and creating a sustainable culture. This was the third event Yacov and Patrick have spoken at together since the launch of the product in 2019. It was a great showcase of the sustainability journey that Yacov and Orion have taken alongside Salesforce.
The Orion team also had the opportunity to attend many other sessions at the event. These ranged from ESG change management strategies to the integrity of carbon credits. Panelists represented industry professionals and sustainability roles in many other industries. A great deal of knowledge was shared and there was an overarching feeling that we are all in this together - which we are!
Safety First
Safety was front and center. The GreenBiz22 event planners had all the bases covered. Everyone took COVID tests each morning and reported their status. Masks were required whenever we were inside the event hall, either at the sessions or speaking with the vendors.
All the meals and many of the vendor booths were outside. In the name of sustainability, all the food served was vegan. Some of it was delicious, although everyone agreed the texture of the "chicken" was less than great. Several of the restaurants at the event location offered a full, non-vegan menu, so there were options.
Impromptu Conversations
On the second day there were assigned seats for several sponsored roundtables. Since the Orion team was not assigned to one of those tables, we facilitated our own! With 8 people at our table, Yacov encouraged them to share their own opinions and diverse industry knowledge on a range of sustainability topics. By the end of the lunch many of them commented that this spontaneous discussion was the highlight of the conference so far. This lunch exemplified the spirit of the conference--people coming together from all backgrounds to share, learn, and meet likeminded and passionate industry leaders.
The cocktail hours served as great gatherings. All the attendees we met were happy to be there - either for the topic or just to be meeting people in-person again. The conversations were open and easy. Everyone was willing to share their knowledge, facts, or opinions on the topic of sustainability.
More Work to Do
The Orion team had much to reflect on during the flight home. An event that gathered so many industry professionals revealed that we don't have all the answers, and that we are trying hard to find them. Many people are making great strides, and we need to do more. Salesforce is a global voice with Patrick leading the way, and Net Zero Cloud is a wonderful solution for measuring and managing carbon emissions, an important piece of the sustainability puzzle.