Carbon Accounting with Eric Gertsman
04/18/25 • 28 min
Host Sanjay Podder is joined by Eric Gertsman, Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. They talk about shaping the future of green IT, with Eric sharing his journey from entrepreneur to sustainability leader, his work decarbonizing data centers, and the importance of accurate carbon accounting through Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud. They explore the AI Energy Score, a new tool developed in collaboration with Hugging Face to benchmark AI model efficiency, and discuss managing water as a critical resource in sustainable operations. Together they highlight how aligning sustainability with core business objectives can drive both environmental impact and business success.
Learn more about our people:Find out more about the GSF:Resources:
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to another episode of CXO Bytes, where we bring you unique insights into the world of sustainable software development from the view of the C-Suite. I am your host, Sanjay Poddar. Today's guest brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial spirit, tech savvy, and sustainability leadership. Eric Gertsman is the Director of Technology Sustainability at Salesforce where he's helping shape the future of green IT, from data center planning and infrastructure strategy to carbon accountability. Before Salesforce, Eric co-founded a company that built solar powered artisan travel trailers. Talking about walking the talk. He's also been a passionate advocate for ethical capitalism and the role of business as a platform for change. Eric, welcome to the show. Kindly introduce yourself.
Eric Gertsman: Thanks, Sanjay. I appreciate you having me on. Excited to be here. Yes. I'm the Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. As the title indicates, right, I focus on Salesforce's cloud infrastructure, which is a bedrock of the company and it's one of the first companies to embrace this infrastructure as a service model.
So it's a very interesting view that the company's had over the years on infrastructure. I focus on decarbonizing our co-location and hyperscale data centers in this wildly changing industry, right? Most recently with the rise of AI. But every decade presents wild new challenges.
I also pay attention to our water footprint, our waste footprint, in a number of other areas. So I'm excited to talk to you today.
Sanjay Podder: Wonderf...
Learn more about our people:Find out more about the GSF:Resources:
- The Business Guide to Carbon Accounting | Salesforce [05:21]
- Salesforce Joins Technology and Academic Leaders to Unveil AI Energy Score Measuring AI Model Efficiency [10:12]
- AI Energy Score | Hugging Face
- Water | WRI [14:09]
- Our founders created the 1% Pledge. | Salesforce [22:23]
- Aligning sustainability with good business practices | Salesforce [23:57]
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
- Follow and rate on Spotify
- Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to another episode of CXO Bytes, where we bring you unique insights into the world of sustainable software development from the view of the C-Suite. I am your host, Sanjay Poddar. Today's guest brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial spirit, tech savvy, and sustainability leadership. Eric Gertsman is the Director of Technology Sustainability at Salesforce where he's helping shape the future of green IT, from data center planning and infrastructure strategy to carbon accountability. Before Salesforce, Eric co-founded a company that built solar powered artisan travel trailers. Talking about walking the talk. He's also been a passionate advocate for ethical capitalism and the role of business as a platform for change. Eric, welcome to the show. Kindly introduce yourself.
Eric Gertsman: Thanks, Sanjay. I appreciate you having me on. Excited to be here. Yes. I'm the Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. As the title indicates, right, I focus on Salesforce's cloud infrastructure, which is a bedrock of the company and it's one of the first companies to embrace this infrastructure as a service model.
So it's a very interesting view that the company's had over the years on infrastructure. I focus on decarbonizing our co-location and hyperscale data centers in this wildly changing industry, right? Most recently with the rise of AI. But every decade presents wild new challenges.
I also pay attention to our water footprint, our waste footprint, in a number of other areas. So I'm excited to talk to you today.
Sanjay Podder: Wonderf...
Host Sanjay Podder is joined by Eric Gertsman, Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. They talk about shaping the future of green IT, with Eric sharing his journey from entrepreneur to sustainability leader, his work decarbonizing data centers, and the importance of accurate carbon accounting through Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud. They explore the AI Energy Score, a new tool developed in collaboration with Hugging Face to benchmark AI model efficiency, and discuss managing water as a critical resource in sustainable operations. Together they highlight how aligning sustainability with core business objectives can drive both environmental impact and business success.
Learn more about our people:Find out more about the GSF:Resources:
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to another episode of CXO Bytes, where we bring you unique insights into the world of sustainable software development from the view of the C-Suite. I am your host, Sanjay Poddar. Today's guest brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial spirit, tech savvy, and sustainability leadership. Eric Gertsman is the Director of Technology Sustainability at Salesforce where he's helping shape the future of green IT, from data center planning and infrastructure strategy to carbon accountability. Before Salesforce, Eric co-founded a company that built solar powered artisan travel trailers. Talking about walking the talk. He's also been a passionate advocate for ethical capitalism and the role of business as a platform for change. Eric, welcome to the show. Kindly introduce yourself.
Eric Gertsman: Thanks, Sanjay. I appreciate you having me on. Excited to be here. Yes. I'm the Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. As the title indicates, right, I focus on Salesforce's cloud infrastructure, which is a bedrock of the company and it's one of the first companies to embrace this infrastructure as a service model.
So it's a very interesting view that the company's had over the years on infrastructure. I focus on decarbonizing our co-location and hyperscale data centers in this wildly changing industry, right? Most recently with the rise of AI. But every decade presents wild new challenges.
I also pay attention to our water footprint, our waste footprint, in a number of other areas. So I'm excited to talk to you today.
Sanjay Podder: Wonderf...
Learn more about our people:Find out more about the GSF:Resources:
- The Business Guide to Carbon Accounting | Salesforce [05:21]
- Salesforce Joins Technology and Academic Leaders to Unveil AI Energy Score Measuring AI Model Efficiency [10:12]
- AI Energy Score | Hugging Face
- Water | WRI [14:09]
- Our founders created the 1% Pledge. | Salesforce [22:23]
- Aligning sustainability with good business practices | Salesforce [23:57]
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
- Follow and rate on Spotify
- Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to another episode of CXO Bytes, where we bring you unique insights into the world of sustainable software development from the view of the C-Suite. I am your host, Sanjay Poddar. Today's guest brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial spirit, tech savvy, and sustainability leadership. Eric Gertsman is the Director of Technology Sustainability at Salesforce where he's helping shape the future of green IT, from data center planning and infrastructure strategy to carbon accountability. Before Salesforce, Eric co-founded a company that built solar powered artisan travel trailers. Talking about walking the talk. He's also been a passionate advocate for ethical capitalism and the role of business as a platform for change. Eric, welcome to the show. Kindly introduce yourself.
Eric Gertsman: Thanks, Sanjay. I appreciate you having me on. Excited to be here. Yes. I'm the Director of Tech Sustainability at Salesforce. As the title indicates, right, I focus on Salesforce's cloud infrastructure, which is a bedrock of the company and it's one of the first companies to embrace this infrastructure as a service model.
So it's a very interesting view that the company's had over the years on infrastructure. I focus on decarbonizing our co-location and hyperscale data centers in this wildly changing industry, right? Most recently with the rise of AI. But every decade presents wild new challenges.
I also pay attention to our water footprint, our waste footprint, in a number of other areas. So I'm excited to talk to you today.
Sanjay Podder: Wonderf...
Previous Episode
Responsible AI with Dr. Paul Dongha
CXO Bytes host Sanjay Podder is joined by Dr. Paul Dongha, Head of Responsible AI and AI Strategy at NatWest Group, to discuss the evolving landscape of responsible AI in financial services. With over 30 years of experience in AI and ethical governance, Paul shares insights on balancing AI innovation with integrity, mitigating risks like bias and explainability in banking, and addressing the growing environmental impact of AI. They explore the rise of generative AI, the sustainability challenges of AI energy consumption, and the role of organizations in ensuring AI ethics frameworks include environmental considerations. Tune in for a deep dive into the future of AI governance, sustainability, and responsible innovation in the financial sector.
Learn more about our people:
- What the data centre and AI boom could mean for the energy sector – Analysis - IEA [17:37]
- A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation - GOV.UK [25:28]
- Harnessing the potential of AI in banking | NatWest Group [34:56]
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
- Follow and rate on Spotify
- Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to CXO Bytes, the podcast where we explore the intersection of technology, sustainability, and AI with leaders who are shaping the future. I am your host Sanjay Podder, and in this episode, we dive deep into the world of responsible and sustainable AI in financial services. Today, I'm thrilled to be joined by Dr Paul Dongha, head of responsible AI and AI strategy at NatWest Group. With over 30 years of experience in AI, financial services, and ethical governance, Paul has played a pivotal role in ensuring AI is deployed responsibly, balancing innovation with integrity. He has spearheaded AI ethics frameworks at major banks, advised on government AI policy, and even taught Generative AI at Harvard Business School.
His expertise spans AI bias mitigation, responsible AI frameworks, regulatory alignment, and environmental impact of AI. In this episode, we will explore how AI is transforming banking, how ethics and risk management can drive innovation, and why sustainable AI is crucial to our digital future. Paul, welcome to CXO Bytes. Let's start by having you introduce yourself to our listeners.
Paul Dongha: Great. Hello Sanjay. Thank you for that delightful introduction. Really great to be here. So I'm Dr Paul Donga. I'm head of Responsible AI and AI Strategy at NatWest Banking Group, based here in London. So as part of my role, what do I do? So it's really split into two parts. So as head of Responsible AI, I have a team of dedicated professionals who look at people, process, and technology.
They look across the bank and ensure that the right people are involved to manage ethical risks of AI. So that's the people part. The process part is ensuring that the processes and workflows we have both within technical teams and risk management teams are appropriate for managing ethical risks. An...
Next Episode
Navigating AI Risks with Noah Broestl
Host Sanjay Podder brings Noah Broestl, Associate Director of Responsible AI at the Boston Consulting Group, to the stage to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI and its implications for business leaders. Together, they talk about the requirements of present and future AI governance frameworks, the road to sustainability in AI, and how the emerging risks of Generative AI are shaping the future of responsible technology.
Learn more about our people:
- GenAI Will Fail. Prepare for It. | BCG [10:12]
- Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification | GSF [25:52]
- 2024 Green Software Foundation London Summit: | BCG [33:36]
- Responsible AI | Strategic RAI Implementation | BCG
- Scale GenAI Responsibly and Confidently with Human + Automated Testing and Evaluation | BCG
- GitHub - BCG-X-Official/artkit: Automated prompt-based testing and evaluation of Gen AI applications | BCG
- Analyzing Cultural Representations of Emotions in LLMs through Mixed Emotion Survey | Shiran Dudy
- OECD Artificial Intelligence Review of Germany | AI Accountability in Germany
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
- Follow and rate on Spotify
- Watch our videos on The Green Software Foundation YouTube Channel!
TRANSCRIPT BELOW:
Sanjay Podder: Hello and welcome to CXO Bytes, a podcast brought to you by the Green Software Foundation and dedicated to supporting chiefs of information, technology, sustainability, and AI as they aim to shape a sustainable future through green software. We will uncover the strategies and a big green move that's helped drive results for business and for the planet.
I am your host, Sanjay Podder.
Welcome to another episode of CXO Bytes, where we bring you unique insights into the world of sustainable software development, from the view of C-Suite. I am your host, Sanjay Podder, and today we have an exciting discussion lined up on the challenges and opportunities of responsible AI. Joining us today is Noah Broestl, partner and associate director of Responsible AI at Boston Consulting Group. With a career spanning Google, the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Society, the US Air Force, and now Boston Consulting Group, Noah has been at the forefront of AI safety, responsible AI, and technology-driven sustainability solutions. At BCG, he helps global business develop robust AI frameworks that balance innovation with responsibility. He is also a steering committee member of the Green Software Foundation, working on initiatives to ensure AI and software development are aligned with sustainability goals. Today we'll explore how AI governance frameworks, sustainability in AI, and emerging risks of generative AI are shaping the future of responsible technology. Noah, welcome to CXO Bytes. Before we get into details, can you please introduce yourself?
Noah Broestl: Yeah. Thank you so much, Sanjay. Yeah. My name is Noah Broestl, partner and associate director of Responsible AI at Boston Consulting Group. Super excited to be here today. You...
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