Salesforce Deepens Impact in India – Reaches Over $10 Million in Grants, 664K Volunteer Hours, Technology Support
Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI CRM*, reaffirmed its commitment to corporate philanthropy in India through its 1-1-1 philanthropy model – dedicating 1% of the company’s equity, employees’ time back to the community and its product. In India, Salesforce has contributed over $10 million in all-time giving to nonprofits, enabled more than 6,64,000 hours of employee volunteerism, and empowered over 800 nonprofit and higher education institutions with free access to its technology.
Comments on the news:
Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO, Salesforce – South Asia, commented, “As India stands on the cusp of a digital and AI-driven revolution, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to ensure the promise of technology reaches everyone. At Salesforce, we believe that business is one of the greatest platforms for change – and giving back is at the heart of who we are. As innovation accelerates, our focus remains on purposefully aligning technology with impact – from advancing education and green skills to restoring ecosystems and empowering youth. True leadership lies in aligning business and community in a way that ensures both thrive. When businesses uplift communities and champion well-being, they don’t just drive innovation – they help shape a future that is resilient, inclusive, and built to last.“
Sanket Atal, Managing Director – Operations & Technology at Salesforce India, shared, “At Salesforce, we believe that business is one of the greatest platforms for change. Our 1-1-1 model of corporate philanthropy, which dedicates 1% of our time, equity, and product to giving back, is a cornerstone of this belief. We are proud to work with the non-profits, education institutions, and community leaders across India, providing the support and resources needed to drive lasting impact. We are committed to continuing our efforts to address the most pressing challenges of our time. These grants exemplify how collaboration fuels real change and creates a more equitable and sustainable future.”
Rooted in Salesforce’s values and powered by technology, the company supports education and sustainability initiatives that drive impact and foster innovation. Here are some highlights:
Salesforce is helping to advance access to education and expand career opportunities for youth. As technologies like agentic AI transform classrooms and future jobs, these grants provide students with opportunities to access high-quality education, gain in-demand skills, and explore potential new careers.
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STEM & Computer Science Access: Salesforce invests in equipping students with real-world career skills and increasing access to STEM and AI education. The “Futuristic Lab On Wheels” (FLOW) initiative brings emerging technologies like AI, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), 3D printing, and Machine Learning (ML) – directly to underserved and rural schools. Additionally, Salesforce is setting up digital labs in collaboration with Nirmaan to further expand access to quality STEM education.
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Career Readiness through Mentorship & Networking: Salesforce is deeply committed to mentoring and career readiness initiatives that empower young people to navigate their futures with confidence. Through its partnership with the Antarang Foundation, Salesforce supports high-school students in Mumbai by helping them make informed career and college choices. In partnership with Katalyst India, Salesforce is accelerating the growth of female youth in professional education by providing developmental interventions and an enabling environment designed to enhance self-belief and prepare them for leadership roles.
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Educator Support: Salesforce focuses on nurturing excellent educators and supporting teacher reskilling and professional development. Through a partnership with Meghshala, Salesforce enables high school teachers to transform classrooms using technology solutions, fostering engaging and student-centered learning experiences. In collaboration with Mantra for Change, Salesforce improves academic outcomes by enhancing student access to learning infrastructure, supporting educators with improved teaching practices and, and fostering continuous learning and leadership development for school leaders and district education administrators.
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Talent – Green Skills & AI: Salesforce has joined forces with the 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Foundation to establish the 1M1B Green Skills Academy in Hyderabad, Telangana. This initiative aims to train 1 million young people in essential green and AI skills by 2030, creating pathways to employment in the green economy.
Salesforce is committed to investing in community-led solutions that restore nature, enhance biodiversity, and support local livelihoods.
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Promoting Urban Forestry: In collaboration with Green Yatra, Salesforce has established a Biodiversity Park in Hyderabad by planting 40,000 native saplings, increasing green cover, and supporting urban biodiversity. This initiative builds on the Miyawaki forest established by Salesforce in Thane, Mumbai, with over 33,000 saplings.
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Wayanad Forest Restoration: In Wayanad, Salesforce is supporting the restoration of degraded forest in the Western Ghats, a critical elephant habitat, through natural regeneration in collaboration with local tribal communities.
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Lake Restorations: Salesforce has led large-scale lake restoration projects. In Bangalore, the company has completed a 15-acre lake restoration project to conserve a polluted and dead water body, providing surplus drinking water to the community, more than doubling the water capacity. In Hyderabad, Salesforce has rejuvenated an 11.5-acre polluted water body to provide clean water and support the livelihoods of the Dhobi community, while enhancing biodiversity with thousands of new saplings.
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Energy Transition: Salesforce, in collaboration with Youth of India, built decentralized solar micro-grids in remote areas of Telangana, partnering with indigenous communities including the Banjara, Gond, and Koya tribes, to provide last-mile energy connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to marginalized groups. This initiative fostered a women-led ecosystem through skill-development and sustainable livelihood opportunities, driving both energy access and socio-economic development through focus on gender equality.
Salesforce has been on a sustainability journey for more than a decade. It has also established sustainability as a core value alongside trust, customer success, innovation, and equality. Products like Net Zero Cloud and Agentforce are built with sustainability at the core, helping customers accelerate toward a more sustainable future. As supporters of ecopreneurs and initiatives like 1t.org, Salesforce supports stakeholder and inspires the greater global movement toward a net zero, nature-positive world.
*Salesforce, the #1 CRM, powered by AI technology and capabilities.
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