Net Zero Cloud Setup

---
name: net-zero-cloud-setup
description: "Use this skill when configuring Salesforce Net Zero Cloud — Scope 1/2/3 emission source modeling via the StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt / VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt / Scope3CrbnFtprnt object families, emission factor library setup (EmssnFctr / EmssnFctrSet), DPE-driven carbon calculation jobs, supplier engagement scoring, and CSRD / ESRS / TCFD disclosure pack mapping. Triggers on: Net Zero Cloud setup, Sustainability Cloud carbon accounting, Scope 1 2 3 emissions Salesforce, emission factor library, supplier engagement Net Zero, ESG disclosure pack mapping. NOT for running the ESRS / CSRD / SASB / GRI / CDP report builders or the double-materiality assessment that produces the actual disclosure — use integration/sustainability-reporting."
category: integration
salesforce-version: "Spring '25+"
well-architected-pillars:
  - Reliability
  - Security
tags:
  - net-zero-cloud
  - sustainability-cloud
  - carbon-accounting
  - scope-1
  - scope-2
  - scope-3
  - emission-factors
  - csrd
  - esrs
  - tcfd
  - data-processing-engine
  - industry-cloud
inputs:
  - "Net Zero Cloud license enabled on the org"
  - "Inventory of emission sources by scope (stationary assets, vehicles, purchased goods, business travel, etc.)"
  - "Activity data feeds (utility bills, fuel logs, expense systems, supplier emissions data)"
  - "Disclosure framework in scope (CSRD, ESRS, TCFD, SBTi, GHG Protocol)"
outputs:
  - "Configured emission source records with activity data and emission factor links"
  - "Activated DPE-driven carbon calculation jobs producing CrbnFtprnt totals"
  - "Supplier engagement scoring with Scope3PcmtItem records for purchased-goods category"
  - "Disclosure-pack mapping ready for CSRD / ESRS / TCFD reporting"
triggers:
  - "configuring Salesforce Net Zero Cloud from scratch"
  - "Scope 1 / Scope 2 / Scope 3 carbon accounting in Salesforce"
  - "loading emission factor library Net Zero Cloud"
  - "DPE carbon calculation job not running or stale totals"
  - "supplier engagement scoring CSRD ESRS disclosure"
  - "we're having issues with net zero cloud"
dependencies: []
version: 1.0.0
author: Pranav Nagrecha
updated: 2026-05-03
---

# Net Zero Cloud Setup

This skill activates when a practitioner is configuring Salesforce Net Zero Cloud (formerly Sustainability Cloud) — the industry cloud for greenhouse-gas inventory, carbon accounting, supplier engagement, and ESG disclosure. It covers the Scope 1 / 2 / 3 object families, emission factor library setup, DPE-driven carbon calculation, and disclosure-framework mapping. It does NOT cover Marketing Cloud ESG content scoring, generic financial reporting, or utility-billing flows that aren't carbon-related.

---

## Before Starting

Gather this context before working in this domain:

- Confirm Net Zero Cloud license is provisioned. The Scope 1/2/3 object families (`StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt`, `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt`, `Scope3CrbnFtprnt`, `Scope3EmssnSrc`, `Scope3PcmtItem`, `EmssnFctr`, `EmssnFctrSet`) appear in Object Manager only after license activation.
- Identify the **disclosure framework** in scope: CSRD / ESRS for EU operations, SEC Climate Disclosure for US public filers, TCFD for voluntary, SBTi for science-based targets, GHG Protocol as the universal underpinning. The framework drives which scopes and categories are mandatory.
- Identify activity data sources for each scope. Scope 1 = direct fuel / refrigerant logs. Scope 2 = utility bills (location-based vs market-based). Scope 3 = the 15 categories from purchased goods to franchises — most companies omit categories that don't apply.
- Decide whether emission factors come from a vendor library (EPA, DEFRA, IEA bundled by Salesforce) or a custom factor set negotiated with an auditor. Custom factors require the most up-front work.

---

## Core Concepts

### The Three-Scope Object Hierarchy

Net Zero Cloud splits the inventory into three scope buckets, each with its own object family:

**Scope 1 — Direct Emissions** (e.g., on-site fuel combustion, fleet fuel, refrigerant leaks):
- `StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt` — stationary asset (building, plant, generator) with fuel-burn activity data.
- `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` — energy use rows attached to a stationary asset.
- `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt` — vehicle asset (owned fleet) with fuel-use activity data.
- `RentalCarEnrgyUse` — short-term vehicle rentals (treated as Scope 1 in some frameworks, Scope 3 Cat. 6 in others).

**Scope 2 — Purchased Energy** (e.g., grid electricity, district heating):
- Same `StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt` / `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` objects, but the energy type marks it as purchased rather than combusted.
- Location-based vs. market-based methods are tracked via the emission factor selection on each row.

**Scope 3 — Value-Chain Emissions** (the 15 GHG Protocol categories):
- `Scope3CrbnFtprnt` — top-level Scope 3 footprint per category per period.
- `Scope3EmssnSrc` — source records (e.g., specific supplier, specific business-travel program).
- `Scope3PcmtItem` — purchased-goods category line items.
- `Scope3PcmtSummary` — purchased-goods category summary.
- `StnryAssetEnvrSrc` — environmental source linkage on the stationary asset.

### Emission Factor Library

`EmssnFctr` rows are the per-activity coefficients (e.g., 2.31 kg CO2e per liter of diesel). They live inside `EmssnFctrSet` collections (e.g., "EPA 2024 GHGRP Factors", "DEFRA 2024 UK Factors").

Net Zero Cloud ships several Salesforce-curated factor sets out of the box. Custom sets are required when:

- An auditor specifies a non-bundled regional factor (e.g., a specific country's grid factor).
- The org has internal lifecycle assessment data for a custom factor.
- A supplier-specific factor is provided (Scope 3 Cat. 1 supplier-specific method).

### DPE-Driven Carbon Calculation

Like the rest of the Industries platform, Net Zero Cloud uses DPE batch jobs to multiply activity data × emission factor and produce the `…CrbnFtprnt` rows. The calculation jobs are **not automatic** — they must be activated.

A typical setup activates:

- **Stationary Asset Carbon Calculation** — produces `StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt` from activity data.
- **Vehicle Asset Carbon Calculation** — produces `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt`.
- **Scope 3 Calculation** definitions per category (purchased goods, business travel, employee commute, etc.).

Re-running the calculation after a factor set update is required to refresh historical totals.

### Supplier Engagement (Scope 3 Category 1)

Purchased Goods & Services is typically the largest Scope 3 category for non-extractive industries. Net Zero Cloud uses:

- `Scope3PcmtItem` — line items from purchase records (often loaded from ERP spend data).
- Supplier scoring via the Supplier Engagement feature — assigns each supplier a maturity level (e.g., "Reports Scope 1 & 2", "Has Verified Targets") and uses supplier-specific factors when available, falling back to spend-based factors otherwise.

### Disclosure Pack Mapping

The output of Net Zero Cloud is a disclosure-ready pack mapped to a regulatory framework. Common targets:

- **CSRD / ESRS E1** (EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive — Climate Change disclosure).
- **TCFD** (Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures).
- **CDP Climate Change Questionnaire** (annual voluntary).
- **GHG Protocol Corporate Standard** (universal).

The mapping happens in the disclosure pack configuration: which CrbnFtprnt totals roll into which disclosure metric.

---

## Common Patterns

### Pattern 1: Initial Carbon Inventory Setup

**When to use:** First-time Net Zero Cloud deployment.

**How it works:**

1. Choose the emission factor set(s) appropriate to operating regions. Activate the Salesforce-curated sets for those regions; create custom sets only if regulator or auditor requires.
2. Load stationary assets (buildings, plants) with `StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt` parent records and `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` activity rows for each fuel/electricity type per period.
3. Load fleet assets via `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt`.
4. For Scope 3, decide which of the 15 categories are material. Load activity data only for material categories.
5. Activate the carbon calculation DPE definitions for Scope 1 / 2 / 3 categories in scope.
6. Run the calculations once to backfill, then schedule recurring runs.

### Pattern 2: Refreshing Historical Totals After Factor Update

**When to use:** A factor set is updated (e.g., DEFRA publishes new annual factors, or an auditor specifies a corrected regional grid factor).

**How it works:**

1. Activate the new factor set (or update the relevant `EmssnFctr` rows in a custom set).
2. Reassign affected `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` / `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt` / `Scope3CrbnFtprnt` rows to the new factor set / factor (often via a DPE definition).
3. Re-run the carbon calculation DPE for the affected periods.
4. Verify the disclosure-pack metrics now reflect the updated factors.
5. Document the factor change in the audit log — auditors require traceability.

### Pattern 3: Supplier Engagement for Purchased Goods

**When to use:** Org wants to move from spend-based Scope 3 Cat. 1 estimation to supplier-specific factors.

**How it works:**

1. Load supplier list and link to `Account` records.
2. Score suppliers via the Supplier Engagement feature (or manually attach maturity level).
3. For suppliers with verified emissions data, attach supplier-specific `EmssnFctr` records.
4. Reload `Scope3PcmtItem` rows; the calculation engine uses supplier-specific factors when available, falls back to spend-based otherwise.
5. Track over time: improving the supplier engagement score reduces estimation uncertainty.

---

## Decision Guidance

| Situation | Recommended Approach | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary asset (building) emissions | `StnryAssetCrbnFtprnt` + `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` per fuel/electricity type | Standard parent-child structure; do not flatten activity into the asset record |
| Owned vehicle fleet | `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt` | Standard object; do not reuse Automotive Cloud `Vehicle` for emissions tracking |
| Purchased goods (Scope 3 Cat. 1) | `Scope3PcmtItem` from ERP spend data | Built-in object with supplier-specific factor support |
| Custom regional emission factor | Custom `EmssnFctrSet` with `EmssnFctr` rows | Only when auditor / regulator specifies; else use bundled sets |
| Refreshing historical totals after factor update | Re-run carbon calculation DPE for affected periods | Recalc is the only safe path; do not edit `…CrbnFtprnt` rows manually |
| Disclosure mapping | Configure the disclosure pack matching the framework in scope | One pack per framework; do not co-mingle CSRD and TCFD mappings |

---

## Recommended Workflow

1. **Confirm license and framework scope.** Verify Net Zero Cloud license and that standard objects appear in Object Manager; identify disclosure framework(s) in scope — this drives mandatory scopes and categories.
2. **Activate emission factors.** Activate the appropriate `EmssnFctrSet` for operating regions (Salesforce-bundled or custom, with audit metadata if custom).
3. **Load activity data by scope.**
   - Scope 1/2: stationary asset carbon footprint records and activity rows per period; vehicle asset carbon footprint records for owned fleet.
   - Scope 3: materially assess first; load only categories in scope (most orgs cover 4–6 of 15).
4. **Activate and schedule carbon calculations.** Activate the carbon calculation DPE definitions; run once manually to backfill, then schedule recurring runs.
5. **Configure disclosure and audit trail.** Configure disclosure pack(s) for framework(s) in scope; verify roll-up metrics match expected totals. Document inventory boundary (operational control vs. equity share vs. financial control), base year, and factor sets used.

---

## Review Checklist

- [ ] Disclosure framework(s) identified before object loading
- [ ] `EmssnFctrSet` activated for all operating regions
- [ ] Stationary asset records have activity rows for all fuel / electricity types
- [ ] Vehicle asset records distinct from any Automotive Cloud `Vehicle` records
- [ ] Scope 3 categories loaded only for material categories (not all 15 by default)
- [ ] Carbon calculation DPE definitions activated AND scheduled
- [ ] First calculation manually executed; `…CrbnFtprnt` rows populated
- [ ] Disclosure pack(s) configured per framework
- [ ] Audit-log entries for inventory boundary, base year, and factor sets used
- [ ] Custom factor sets justified by auditor / regulator requirement (not preference)

---

## Salesforce-Specific Gotchas

1. **Carbon Calculation DPE Is Not Automatic** — Net Zero Cloud orgs go live with no calculation jobs running. `…CrbnFtprnt` rows stay empty even when activity data is loaded. Activate the DPE definitions and schedule them as part of go-live.

2. **Location-Based vs Market-Based Scope 2 Tracked Per Row** — Scope 2 reporting requires both location-based and market-based totals. The split is driven by the emission factor selected on each `StnryAssetEnrgyUse` row, not a separate object. Misconfiguring the factor selection silently produces a single-method total that fails dual-reporting requirements.

3. **Scope 3 Is NOT All 15 Categories By Default** — Loading every Scope 3 category produces noise (employee-commute estimates with high uncertainty crowd out material categories). Materially assess first; load only categories that pass the materiality threshold for the framework.

4. **Manual Edits to `…CrbnFtprnt` Rows Get Overwritten** — Practitioners sometimes hand-correct a calculated total when actuals don't match expectations. The next DPE run overwrites the manual edit. Corrections must happen at the activity-data or factor level, not on the calculated row.

5. **Custom EmssnFctrSet Without Audit Trail** — Custom factor sets without a documented source / effective date / approval reference fail external audit. Always attach metadata explaining where the factor came from and who approved it.

6. **Reusing Automotive Cloud `Vehicle` for Emissions** — `Vehicle` (Automotive Cloud) and `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt` (Net Zero Cloud) are distinct objects. The Net Zero Cloud calculation engine reads `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt`. Loading fleet emissions onto Automotive Cloud `Vehicle` records produces empty Net Zero Cloud totals.

---

## Output Artifacts

| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Inventory boundary document | Operational control / equity share / financial control choice with reasoning |
| Materiality assessment | Which Scope 3 categories are in scope and why |
| Emission factor library map | Active `EmssnFctrSet` per region + custom factor justification |
| DPE activation runbook | Per-scope calculation definition activation + schedule |
| Disclosure pack configuration | Per-framework metric mapping (CSRD, TCFD, CDP, etc.) |
| Audit log | Base year, inventory boundary, factor sets, restatement history |

---

## Related Skills

- manufacturing-cloud-setup — for sibling Industries Cloud DPE-activation patterns and shared platform behaviors
- automotive-cloud-setup — for distinguishing the `Vehicle` (asset) vs. `VehicleAssetCrbnFtprnt` (emissions) split when both clouds are licensed
- industries-cloud-selection — for the architect-level decision of whether Net Zero Cloud is the right fit