ESG News For Cisco Systems, Inc.

If we can bring digital skills to the Amazon, we can do it anywhere.

The disconnect between skilled talent and open jobs has become one of the most pressing challenges worldwide. Cisco Networking Academy and Indeed, the world’s #1 job site*, have joined forces through a global strategic partnership to address this gap

When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina in September 2024, the storm didn’t just damage buildings and roads.

Many of us remember the iconic scene from Disney’s The Lion King where Mufasa teaches Simba about the “circle of life:” a powerful metaphor illustrating the interconnectedness of all living beings and the delicate balance of nature.

For families in remote villages across northeastern India, seeing a doctor often means long journeys over difficult terrain, lost daily wages, and sometimes, lifesaving treatment that comes too late.

The World’s Largest Movement to End Extreme Poverty Welcomes John Legend, Avie Glazer, Mariam Almheiri, Omar Al-joulani, and Ankur Jain to Global Board

If strategy sets direction, learning is what makes it last. Learning is one of the clearest places where Cisco’s Purpose and business intersect.

Cisco’s first Empower & Connect Summit at our campus in Raleigh, NC, brought together partners, innovators, and communities to explore how technology can drive meaningful social impact.

As we approach 2026, sustainability is starting to function more as a core business discipline rather than a standalone initiative.

At Cisco and Splunk, we believe technology becomes truly transformative when it reaches the people solving our world’s toughest problems. That’s the principle behind the annual Splunkie Awards, where we recognize the partners and users across multiple categories

Some Christmas stories start with a sleigh. This one starts with a screen. For 17 years, Cisco’s Connected Santa program has been delivering holiday magic to children in hospitals across the U.K. and Ireland.

As India undergoes rapid digital transformation, the opportunities are immense — but so are the risks. Cybercrime losses exceeded ₹1,750 crore in the first four months of 2024 alone.

At Cisco, we’ve been redesigning and modernizing our offices over the last few years, rebalancing the composition of space to reflect how the purpose of the workplace has evolved. 

For nearly 30 years, the Cisco Foundation has turned ideas into opportunity – helping people and communities around the world thrive.

World’s Largest Gathering on Economic Inclusion Returns to Atlanta December 1-3

Across Latin America, Cisco Networking Academy is forging partnerships that are unlocking opportunities and preparing the generation for a digital future. 

Among the many treasures of this beautiful land that I also call home, there is a Greek word that resonates deeply with me: Philoxenia. It’s often translated simply as hospitality, but it encompasses so much more than that.

September 21-27 is National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week. This blog will recognize one of the ways Cisco has collaborated and innovated with these institutions.

Tom is the Senior Director of Supply Chain, Computing Systems, & Product Packaging, and Executive Sponsor of Circular Design at Cisco. His passion for sustainability is rooted in a lifelong love of the outdoors and shaped by visits to nearly 45 U.S. national parks.

For the past ten years, Cisco has been proud to partner with the Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF), combining technology and devoted field teams to make a real difference in wildlife conservation.

Through our ever-evolving partnership, Cisco and Indus Action have helped countless vulnerable citizens transform their lives for the better by increasing their access to education, maternal health, labor welfare, and more.

Technology has the power to transform lives, bridge opportunity gaps, and strengthen communities. At Cisco, our Purpose is to Power an Inclusive Future for All, building a more inclusive digital future where education and opportunity go hand in hand.

Whether we’re purchasing grocery items wrapped in plastic or receiving a home shipment packed in polystyrene peanuts, packaging is part of our everyday lives. However, much of it becomes waste after one use.

In 2018, Cisco and Destination: Home embarked on a partnership to tackle homelessness in Santa Clara County. While our primary focus was on the development of supportive housing and homelessness prevention, we also saw an opportunity to leverage technology to improve lives.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise for climate innovation, but its effectiveness depends on access to diverse, high-quality data — something that can be difficult and costly to obtain in the climate sector.

AI alone isn’t transformative. Real change happens when empowered people can access, trust, learn, and adopt AI technology.

Technology is not stagnant and keeping up can prove to be a challenge, especially in the education sector. But in the heart of Australia’s capital, the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is setting an inspiring example of how education can evolve to meet challenges

Chances are when someone flips on a light switch or turns on a computer, they don’t think about what is generating that electricity.

At Cisco, packaging sustainability is a key aspect of our strategy to transition to a circular business modelzx. We do this by designing packaging that protects our products while also minimizing environmental impact.

Like other technology breakthroughs, AI offers enormous opportunities to reimagine solutions to the world’s pressing challenges. However, to harness AI’s power and potential effectively, we must work together to ensure it is used ethically, responsibly, and inclusively.

India’s agriculture is at a turning point, with nearly 42% of its workforce reliant on small farms (IFAD). The sector faces mounting pressure: water scarcity, rising debt, and up to 15% post-harvest losses (NABARD study).

At Cisco, we care deeply about innovation and practical effectiveness. When responding to social challenges, we want to be part of solutions that work

In 1997, the Cisco Foundation was established by a gift from Cisco Systems, Inc. to help address basic human needs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the past 27 years, that localized support has grown to a global mission across multiple areas of need.

The Ogiek community developed a land management system to document their ancestral connection to the land and ecosystems they protect. Recognizing the importance of technology in this effort, they began using CoMapeo, a landscape mapping tool developed by Awana Digital.

Data, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital tools can help uncover solutions to complex environmental challenges that can be implemented at scale for maximum impact. However, while much of the data exists, the datasets are enormous.

At Cisco, we believe in the power of technology and our people to drive meaningful change.

The following is an excerpt from our FY24 Purpose Report, celebrating 40 years of impact at Cisco. Data and metrics are reflective of Cisco’s fiscal year 2024, ending on July 31, 2024.

60% of children in Kenya can’t count on three meals a day. For children in underserved communities across Africa, education remains the surest path to a more secure future — and yet hunger inhibits learning and optimal development for a majority of the country’s young people.

After years in services and business development, Christopher Weiland charted a new path — applying his technology expertise to drive sustainability innovation at Cisco.

In 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that data centers accounted for roughly 1.5 percent of global electricity demand. That number is expected to more than double by 2030, driven largely by the rise in AI infrastructure.

In every corner of the globe, digital technology is becoming the bridge to opportunity, empowerment, and transformation.

In the fast-paced evolution of data centers, the spotlight on sustainability has never been brighter. As energy demands surge, finding innovative ways to reduce energy consumption becomes crucial.

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, intense, and costly. In 2024 alone, global natural disasters resulted in an estimated $368 billion in economic losses, with 60% of these losses uninsured, highlighting a substantial protection gap (Insurance Business).

As part of Cisco’s “Plan for Possible,” our environmental sustainability strategy, I often emphasize the importance of resilient ecosystems.

In a world where cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and high-profile data breaches make headlines, the need for cybersecurity professionals is greater than ever. Yet today, too many people lack access to the training that can launch cybersecurity careers.

Vocxi Health Wins 2025 Startup World Cup Silicon Valley Regional Competition

Cisco’s Purpose to Power an Inclusive Future for All isn’t a standalone initiative – it’s embedded and operationalized throughout our company and drives growth for our business, people, and communities.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina formed over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and went on to become a Category 5 storm that would devastate the city of New Orleans.

One the one hand, tech innovation can help energy grids and power generation become more efficient and secure. On the other, the rapid adoption and development of emerging technologies is increasing power consumption.