“Corporate social responsibility is a core Cisco value. We believe our social investments contribute to our long-term sustainability as a business while also helping to build a stronger, healthier global community.”
Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs
Cisco’s social investment strategy focuses on empowering individuals and transforming communities through networking. We advance a broad range of economic, educational, and social initiatives worldwide by making use of our market strength, industry experience, and business acumen. And we collaborate with a variety of organizations, including local groups, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, schools, and universities.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a core Cisco value. We believe our social investments contribute to our long-term value as a business while also helping to build a stronger, healthier global community. This community, in turn, supports and sustains the markets within which our business can thrive.
Cisco recognizes the United Nations Millennium Development Goals
, which call for timely, quantifiable progress in:
- Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
- Achieving universal education
- Promoting gender equality
- Reducing child mortality
- Improving maternal health
- Combating deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS
- Ensuring environmental sustainability
- Building a global partnership for development
Nearly every country in the world has approved these goals, and we believe companies such as ours have a responsibility to help make them a reality as well.
Cisco makes social investments in three primary areas:
- Education and lifelong learning
- Human services, with donations of funds, products, and expertise
- Companywide volunteer activities
To help ensure that all Foundation grants are consistent with Cisco’s CSR vision and that we have exercised due diligence regarding the qualifications of recipients, we have implemented a systematic review process. This process addresses both legal and regulatory requirements, as well as assessment of the qualification of proposals against our grant-making criteria and guidelines. The majority of grant programs are by invitation only, with program officers making recommendations regarding potential social investments. Initial vetting of the applicant organizations is rigorous and consistent, a service provided to Cisco and the Foundation through our partnership with the nonprofit organization Universal Giving. All Foundation grant proposals are reviewed by a grants committee, with final approval by the executive director of the Foundation and the Cisco Foundation Board.
Financial information about the Foundation is available on its Form 990-PF filed with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
