CISCO SYSTEMS: ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN A DIGITAL WORLD
First in a series highlighting sustainability efforts by Bay Area companies. Find the series, here.
There are many ways corporations can help protect our planet. Cisco Systems, headquartered in San Jose, California with 480 offices located around the world, is committed to do just that.
In 2006, Cisco announced their first public goal towards helping the environment by reducing business air travel. Today, Cisco’s programs range from using renewable energy to managing minerals in its supply chain. In 2019, Cisco realized a 49% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. 83% of energy needed for operations came from renewable sources – solar fields and wind farms. And one million metric tonnes of supply chain greenhouse gas emissions were avoided.
Renewable energy and efficient operations
Cisco began purchasing renewable energy for use at its facilities around the world over 20 years ago. Today, Cisco’s U.S. facilities are 100% powered by renewable electricity. Cisco is also driven to make its operations more energy efficient – from replacing lighting to LED to getting rid of unnecessary equipment in labs and data centers, thus reducing cooling and electrical demand.
Cisco continues to set lofty goals for the future – many that are close to being realized. By 2022, Cisco’s goal is to reduce global Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 60%. Also by 2022, Cisco will certainly exceed their goal of purchasing 85% of energy needed for its global electricity demand from renewable sources. By 2030, Cisco seeks to have an absolute 30% reduction in its supply chain-related Scope 3 greenhouse emissions.
The greater good
Cisco helps to influence policy all over the world to make electricity grids cleaner. By engaging with its customers, some of the biggest companies in the world, Cisco works to set renewable electricity targets as well as to collectively drive for cleaner energy solutions.
There are numerous third party organizations focused on sustainability efforts that bring together both large and small companies. The Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance is a community of energy buyers accelerating the zero-carbon energy future, with a vision for the future where every organization has a viable, expedient, and cost-effective pathway to renewable energy. Most all of the big tech companies are members, including Cisco, Google, Facebook and Microsoft. The Sustainability Roundtable is focused on broader sustainability efforts such as green building initiatives and briefings to help companies chart a profitable path to net zero emissions.
Employee engagement
Cisco has created an internal platform, the Cisco Greenhouse, to help employees take control and make a positive impact on our planet.
The stated goal of the platform is to “Establish a strong sustainability awareness in employees and develop a global network throughout Cisco, where we are able to:
Connect and socialize with our colleagues across the globe, find local events, and learn about our environmental impact and what small actions we can take to reduce it
Join or establish local green teams to connect on-the-ground sustainability activities with the online community; learn about, promote, and drive our sites' sustainability performance
Be a part of the global conversation about Cisco's sustainability programs and targets, and celebrate achievements in our markets with colleagues around the world”
This is an interactive site and community that allows you to invite others to join, and provides a weekly summary email on actions taken. Thus far, the platform cites over 8,500 actions taken by over 1,800 participants. This is a great way to engage employees that other companies can easily adopt.
If you’d like to learn more about Cisco’s efforts in sustainability, please visit here at Cisco.com or read Cisco’s CSR Report 2019.
Do you have a great corporate sustainability story you’d like us to share? Please let us know, and we will include in this series!
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