Csr2011 Full Report

2011 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Multiplying impact through the power of networks.
Welcome to Cisco’s seventh Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, covering the 2011 financial
year (FY11). The report sets out our approach, objectives, and performance on CSR issues in five
key areas: Governance and Ethics, Value Chain, Our People, Society, and Environment.

2011 Cisco CSR Report 2011 Cisco CSR Report Website We Welcome Your Feedback A3

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Contents
Introduction Value Chain Society GRI Index
How to Use This Report
A4 Message from John Chambers, C3 Embedding Sustainability in E2 Our Strategy We encourage you to use the complete
Chairman and Chief Core Business Processes report PDF, which includes all sections
Executive Officer E3 Education and allows full access to videos,
C4 Partnering with Suppliers
KPIs/Report Card search capabilities, and bookmarks.
to Improve Performance & E5 Healthcare Alternatively, if you visit us online, you
A5 Message from Tae Yoo, can access each section of our report
Build Capability H2 Our People KPIs
Senior Vice President, E6 Economic Development individually. We’ve also created an
Corporate Affairs H3 Society KPIs Executive Summary, which provides an
C7 Working with Industry Groups
E8 Critical Human Needs & overview of our achievements in fiscal
A6 Cisco, CSR & Innovation Disaster Relief H4 Environment KPIs year 2011 (FY11).
C8 Looking Ahead
A6 About This Report E9 Employee Engagement H8 Report Card Bookmarks
This pdf is bookmark enabled. We
A6 About Cisco have pre-populated bookmarks in the
E10 Supplier Diversity
Our People Environment section only.
E11 Product Accessibility
Appendix Recommended Software
D2 Changes to Our Workforce
Governance & Ethics E12 Looking Ahead • Adobe Acrobat* Version 7.0 and above
D2 Working Together I2 1. About the Environment Section • QuickTime
B2 Governance I4 2. Employee Engagement
D4 A Safe & Healthy Work
B4 CSR Management Environment Environment I7 3. Global Supplier
B7 Ethics D5 An Open & Diverse Culture Management Letter
F2 Cisco Environmental
B8 Privacy D6 Employee Opportunities Sustainability I8 4. Comparison of BAU and ICT
Solution for Remote Collaboration
B9 Human Rights D7 Rewarding Our People F8 Materials (Avoiding Business Travel)

B11 Looking Ahead D8 Looking Ahead F9 Energy and GHG Emissions I9 5. Comparison of BAU and ICT
Solution for Teleworking
F31 Water Use
(Avoiding Employee Commuting)
F32 Biodiversity and Land Use

F33 Non-GHG Emissions

F34 Effluents (Liquid)

F34 Waste

F41 Looking Ahead


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Compact and its 10 principles covering human rights, instigated a series of decisive actions that included
Introduction labor, the environment, and anti-corruption. simplifying our organizational and operating model to
> Message from make Cisco easier to work for and do business with,
Chairman & CEO At the core of our CSR efforts, we use the same reducing annual costs by US$1 billion, and divesting or
expertise, technology, and partnerships that we use in exiting from underperforming operations.
Message from
Sr. Vice President, working with our customers. We believe this is the best
Corporate Affairs way for us to have the greatest impact, because we know As we look to the future, we believe that no other
Cisco, CSR, & Innovation that an intelligent network is not only a powerful tool for company has our breadth and depth in networking. No
doing business, but also for transforming lives, building one has our ability to innovate on such a broad scale,
About this Report
communities, and protecting the environment. nor our global reach and geographic balance, nor our
About Cisco workforce of world class talent and expertise. And
For example, this year we completed our three-year I’m particularly proud to say that no other company
Watch the Video! Chairman and CEO
John Chambers talks about the importance engagement in Sichuan, China, where we built a human possesses our commitment to manage the social
Governance & Ethics of corporate social responsibility to network of multiple partners to help the region recover and environmental aspects of our business in our
Cisco’s business. and rebuild after the devastating 2008 earthquake. characteristically ethical and responsible way.
Value Chain Working together, we implemented collaborative
networking technologies in 66 healthcare facilities We believe that by integrating CSR into our business,
Our People Network innovation, strategic and 102 educational organizations. By using the same we not only benefit the communities in which we work

Society decisions, and responsible technology and business principles that we apply to
working with our customers, we multiplied our impact
and the planet on which we live, but we also benefit our
business. Our CSR engagements are opportunities to

Environment
actions all characterize a time across Sichuan, enabled seamless medical insurance apply and showcase the power of the network, and the
of transformation at Cisco and claims processing for 60 million rural patients, and
increased the reach of 21st century education to
societal and environmental relevance of our products.
We also build stronger relationships with our customers
GRI Index
rapid change in the markets and 135,000 students. and partners, government and business leaders, and our
KPIs/Report Card communities we serve globally. Environmental sustainability is enhanced through our
employees through our CSR activities. And more than
ever, Cisco’s genuine, long-term commitment to CSR is
Appendix products and solutions, which help Cisco and our a key influencer on how people feel about our company
As we navigate these transitions, Cisco remains deeply customers reduce energy consumption and save and brand.
committed to corporate social responsibility (CSR)—to money. For example, Cisco smart grid products, Cisco
acting responsibly, operating sustainably, and contributing EnergyWise, Cisco Connected Workplace, Cisco I am proud that Cisco continues to change the way the
to the communities in which we work and live. We have TelePresence, and our teleworking solutions reduce world works, lives, plays, and learns. Therein lies the
witnessed the positive impact that CSR has had on our greenhouse gas emissions across industry sectors challenge and our opportunity to use the network to
employees, communities, the environment, and also our such as utilities, buildings and transportation. Cisco’s multiply our impact on both business and society. Cisco
business. That is why we believe that CSR is both our business and the environment benefit from these will meet that challenge.
responsibility and a competitive differentiator. innovative solutions.

This CSR report, our seventh, details our CSR efforts in This year was clearly not without its challenges. We had
the areas of governance and ethics, our people, society, to take some necessary but difficult steps to streamline
our value chain, and the environment. The report also our business in order to remain fully focused on delivering
provides evidence on how we operate in a manner the best to our customers, shareholders, employees, John T. Chambers
consistent with our continued support of the UN Global partners, and the global community. That is why we Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


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While our corporate social responsibility (CSR) manifests understand emerging issues, learn best practices and
Introduction itself in the way we run our business, our CSR program is identify CSR opportunities and challenges.
Message from also designed to help our nongovernmental organization
Chairman & CEO (NGO), multilateral, public sector, and private sector For example, in developing this report we put our
partners connect with others—enhancing their ability to technology to work in gathering real-time feedback on
> Message from
Sr. Vice President, make a positive impact on the world. our CSR performance and reporting, an approach that
Corporate Affairs allowed us to collect input from stakeholders around the
Cisco, CSR, & Innovation Our CSR efforts focus on five key areas: world without a single person having to board a plane.
Using Cisco TelePresence technology, we held CSR
About this Report • Governance and ethics: promoting responsible stakeholder discussions with 25 opinion leaders in 12
About Cisco business practices with every employee at every level countries. This high-definition technology provides a
of our business rich lifelike feel to a virtual meeting, while limiting carbon
• Value chain: embedding sustainability into routine emissions, increasing productivity, and enhancing the
Governance & Ethics business practices at every stage of the value chain work-life balance of all those involved.
product lifecycle
Value Chain The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the world’s largest
• Employees: building Cisco’s people, a unique culture repository of greenhouse gas emissions reporting, used
Our People You + networks = impact and organizational capacity Cisco TelePresence at its September 2010 global launch

Society multiplied. That’s our equation for • Society: bringing people together to collaborate
on innovative solutions to social issues including
event, connecting speakers on five continents with the
speakers and audience in New York City. Like Cisco and

Environment
a better life and a healthier planet. education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and Cisco’s customers, CDP is changing how they work,
Why are we so determined to critical human needs and disaster relief reducing GHG emissions while being more productive
and saving money.
GRI Index • Environment: improving our customers’ and our own
make it happen? environmental sustainability through technology and
KPIs/Report Card We are enormously proud of the work our people and
advocacy
partners are doing around the world to multiply the
We believe technology is a powerful tool to bring people
Appendix We address social issues through technology product positive impact of those striving for a better world. This
together to improve lives, build communities, and
grants, cash grants, collaborative partnerships and our report tells some of their stories and provides examples
preserve the environment. It’s why we apply the same
own expertise. We want to inspire Cisco employees, of how we are multiplying the impact of our CSR efforts
technology and expertise we use to help our customers,
our NGO partners, and our broader set of stakeholders by engaging technology and human networks.
to also help transform lives, communities and the planet—
multiplying the positive impact. to combine the power of their people and technology
Or to put that more succinctly:
networks to multiply the impact of their activities.
You + networks = impact multiplied.
We conduct our business in a way that respects and
ultimately benefits people, communities and the planet. The Sustainable Business Practices team within
In his letter (see previous page), our Chairman and CEO Corporate Affairs oversees Cisco’s multi-stakeholder
John Chambers explains why that’s good for society, engagement approach to CSR. We see the group’s
good for business and good for Cisco. role as a super-networker, linking Cisco people to
relevant CSR stakeholders around the world. They listen Tae Yoo
to a broad set of stakeholders throughout the year to Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs


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Introduction
Cisco, CSR, and Innovation About This Report Assurance
The data in this report and the methodology for collecting
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Cisco. Our CSR strategy and reporting prioritize the issues it have been verified internally. We held focus groups
Message from
Chairman & CEO Our vision is for our technology to change the way that are most important to our business and to our with CSR thought leaders during 2011 to assess our
people live, work, play, and learn. Of course, incremental stakeholders, identified through a formal materiality CSR strategy and reporting, and we had extensive
Message from
Sr. Vice President, changes can make a difference, but in our view it is the assessment. We encourage feedback from stakeholders, engagement with non-profit and nongovernmental
Corporate Affairs big ideas that are needed to disrupt the status quo and and we use this report to respond to those with whom organizations and CSR experts to gather their views on
> Cisco, CSR, & Innovation
stimulate sustainable change. we have engaged throughout the year. In FY11, feedback specific issues throughout the year.
included requests for:
> About this Report We believe that the above philosophy is as important
> About Cisco to social and environmental issues as to anything else. • More information about how Cisco is using products About Cisco
And by applying this ethos of innovation to Cisco’s CSR and services to drive the sustainability agenda.
• Cisco is headquartered in San Jose, California,
activities, we are striving to develop solutions that help • More transparency in social areas such as human USA, and has more than 460 offices in more than
Governance & Ethics us and our customers address social issues and promote rights and our value chain. 165 countries.
environmental sustainability.
• A searchable PDF of the full report and better • Approximately 13 percent of Cisco’s annual revenue
Value Chain is invested in research and development (R&D).
The videos highlighted in this report and on our 2011 Cisco navigability of the report.
Our People CSR Report website profile just some of our innovative • Cisco has more than 70,000 employees globally,
solutions—from helping customers monitor and reduce This year’s report attempts to respond to these issues. one-third of whom are engineers.
Society their energy use with EnergyWise to improving work-life Each section of the report leads with an explanation of a • Almost 100% of our manufacturing is outsourced.
balance at Cisco through LifeConnections. Each video is Cisco product and service and how it contributes to our
• We work closely with more than 1000 suppliers
Environment introduced by one of the Cisco people behind the solution. CSR agenda. Our PDFs allow for easy navigation within
around the world that support our value chain in the
the report (see How to Use This Report), and the Value Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.
GRI Index Chain section provides more details on our efforts to
manage labor issues throughout our value chain.
KPIs/Report Card
Changes to our approach can take time, but we aim to
Appendix be open and transparent about our progress, as well as
about the challenges we face.

Scope and Data
This report covers performance data and activities in our
2011 fiscal year, which runs from August 2010 through
July 2011, related to all our operations around the world
unless stated otherwise.
Watch the Video! The power of the network
allows Cisco to multiply our impact on society,
from connecting the world and improving
education and healthcare, to enabling energy
efficiency and helping people collaborate and
work smarter.


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Who We Are and What We Do
Introduction Cisco designs, manufactures, and sells innovative
Message from networking solutions related to the information and
Chairman & CEO communications technology (ICT) industry, and provides
Message from services associated with these products and their
Sr. Vice President, use. We aim to solve our customers’ most important
Corporate Affairs business problems by delivering intelligent networks and
Cisco, CSR, & Innovation technology architectures built on integrated products,
About this Report
services, and software platforms. Our vision is to change
the way we work, live, play, and learn.
> About Cisco
Founded in 1984, Cisco has pioneered the development How a Network Works
of Internet Protocol (IP)-based networking technologies. The Internet Protocol (IP) is a series of specifications set out by various standards organizations, primarily the Internet
Governance & Ethics Our products include routing, switching, and other Engineering Task Force (IETF). The IETF publishes specifications that, among other things, detail how information is
network-based technologies such as application organized into IP “packets” to be transported across the Internet. Each IP packet is unique to an IP address.
Value Chain networking services, collaboration, home networking, Every device (for example, a computer, printer, or smart phone) has an IP address assigned to it that identifies the device’s
security, storage area networking, telepresence systems, location and how it interacts with the broader network (through unique IP packets). Each IP packet has a source and
Our People unified communications, unified computing, video destination address, which is called an IP address, and a static address that uniquely identifies a device, called a MAC
systems, and wireless. We also provide a range of (Media Access Control) address.
Society
technical support and advanced services. The Internet infrastructure comprises primarily two types of devices: switches and routers. Switches are designed to
identify and respond to a static MAC address. It switches traffic accordingly, typically between ports on the same device.
Environment
Our customers’ success is at the core of our operational A router is designed to identify and respond to the dynamic source and destination IP address of the particular IP packet
strategy and execution. During FY11, our customers and route traffic accordingly, across numerous devices.
GRI Index
included public sector organizations and enterprise Most switches are very localized—the traffic flowing inside a switch, and the decisions a switch makes on network traffic
KPIs/Report Card businesses, service providers, commercial customers, are based specifically on the switch ports inside one device. Routers, however, are typically “network-aware” and make
and consumers. sophisticated decisions about internetworking based on current conditions in the network, including (but not limited to)
route availability, route congestion, and opportunities for multicast (the delivery of a message or information from one
Appendix
source to multiple destinations in a single transmission). Each router utilizes a continuously updated routing table that
Cisco’s Vision
gives the routers a real-time updated network “map” that allows the routers to work in parallel to manage the flow of IP
Changing the way we work, live, play, and learn. packets within the network. The decisions that a router is able to make on specific traffic flows can add substantially to the
manageability, efficiency, and scalability of a network.
Cisco’s Mission
Network Security
To shape the future of the Internet by creating
Security is a serious concern when it comes to using networks. Hackers, denial of service attacks, identity theft, and even
unprecedented value and opportunity for customers, cyber terrorism are very real dangers. As the foundations of network infrastructure, routers and switches are crucial in
employees, investors, and partners. the efforts to detect and prevent such attacks. Business-class routers and switches, such as those produced by Cisco,
incorporate features that address security, performance, reliability, and manageability. For example, Cisco integrated
services routers include built-in firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and encryption, among other features. In
addition, hackers can be tracked because source and destination addresses are identified in each IP packet. This helps to
deter attacks in the first place.
Internet routing allows service providers to see the address of the sender of information and the address of the recipient.
Without adequate encryption, service providers can also see the contents of messages and attachments. Both forms of
network security (protection of the network itself from denial of service and other attacks, and protection of users from
spam, hacking, and virus attacks) require network operators to have capabilities that can be used to block access to
websites or to copy and download users’ communications.

2011 Cisco CSR Report 2011 Cisco CSR Report Website We Welcome Your Feedback B1

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Introduction

Governance & Ethics
Governance
CSR Management
Ethics
Privacy
Human Rights
Looking Ahead

Value Chain

Our People

Society

Environment

GRI Index Watch the Video! Interactive and live training, which draws on the expertise of multiple Cisco business functions, reinforces the ethical conduct of
Cisco employees globally.
KPIs/Report Card

Governance and Ethics
Appendix

Cisco’s commitment to ethical conduct and strong corporate governance has
helped us build a robust company with a recognized corporate social responsibility
(CSR) program. Our leadership team believes in the importance of all facets of CSR.


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Introduction Governance & Ethics Governance are intended to simplify the way we run our business:
to accelerate decision-making, increase management
We draw on the experience and expertise of employees We believe in the power of collaboration. That philosophy accountability, and improve our responsiveness to
Governance & Ethics around the company in developing our framework for is reflected in Cisco products, systems, and services and customers, partners, and employees as we clarify roles
> Governance ethical and responsible business conduct. in our approach to corporate governance. This approach and responsibilities in each business unit.
helps us manage risks effectively, enabling business
CSR Management
Our global CSR programs guide the ethical, social, and continuity and sustainable growth. An important significant change has been to reinforce our
Ethics environmental efforts of individual business units, while consistent customer focus around the world by reducing our
Privacy helping Cisco maintain a strong reputation and supporting Management Approach cross-functional councils and boards from nine to three:
Human Rights a successful business strategy. We collaborate on management decisions across
the company. In FY11, Cisco went through significant • The Enterprise Business Council (EBC) leads Cisco
Looking Ahead
Ethical behavior makes our company more resilient. The structural changes that affected individual business in transforming our enterprise, commercial, and
overriding objective of our Code of Business Conduct units and the company’s overall strategy. The changes small business market operations. It uses a cohesive
and governance is that all Cisco employees live up to our strategy, fostering alignment between functions and
Value Chain high ethical standards in all their business activities. simplifying the business. The EBC helps Cisco focus
on the competition in these markets and improve
Our People
revenue, profitability, market share, and productivity.
Cisco Technology in Action: Cloud
Society • The Service Provider Council seeks to establish and
The Product: As Internet-based (cloud) computing becomes more pervasive, Cisco is enabling customers to rapidly adopt
maintain Cisco’s position as a trusted business partner
cloud by using the network to connect the different worlds of cloud.
Environment to its service provider customers. These include
In its simplest form, cloud computing refers to making shared resources, software, and data available via the Internet. telecommunications companies, cable operators,
GRI Index These elements are stored on remote servers that can be accessed by devices such as PCs and smart phones around the
media companies, and network providers. The council
world. Public, private, and community organizations can offer access to cloud computing through their own purpose-built
clouds. helps these customers grow revenue, increase
KPIs/Report Card
subscriber loyalty, improve competitiveness through
Cisco’s vision is a world of many clouds. Cisco enables organizations to build cloud offerings, and we connect and
Appendix sustainability, and manage costs as they address
link different clouds through what we call a unified cloud fabric: namely, a network infrastructure that supports
interconnectedness. the growth of data traffic and use of devices on their
networks.
How Our Cloud Offering Supports Our Governance and Ethics Program: As the use of cloud computing has increased,
privacy and data security have become serious concerns of customers, employees, and partners. It is crucial to our • The Emerging Countries Council guides our entry
business that we maintain the trust of all these stakeholders as we enhance our cloud services. Cisco cloud security and operations in emerging markets, and helps Cisco
offerings help customers take a more holistic approach to cloud adoption that includes robust security measures. to contribute to sustainable economic development
We offer:
by being an effective partner to aid growth and
• Capabilities to help cloud service providers and subscribers secure their cloud infrastructure development.
• Cloud-based email, web, and threat intelligence security for customers
Corporate Governance
• Secure cloud access to help organizations control access to resources and software hosted on the cloud, enabling a Cisco’s corporate governance policies are designed to
trusted cloud environment
foster ethical conduct and help us comply with regulatory
These security services are as important to Cisco as they are to our customers and partners. Sensitive personal and requirements and applicable laws for publicly listed
company data become susceptible to various security threats as new technology is used to build cloud offerings. We use
companies.
our cloud security offerings to help Cisco maintain the integrity of our own operations, reducing risks and improving the
privacy of proprietary information.


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A majority of the members of our Board of Directors The Board of Directors, acting directly and through • Global Safety, Security and Business Resiliency:
Introduction are independent Directors who meet regularly without its committees, is responsible for overseeing risk This group works to safeguard the physical safety
Cisco management. Our Board has adopted clear management. With the oversight of the Board, Cisco and security of Cisco employees and facilities, and
Governance & Ethics
governance policies for: has implemented practices and programs designed to it responds to internal or external disruptions and
> Governance help manage the risks to which we are exposed in our threats that may affect our employees and our
• Board composition business and to align risk-taking appropriately with our business. Our response plans prepare for worst-
CSR Management
• Board meetings and materials efforts to increase shareholder value. The business case scenarios, and our business continuity teams
Ethics
functions involved in risk management include: are focused on identifying and mitigating gaps with
Privacy • Board committees
business continuity plans.
Human Rights • Stock ownership guidelines for non-employee • Global Risk Sponsors: This executive-level group
• Supply Chain Risk Management: This team works
Looking Ahead Directors and executive officers that meets quarterly to review risks and opportunities
on the continuity of supply for our customers. It
• Management responsibilities and manage action and accountability. All of the
also builds resiliency into our products and global
members of this group are executives at Executive
operations.
All members of the Board’s Audit, Compensation Vice President level and above.
Value Chain
and Management Development, and Nomination and • Governance, Risk and Controls: This team assists
Our People Governance Committees are independent Directors. the Audit Committee and company management to Business Resiliency Put to the Test in Japan
carry out their financial responsibilities and internal The Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami and
Society Our internal audit function is responsible for overseeing controls. It also monitors risks and controls throughout nuclear threat in March 2011 required companies and
Cisco’s operational and financial processes. It reports the company in real time, and provides independent communities around the country to respond quickly
Environment regularly to the Audit Committee. See our Corporate review and consulting to improve the management of and efficiently. Cisco’s business resiliency and risk
Governance website for further information. Cisco’s operations. As part of our Governance, Risk management operations went into immediate effect to
GRI Index check on the safety of employees and suppliers, as well
and Controls team, our Enterprise Risk Management as our business continuity.
We have established a specific Policy Function within
KPIs/Report Card group works across the business to identify, assess,
Cisco that centralizes corporate policies and approves As part of our business resiliency and risk management
govern and manage risks and Cisco’s response to
changes. The function has launched a new Policy Central strategy, we establish local Incident Management Teams
Appendix those risks. at high-risk sites. Cisco’s Customer Crisis Team also
intranet site to make it easier for employees to access
• Global IT Risk Management: This team focuses prepared comprehensive action response and mitigation
and understand our policies.
on managing critical IT risks for Cisco, including IT plans to minimize the impact to customers to the extent
possible.
Risk Management service continuity, IT compliance, and embedding risk
Cisco is founded and built on innovation. We continue to management into IT projects and processes. These teams implemented business continuity and
risk mitigation plans for our operations and vendors
push boundaries in our efforts to connect the world and • Worldwide Brand Protection: This function looks around Japan in the wake of the disaster. The plans
achieve long-term growth opportunities for our company. to preserve the integrity of Cisco’s corporate brand included impact assessments for our entire supplier
Managing inherent risks is essential as we enter new by reducing potential damage caused by counterfeit and manufacturing base. There has been no significant
markets and introduce new products. and unauthorized market activity. Its activities include impact to our supply chain. We continue to monitor
the situation and remain in close contact with all of our
protecting routes to market, influencing intellectual Japanese suppliers.
property protection, and operating as the anti-
Watch the Video! Interactive and live counterfeit center of excellence within Cisco.
training, which draws on the expertise
of multiple Cisco business functions,
reinforces the ethical conduct of Cisco
employees globally.


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Introduction CSR Management
Our CSR Business Process
Cisco manages CSR activities by engaging the insight
Governance & Ethics and expertise of internal and external stakeholders. This
Cisco’s CSR Business Process helps us set goals, develop and implement policies, and monitor and report on performance.

Governance helps us focus on the areas that are most important to
our business and the people and communities with whom
> CSR Management
we interact. Business Functions Sustainable Business
Ethics
Practices Team
Privacy CSR Governance 6
Human Rights The Sustainable Business Practices team monitors Measure 1 CSR Reporting
emerging CSR issues and identifies areas for potential Performance
Looking Ahead
action. The team draws on expertise from around the
company, collaborating with relevant subject matter
experts on strategies and initiatives that create long- 5
Value Chain term, sustainable benefits for our business and the global
Implementation 2 Stakeholder
community.
Our People Engagement and
Analysis
The team is responsible for CSR reporting, stakeholder
Society
engagement, and benchmarking. It also works with
executive leadership to collaboratively prioritize CSR
4
Environment Stakeholder
programs and review performance.
Prioritization, 3 Feedback to the
Goals, and Initiatives
Business
GRI Index
Global Initiatives and CSR Frameworks
KPIs/Report Card Several global frameworks inform and guide our work on
CSR. These include:
Appendix Stakeholder Engagement
• UN Global Compact
Cisco values the input of external stakeholders in the
• UN Millennium Development Goals development of our CSR strategy and initiatives, as well
Cisco values the input of external
• Clinton Global Initiative as the ongoing improvement of our CSR reporting. It stakeholders in the development of our
• World Economic Forum
helps us align our business more closely to society’s CSR strategy and initiatives, as well
needs and helps us prioritize issues, while gaining as the ongoing improvement of our
valuable insight into external perspectives and building
Global CSR Management Standards and Guidelines
ongoing relationships with key influencers. CSR reporting.
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): CSR reporting
guidelines (see our GRI Index)
Our Sustainable Business Practices team manages
• ISO 14001: Environmental management standard collaboration and feedback between Cisco and
(see Environmental Management) stakeholders.


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Introduction Key Stakeholders (continued)

Governance & Ethics
Stakeholder Group How We Engage Examples of How Cisco is Responding to Issues Raised
Governance
> CSR Management Communities We engage with communities through our social investment programs, including Water access is an area of increasing concern in the developing world. Through
partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, governments, and NGOs. Our employees our Critical Human Needs portfolio, Cisco supports technology-based solutions
Ethics also engage with their local communities through volunteering activities and local to increase access to water and to increase sustainability of water projects and
Privacy civic councils. transparency about their effectiveness. We launched our focus on water last year,
and so far have supported water.org, the Blue Planet Network, and Water for
Human Rights
People. See the Society section of this report for more information.
Looking Ahead

Customers We engage with customers as part of our everyday business operations through our Customers are asking more detailed questions about a broader number of
sales and support services. Since 1992, we have conducted an Annual Customer environmental topics, including product energy efficiency and product carbon
Value Chain Satisfaction Survey. Using the valuable input our customers give us, we establish lifecycle impacts. Their interest has prompted changes to our standard business
the principal objectives for each of our functional areas. processes in the form of general-purpose supplier surveys, specific bid proposal
questions, and required contract language.
Our People
Customer interest remains strong in legislation areas such as the Restriction of
Society Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation
and Restriction of Chemical Substances (REACH). See the Environment section for
more information on how Cisco responds to these requirements.
Environment

GRI Index Employees We engage with employees informally every day through team meetings and Cisco’s FY11 Employee Pulse Survey found increased employee satisfaction in
internal communications, as well as more formally through quarterly “All Hands” the Respect for People and Manager Index categories. Issues for improvement,
KPIs/Report Card meetings, annual leadership and sales meetings, and various focus groups. Our however, included recognition and organizational alignment. Cisco is seeking
annual Employee Pulse Survey helps us understand satisfaction levels around the to address these employee concerns using four key programs: Cisco Talent
company and identify areas where we can improve. Connection, Cisco Performance Connection, Cisco, Certified Management
Appendix
Professional, and The Leader Playbook. See the Our People section of this report
for more information.

Governments and Our Global Policy and Government Affairs team works with governments to Cisco’s critical policy priorities include increasing broadband and next-generation
Regulators help develop and influence public policy and regulations related to our industry. network deployment globally, reforming the U.S. patent system, and encouraging
Government representatives contribute to our blog on High-Tech Policy: Thoughts continued innovation in network security. Visit our Government Affairs page for
and Opinions on Government Affairs. We also work with governments on collaborative more information on our key policy priorities and trade associations.
partnerships that focus on social issues, such as education and healthcare.

Industry Cisco participates in industry partnerships to promote the role of ICT in Our industry engagement currently focuses on the industry response to conflict
sustainability, respond to new regulations, and help develop standardized minerals and e-waste disposal and recycling, through collaboration with
approaches to challenges. For example, Cisco is working with the International organizations such as the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition. See the Value
Electronics Manufacturing Initiative to standardize lifecycle assessments of Chain section of this report for more information partnering with industry groups.
electronics products.

(continues on next page)


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Introduction Key Stakeholders (continued)

Governance & Ethics
Stakeholder Group How We Engage Examples of How Cisco is Responding to Issues Raised
Governance
> CSR Management Investors and We communicate our business and CSR performance to investors through our In FY11, we responded to questions about Cisco’s human rights approach through
Analysts Annual Report and this CSR Report. We meet regularly with investors and welcome this CSR report and other activities, including investor dialogue, blog updates, and
Ethics their views at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, following their adherence to other forms of communication.
Privacy appropriate procedures. Cisco also provides CSR information to sustainability
investment indexes such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. See our Investor
Human Rights
Relations website for more information.
Looking Ahead

Sales Business We conduct a quarterly and annual survey that is designed to capture Cisco’s Some of the actions we have taken as a result of listening to our partners include:
Partners performance with our partners and to understand what we need to do to help Fast Track program, which makes it easier to access and sell high-volume Cisco
Value Chain partners grow their business. The results are reviewed by the Cisco management technology; an easy to use Quick Pricing Tool designed to quickly generate a bill
team and have helped us identify new programs and services that the partner of materials and estimate pricing for Cisco solutions; and partner support SMART
needs, as well as understand their priorities for investments. Designs that provide standardized best practice designs, removing the guesswork
Our People from building network solutions. Read more from Andrew Sage, Vice President of
Worldwide Small Business Sales.
Society

Environment Suppliers Cisco works with our global suppliers to incorporate CSR into all aspects of the Our partnerships with suppliers aim to address the environmental and social issues
supply chain, from product design to manufacturing and shipment. that we both face in the value chain. See the Value Chain section of this report for
more information.
GRI Index

KPIs/Report Card
Material Issues
Appendix Cisco Invites Global CSR Stakeholders to the Virtual Boardroom Ongoing stakeholder engagement helps us gain insight
Cisco technology is playing an important role in helping the world shift to a low-carbon economy. In FY11, the Sustainable
on key CSR issues and how they impact Cisco. In FY11,
Business Practices team showcased this potential to our CSR stakeholders. We did so by inviting 25 CSR experts from we carried out a formal third-party materiality analysis
12 countries to provide feedback on our CSR performance and reporting in three sessions that used Cisco TelePresence that assessed the social interest in 23 relevant issues
technology. together with their impact on Cisco and associated
The three sessions included participants from academia, institutional investors, nonprofit organizations, and peer opportunities or risks.
companies. These sessions revealed that stakeholders’ primary concerns are that Cisco provide better disclosure on social
and environmental challenges. Cisco’s business is closely linked to sustainability, and we heard that our performance on As a result of these efforts, we have been able to
climate change and energy efficiency is comparatively leading edge, but participants wanted to understand more about prioritize issues with the highest impact on Cisco and
what we are doing to promote the use of our products and services to drive the sustainability agenda. They also asked us the highest societal interest. We increased our focus
to provide clearer, bolder environmental targets and report performance against them, as well as improved transparency on
human rights issues.
on issues that we consider to have growing associated
risks or opportunities. The materiality process is ongoing,
We were pleased that stakeholders recognize Cisco’s strong sustainability performance. However, we understand that our
and our CSR communications and reporting reflect this
challenge is to provide more information through our reports and public communications. With this CSR report, we aim to
address some of these issues. regular analysis.


< Previous View

Introduction Ethics The Ethics Office also raises awareness about business Reported concerns cover a broad range of subjects. In
ethics among employees, business partners, and FY11, they included conflicts of interest, policy issues,
Ethical business conduct is crucial to helping us attract suppliers. It offers ethics training for employees, helping release of proprietary information, use of company
Governance & Ethics and retain customers, business partners, and talented them recognize ethics-related situations. For example, assets, gifts and gratuities, and computer network and
Governance employees. The world is changing, and new products and some associations and nonprofit organizations seek information security, among others.
services carry new ethical challenges. When we conduct the technical expertise of Cisco employees and ask
CSR Management
business ethically, we reduce the likelihood of civil and them to serve on their boards. Cisco encourages We make it a priority to investigate all concerns raised
> Ethics
criminal penalties, as well as human rights breaches. community service, but stipulates that any decisions our and take appropriate disciplinary action when warranted.
Privacy Violations may result in disciplinary action, including
employees make as board members need to be made
Human Rights Code of Business Conduct termination of employment in certain cases.
independently, and without bias or conflicts of interest.
The Cisco Code of Business Conduct defines our
Looking Ahead When contacted by employees, the Ethics Office reviews
expectations for our employees’ ethical behavior. All Employee Training
organizations, the level of board member influence (as
employees must follow this Code, which provides Senior leaders and the Board of Directors mandate ethics
advisors rather than managers of operations), and how
information about our policies and procedures, guidelines training, and employees are increasingly requesting it,
Value Chain the Cisco employee would be compensated for board
for decision-making, and real-life examples of potential particularly topic-specific and interactive training. Our
service. Also, if the boards are making any decisions
work-related ethical dilemmas. programs aim to reflect these requests.
Our People related to purchasing IT products or services provided by
Cisco or our competitors, Cisco employees must remove
The Code requires: Our online Ethics Resource Center offers training
Society themselves from any involvement in those decisions.
modules, a discussion forum, links to ethics and
• Honest and ethical conduct compliance policies, and videos. It includes our award-
Environment Reporting Concerns
• Full, accurate, and timely disclosures to government We encourage employees and other stakeholders winning “Ethical Mindset” training video series.
GRI Index agencies and in other public communications where to report concerns to us about suspected unethical
Each year, we require all regular employees (in countries
appropriate behavior promptly. The ways they can do this include:
KPIs/Report Card where this is permitted by law) to recertify compliance
• Protection of confidential and proprietary information with the Code of Business Conduct, to refresh their
• Speaking to a manager or human resources
belonging to Cisco, our customers, and our suppliers commitment to ethical conduct, and to get updated
Appendix representative
• Compliance with applicable government laws, rules, information on any changes Cisco has made to the Code.
• Contacting the legal department or Ethics Office about In FY11, all of Cisco’s eligible employees completed
and regulations
legal or accounting questions recertification. Newly hired employees must certify
• Prompt reporting of violations
• Contacting the Ethics Office directly by email or within three weeks of joining Cisco. The certification is
The Cisco Supplier Ethics Policy sets similar expectations webform (more than 70 percent of concerns are available online in 13 languages and in an Americans with
for our business partners. Both require compliance with reported this way) Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible version.
all applicable regional and national laws and regulations. • Reporting concerns through our global helpline, which
In FY11, we added two training videos to the certification
is run by a third party and available to people outside
Cisco’s Ethics Office oversees compliance and revises after Cisco’s Audit Committee requested more ethics
Cisco. The Ethics Line is available in more than 150
the Code annually, as needed. Revisions to the Code training. The videos focus on the Code’s comprehensive
languages and open 24 hours a day. Calls can be
in FY11 included expansion of the anticorruption and content and how employees can get ethics assistance.
made anonymously if preferred (in countries where
antibribery section to make the overall language more They use humorous scenarios to improve engagement.
this is permitted by law). Our Ethics@Cisco website
global. The changes are meant to align our Code with the When employees were surveyed through questions
contains dialing instructions for over 60 countries.
new U.K. Bribery Act and global best practices. embedded in the certification website, more than


< Previous View

85 percent of respondents said the videos enhanced
Introduction their understanding and found the mix of humor Awards and Honors for Cisco’s Ethics Program
and serious content effective. To support our global
Governance & Ethics
workforce, the videos play automatically with translated Recognition from industry leaders and compliance experts helps us confirm best practices and strive for improvement. External
Governance subtitles if the certification is accessed in any of the nine benchmarking helps us keep our Code of Business Conduct aligned with current standards.

CSR Management most frequently used languages.
Recent Awards for Our Governance and Ethics Program
Ethics
We provide on-demand training tailored to specific
> Privacy employee groups when it is requested by business or • Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies 2011: Cisco was included on the list for the fourth consecutive year
Human Rights regional management. These have included:
• Ethisphere’s “Ethics Inside”: Cisco achieved this certification, which includes third-party verification of ethics and compliance
Looking Ahead programs, in 2008, 2009, 2010
• A course on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act for employees who interact with government • Corporate Secretary Magazine’s Award for Best Overall Governance, Compliance and Ethics Program: Cisco was a winner
2009 and 2010
representatives and officials, monitored by our
Value Chain dedicated public sector compliance team • EthicalQuote rankings: Cisco was ranked in the top five by Swiss CSR company Covalence in 2010 and 2011
• New York Festivals 2011: Cisco was a Gold World Medal winner for our Ethical Mindset training videos
Our People • Advice for managers on talking to employees about
ethics and handling disclosures made by employees
Society Recent Awards for Our Code of Business Conduct
• A program for Human Resource professionals,
designed to provide the tools they need to act as
Environment • Ethisphere’s Code Review 2011: The Cisco Code of Business Conduct received an A grade
ethics advocates and respond to employee questions
GRI Index related to the Code of Business Conduct
• A quarterly course for new recruits with senior
KPIs/Report Card
and reputation through a vetting process that includes Privacy
managers addressing Cisco’s commitment to ethical corporate and executive background checks as well as a
business practices review of its current and previous business dealings. The growing popularity of cloud (Internet-based)
Appendix computing is changing the way organizations and
• Live training for employees joining our sales teams
(Cisco Sales Associates) Cisco partners must follow the ethical guidelines set individuals share data. It is crucial to our business that
out in our document “Promoting Successful Business we maintain the trust of our customers, partners, and
• Mandatory training for Sales/Services employees Relationships.” Once contracted, Cisco direct partners employees as we build our offerings in this area.
in China must periodically undergo additional background
investigations. People are understandably concerned about how their
Ethical Business Partners personal information is used and shared, and they want
Business partners include resellers, systems integrators, Cisco relies on our global network of business partners to feel confident that data communicated or stored
distributors, sales agents, and consultants who support to be responsible for the integrity and ethical behavior of online is secure. Cisco works regularly to enhance
sales. Whether they operate under a direct contract or an any of their respective subcontractors, agents, or other robust processes and systems that protect customer
indirect agreement, we expect all partners to meet our third parties. and employee data and to raise awareness about the
high ethical standards. importance of data protection and privacy.
In addition, we promote ethical behavior throughout our
Before inviting a potential partner company to enter into value chain through our Supplier Code of Conduct. To
a direct contract with Cisco, we evaluate its credentials qualify as a Cisco supplier, companies must also sign
Cisco’s Ethics Policy.

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