Cisco is #43 on Fortune's List of Businesses That Change the World
See how the company and its efforts are making the world a better place.
As published on The Network - Cisco's Technology News Site
Big enterprises are in the business of doing more for the world, and Cisco is leading the effort. Fortune's Change the World list features companies who are using their profit to change social problems. This year, Fortune ranked Cisco number 43 on the list, recognizing Cisco's Networking Academy as a change maker for more than a million students' lives. This is just one of many initiatives that led to Cisco's recognition as a business that helps the planet.
Let's take a look at three of the biggest campaigns Cisco is working on to change the world:
Networking Academy
Sarada Hettiarachchi is a Networking Academy instructor in Sri Lanka who teaches IT Essentials. Through his time as an educator, Sarada has met and taught more than 1,000 students—most of whom now work in enterprise organizations.
Networking Academy (NetAcad) is an online and in-person education that brings IT know-how to students all over the world. These courses range from cybersecurity, networking, and even classes for Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. It's these courses that can help students utilize technology to make a significant education or career change. In 2017, the number of students who had enrolled in NetAcad topped 1.3 million.
There are many stories like Sarada's on the NetAcad site that you can check out here.
Ending Homelessness in Santa Clara County
In March of this year, Cisco Chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins announced a groundbreaking commitment to end homelessness in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara is where Cisco has been headquartered for more than 30 years, and where roughly 7,400 people spend their nights without a home. He announced that Cisco would commit $50 million over five years to Destination: Home, a San Jose non-profit that helps to end homelessness in the area.
Global Citizen
The Global Citizen festival in South Africa will take place December 2018. With huge headliners like Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Usher, this concert is both an honorary festival for activist Nelson Mandela and a campaign to end extreme poverty. Cisco is proud to be a part of the Global Citizen festival— Robbins says the campaign easily lines up with the company's culture. With Cisco's Corporate Social Responsibility priorities in people, society, and planet, it's easy to see why ending poverty falls into the company's efforts to change the world.
To learn more about Cisco's Corporate Responsibility Efforts, click here.
