Cisco is the proud supporter and network infrastructure provider of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 2012 Games aim to be the most connected games to date and Cisco are supplying the routing, switching, firewall, IP telephony and Software as a Service platform to fulfil this aim and transform the Olympic experience for the global audience. Click here to access Cisco’s London 2012 page.

The strong and collaborative partnership Cisco has with LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) is not just confined to a business relationship. We are both fully committed to Inclusion and Diversity -- understanding the importance of diversity and the value it brings and embracing difference whether that’s age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion and belief or sexual orientation (you may recall my previous blog post on this topic).

And we aren’t just talking about fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce – it’s also about using Inclusive and Diverse practices to better serve our global customers and partners. For LOCOG, this means all the people around the world who will be flying into London, one of the most diverse cities in the world. And LOCOG is up against an additional challenge – its immovable deadline.

I decided to find out a bit more about this topic and reached out to Sue Hunt, Director of Strategic Programmes at LOCOG. If you have any comments about this post, please post them below.

Cisco UK is also involved in a number of internal activities to encourage its employees to get involved in the London 2012 Olympics. Stay tuned for more on this topic.

Tags: 2012, Cisco, collaboration, diversity, Inclusion and Diversity, LOCOG, London London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, London Olympics, olympics, technology

The Olympic torch hasn’t been carried into the Opening Ceremonies yet – it’s still a year and a half away before the Summer Games consume London – but there is a crescendo of energy that is already palpable as you tour the main site where the competition will play out.

East London, a community that has longed for rejuvenation, is finally getting it. At Cisco Live! Europe, held a few days ago in London, we had a chance to tour the expansive construction site that is fast becoming the heart of the 2012 Summer Olympics. If the pictures below are spotty, apologies. It’s the best I could do with a smartphone camera and a tour bus rocking gently over gravel and muddy roads. But quality aside, you will be able to see that the arenas and main stadium are taking shape. The architecture is distinct and contemporary. The athletes’ village is modern and amenable. The construction is ingenious and environmentally friendly. For example, the basketball arena can actually be folded up and transported to another location. Hundreds of thousands of local newts were carefully relocated to a temporary environment prior to digging.

With all the care that is being taken, Cisco is making sure it does its part. Cisco is the official network infrastructure partner of the London 2012 Games.

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Tags: london, networking, olympics