Articles
Second Chance Justice Reform: Giving offenders a job-ready IT education
3 min read
This blog comes from Judge Aliyah Sabree. She shares more about the Second Chance Justice Reform Initiative which provides job-ready education in IT skills through Cisco Networking Academy.
How MIND Research Institute uses collaboration tools like Webex for hybrid work
6 min read
MIND Research Institute is not only passionate about helping students learn math but also creating an inclusive hybrid work environment.
5 ways that Cisco is doing its part to #BeCyberSmart
3 min read
In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are sharing how Cisco is doing its part to #BeCyberSmart by taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity.
People Behind CSR at Cisco: How Meraki’s Charlie Gebhardt engages employees in volunteer and giving efforts
4 min read
Charlie Gebhardt is a program manager at Cisco Meraki. He recently shared more about his motivation to volunteer and give back.
Continuum Ag: Meet the team using data to help farmers improve soil health for a more sustainable future
6 min read
A Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge Fourth Runner-Up Prize was awarded to Continuum Ag for helping farmers transition to regenerative farming practices.
How Cisco Networking Academy’s Learning Engineering team creates a pathway to new skills
7 min read
Jeremy Creech, a Servant Leader for Cisco Networking Academy's Learning Engineering team, creates opportunities for students to access technology skills.
Women Rock-IT, or Rock-ET? Australian rocket scientist connects Earth’s framework from space
4 min read
Learn how Flavia Tata Nardini, an Australian-based rocket scientist, uses her STEM knowledge in space at Cisco’s upcoming Women Rock-IT broadcast.
People Behind CSR at Cisco: How Inclusive Communities contribute to a Conscious Culture
4 min read
Bernadette Liasos is the Global Program Manager for Inclusive Communities at Cisco, creating a safe place for employees to learn more from each other.
Investments in privacy and security innovation
3 min read
As part of our investments in innovation, Cisco’s approach to security and privacy was ready to meet critical demand during these extraordinary times.
People Behind CSR at Cisco: Hoa Tran makes a difference through community impact programs
5 min read
Hoa Tran manages Cisco’s San Francisco Bay Area Community Impact Grants (CIG) program, and Habitat for Humanity Build Grants program, and other employee-engaged initiatives from the Cisco Foundation and the Public Benefit Investment (PBI) Team. Learn more about the important work she does in CSR.
Creating a pathway to opportunity through economic empowerment
4 min read
For more than a decade, Cisco has invested in economic empowerment for underserved and underrepresented populations, by providing cash grants, donating Cisco technology, and contributing staff time and expertise to nonprofits that design and deliver technology-based solutions in three areas for thriving in a digital economy.
Cisco encourages girls to consider a career in STEM for International Girls in ICT Day
2 min read
Cisco recognizes International Girls in ICT Day with the aim of inspiring girls and women to consider studying STEM and pursue a career in technology at this critical time.
From teacher to CEO: How CommonLit’s founder is using technology to impact millions of teachers and students
6 min read
With Cisco’s support, CommonLit has created cutting-edge tools and expanded its services to reach underserved students in Latin America with localized materials in Spanish. We recently sat down with CommonLit's founder and CEO, Michelle Brown, to learn more.
From Cisco Live to Networking Academy: A donation of pi-top laptops engages students at a Tribal college
4 min read
Cisco donated pi-top laptop kits to Cisco Networking Academy partners around the world, including Tribal College, Sitting Bull College, in North Dakota.
Reinventing breastfeeding support through AI
3 min read
This blog post comes from Maria Berruezo, co-founder and COO of LactApp Women’s health, a tool to provide customized advice to breastfeeding women.
Astia is transforming the way we fund businesses
6 min read
Cisco has invested in early-phase funding to help Astia develop a tech-enabled platform to source and screen companies applying to Astia for investment, and work to remove bias from the investment process.
Choose to challenge: How investing in women strengthens families and communities
6 min read
This year's theme for International Women's Day is "choose to challenge," which encourages every one of us to call out gender bias and inequality.
Technology: The pathway to financial inclusion
4 min read
Learn more from Grace Wong, the Founder of Liven, Australia's biggest loyalty-based payment network which focuses on financial inclusion.
Using AI for good: Identifying and locating survivors of human trafficking
4 min read
This blog post comes from Emily Kennedy, co-founder of Marinus Analytics, a startup that identifies victims of sex trafficking based on online movements.
Sidestepping the status quo: My entrepreneurial journey
3 min read
This blog post comes from Sarah Mak, the co-founder and CEO at Folktale, a SaaS platform for organizations to listen-at-scale through crowd-sourced videos.
One entrepreneur’s search for a BrightSign leads to a life-changing invention
4 min read
This blog post comes from Hadeel Ayoub, the Founder and CEO of BrightSign and the inventor of a smart glove that assists people with hearing impairments.
The social justice of education: An interview with the CEO of New Teacher Center
7 min read
Dr. Blackburn, CEO of New Teacher Center, shares the link between social justice and education and how his organization supports educators.
People Behind CSR at Cisco: How it’s made matters
6 min read
Maria Gorsuch-Kennedy leads the Supply Chain Social and Environmental Responsibility team at Cisco. She shares more about supply chain sustainability.
Solving the mental healthcare access problem with Modern Health
4 min read
This year, we’ve faced simultaneous crises impacting our daily lives—COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment, racial injustices, natural disasters, and divisive politics. All of which have taken their toll on the mental health of many. But mental healthcare is still surprisingly hard to access.
Pushing boundaries: AI and solar mobile chillers keep it fresh and cool
5 min read
Savanna Circuit Tech pinpointed an area of inequality and lost profit, and created a solution that allows field agents and women dairy producers to easily collect payments for delivered milk and access the credit facility, based on our AI-enabled credit scoring feature.
How our food choices can help reverse climate change
2 min read
In 2020, we have encountered a perfect storm of rare societal and environmental factors, which, if leveraged wisely, can propel us into a carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative future. And now is the time for us as consumers to choose our future.
Past Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge winners offer advice to 2021 applicants
3 min read
We’ve gathered some considerate advice from last year’s Global Problem Solver Challenge winners for 2021 applicants.
When disaster strikes: Empowering employees to support the American Red Cross
4 min read
Cisco and its employees are proud to support the American Red Cross and its lifesaving work. Our 20-year partnership has inspired a groundswell of employee support, resulting in thousands of dedicated volunteer hours and more than $25 million in donations to the Red Cross.
Kiva: Celebrating 15 years of expanding financial access to underserved communities
5 min read
In honor of Kiva’s 15th anniversary, we are taking a look at the impact our partnership has made to help power a financially inclusive future.
Cisco’s social investments in India: The pandemic’s impact on skills gaps
3 min read
Through our social investment programs, the Cisco CSR team in India has invested in countrywide blended learning ed-tech programs and digitally transforming our vocational skills institutions. With the right partnerships, we hope to scale this effort and build a brighter future for Indian youth.
Cisco’s AI product lead: Lessons in leading the technology revolution
4 min read
Mayada leveraged her knowledge of AI and voice technology to lead her team into revolutionizing the way we work. This new technology opens the door to enabling a wide breadth of use cases for accessibility and users with special needs.
Meet Preemar: A Third Runner-Up of the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
5 min read
Preemar makes a device called Pro-viden, that reduces aquaculture losses by measuring water parameters. The data is loaded onto the Pro-Viden app where farmers can monitor the results of their water quality. Learn more from their CEO, Alejandro Valdés Martínez.
Meet PS-1925: An India Impact Runner-Up of the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
5 min read
PS-1925 is a device that decreases the amount of prolonged pesticide exposure to those who manually spray pesticides. We recently sat down with founders Shefali Vinod Ramteke and Pawaan Kumar to learn more about what it was like to be awarded an India Impact Runner-Up prize of $10,000 USD.
Meet Hydrotec Solutions: An India Impact Runner-Up of the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
7 min read
Hydrotec Solutions has created a device that uses embedded technology to clean and dispense drinking water automatically, utilizing a system that is both accessible and sustainable. Learn more from the team about what it was like to be awarded an India Impact Runner-Up prize of $10,000 USD.
Meet Sensegrass: India Impact Grand Prize Winner for the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
5 min read
Sensegrass has created a smart farming solution that combines IoT sensors and AI agronomical software to allow farmers to measure data and analyze the health of their soil. Learn more from their founders who were awarded the India Impact Grand Prize of $25,000 USD.
Meet Respira Labs: A Second Runner-Up of the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
6 min read
Respira Labs is developing a low-cost, wearable device, Sylvee, for continuous, at-home monitoring of lung function for patients with respiratory diseases like COPD. Sylvee will allow remote monitoring of patients, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patients’ quality of life. Learn more from their founder, Dr. Maria Artunduaga.
Meet Savanna Circuit Tech: Grand Prize Winner of the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020
6 min read
Now that the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020 winners have been officially announced, you’ll want to learn more about each winning team and the story behind each innovation. We will start with Emmastella Gakuo and Percy Lemtukei, the co-founders of Savanna Circuit Tech, who were awarded the Grand Prize of $100,000 USD.
EforAll: Helping small businesses through entrepreneurship
6 min read
We recently sat down with EforAll's CEO, David Parker, to learn how they are helping entrepreneurs navigate these challenging times, and why it is more important than ever to support small businesses.
AnnieCannons: Creating opportunities for survivors of human trafficking
6 min read
Based in Oakland, California, AnnieCannons is on a mission to help women break the cycle of exploitation by providing skills training, hands-on work experience, income opportunities, and a supportive work environment. We recently sat down with the CEO and co-founder of AnnieCannons, Jessica Hubley, to learn more.
Changing blisters into Cinderella moments with deep tech startup Volumental
4 min read
Co-founder Caroline knew she needed to soak up skills, find a great team, ask for help, and communicate clearly in order to find her Cinderella moment with startup Volumental.
Feeding the World Without Wrecking the Planet
5 min read
Food is fundamental to the human experience and food production has a huge impact on the world’s resources – in fact, 70 percent of the world’s water is used in agriculture. So how do we scale production without wrecking the planet?
Social Impact at Cisco Live US 2020: Powering an Inclusive Future
6 min read
Cisco Live US had its first global digital event on June 16th and 17th. This year's event focused on “possibilities,” and how technology can help to solve the world's problems.
How the Tactical Operations team keeps people connected when they need it the most
3 min read
There are different approaches to helping out during a crisis. One form of aid is providing internet connectivity. Cisco's TacOps team recently worked with a county to help provide WiFi in a temporary homeless shelter.
Building character towards future success
6 min read
It is your skills and character that makes you who you are. You get to decide on which skills you have. But your character … how does that happen?
How a medical social enterprise used 3D printing technology to help during a PPE shortage
2 min read
Vispala is a social enterprise that uses 3D printing technology to produce low-cost prosthetic arms in India. Recently, they made a temporary shift in their manufacturing to provide face shields during a time of need.
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