Inclusion and Diversity

Having a mentor can prove to be a fantastic experience, providing a source of support, feedback, advice and inspiration. Maite shares a discussion on mentorship with friends and colleagues, providing guidance on seeking a mentor and making the most out of this unique relationship.

In celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3rd) our offices in multiple cities around the world were lit purple. This global movement was started by PurpleSpace.org to celebrate and draw attention to the economic contribution of the 386 million disabled employees around the world.

I’ve always thought I had a strong support network, until I saw what that looked like for others. I wondered how my peers were able to navigate these corporate streets, arriving on time and unscathed. They were climbing the proverbial ladder and progressing in ways I wasn’t; even the ones I outperformed - by far. I learned it was because they had active sponsorship.

I thought for sure Cisco would reject someone like me. I was shocked when my leader, Tschudy Smith, took the time to get proximate to me; it changed my personal journey.

Last week was Cisco’s fiscal year earnings announcement, so now seems like a great time to take a look at some of my learnings from my tenure as co-lead of Women of Cisco Americas board.

Happy 20th birthday to Conexión, our Employee Resources Organization (ERO) for Latinx employees.

As Cisco commemorates Juneteenth for the second straight year – more than 150 years after the last Black American slaves were freed – I see my family’s history being validated, and see myself represented.

Proximity is like opening curtains on a bright, sunny day: the light comes in and shows you all the details of the room, especially the things you may not have noticed before.

Maria Martinez, Cisco Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, explains why Cisco is making a $150 million commitment to build an inclusive future and help HBCUs strategically recover and flourish.