Our progress

Goal: Sustain 80% community impact participation, as measured by employees' actions, including advocating for causes they care deeply about, volunteering, donating, and participating in programs that positively impact communities in FY22.

Maintained: 80% participation

Read more about our employee community impact in our 2022 Purpose Report.

Goal: Positively impact 1 billion people through our social impact grants and signature programs by 2025.

893 million people positively impacted between FY16 and FY22.¹

Goal: Provide digital and cybersecurity skills training to 25 million learners over the next 10 years through the Cisco Networking Academy by fiscal 2032.

New goal as of FY23: Not yet reporting

Read more about Our Global Communities.

Goal: Social Justice Action 2, Increase Representation: Achieve a 25% increase in representation of all employees who self-identify as African American/Black (AA/B) from entry level through manager and a 75% increase in representation from Director to VP+ level by 2023 (FY20 base year).

Achieved: 60% increase (entry level through manager), 94% increase (directors), 160% increase (VP and above) compared to FY20.

Goal: Social Justice Action 7, Supplier Engagement: Expand supplier strategy by doubling how much we spend with diverse suppliers and obtain reporting on diversity metrics from 100% of our FY20 preferred suppliers by FY24.²

28% increase in the amount we spend with diverse suppliers.

Achieved: Diversity metrics received from 90% of FY22 preferred suppliers.

Goal: Social Justice Action 8, Commit to HBCUs: Commit US$150 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Of that, US$50 million is dedicated to fund STEM education and US$100 million to drive technology modernization at four-year HBCUs by FY25.

US$25 million spent on STEM education and US$25.2 million spent on technology upgrades through FY22.

Goal: Social Justice Action 10, Diversify our Partner Ecosystem: Commit US$50 million to diversify our partners by increasing the number of AA/B-⁠owned technology companies in our partner ecosystem and increasing opportunities to accelerate the financial growth of AA/B-owned partners by FY25.

Continued to increase the number of AA/B-owned companies in our partner ecosystem with a special focus on 14 Acceleration partners.

Goal: Social Justice Action 11, Invest in Innovation: Invest US$50 million in startups and venture funds led by diverse leaders by FY25.

Ongoing investment in startups and venture funds led by BIPOC, Latinx, and Female leaders.

Read more about Our Social Justice Beliefs and Actions.

Climate and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction

Goal: Reach net-zero GHG emissions for Scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 2040 by 90%³ (FY19 base year).

This goal was announced in September 2021 as part of Cisco's net-zero commitment.

Active. We are reporting progress through the near-term targets, below.

Near-term target: Reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions 90%³ by 2025 (FY19 base year).

Active. 39% reduction in FY22

Near-term target: Reduce absolute Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services, upstream transportation and distribution, and use of sold products by 30% by 2030 (FY19 base year).⁴

Active. 22% reduction (based on Cisco's current Scope 3 emissions calculation methodology and subject to change)

Goal: Improve large rack-mounted equipment system power efficiency—as measured from the input power from the facility to the board-mounted ASICs, memory, and other chip devices—from 77% to 87% by FY22 (FY16 base year).

Complete: 87% power efficiency in FY22.

Read more about how we are addressing climate change.

Circular design, products, and packaging

Goal: Reduce foam used in Cisco product packaging by 75% as measured by weight by FY25 (FY19 base year).

23% reduction in FY22.

Goal: Increase product packaging cube efficiency by 50% by FY25 (FY19 base year).⁵

36% cumulative improvement in FY22.

Goal: 100% of new Cisco products and packaging to incorporate Circular Design Principles by FY25.⁶

4% meeting circular design criteria in FY22.

Goal: 50% of plastic used in our products (by weight) will be made of recycled content by FY25⁷

New goal as of FY23: Not yet reporting

Read more about our commitment to driving a Circular Economy.

Goal: 80% of Cisco component, manufacturing, and logistics suppliers by spend will have a public, absolute GHG emissions reduction target by FY25.⁸

78% with targets in FY22.

Goal: 70% of Cisco component and manufacturing suppliers by spend will achieve a zero-waste diversion rate at one or more sites by FY25.⁹

51% by spend with at least one certified site.

Read more about our Supply Chain.

View all of Cisco's current and past environmental goals.

1 Cisco’s annual Purpose Report features many different initiatives, programs, and partnerships, but not all are included in Cisco’s goal to positively impact 1 billion people by 2025. Some of our social impact grantees also receive funding from other organizations. Our Reporting Criteria documents which programs are in scope for limited assurance, together with our overall measurement approach, methodology, for those programs and/or grantee partnerships. The cumulative to date number that demonstrates our progress against our goal was updated in April 2023 upon completion of independent limited assurance. For details on the number of people positively impacted between FY16-FY22, please see our Reporting Criteria and the independent limited assurance report. To access the assurance report, download the PDF and open in Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to click-to-accept terms to access the full document.

2 The timeframe for this goal is calendar year 2023.

3 and neutralizing any remaining emissions by removing an equal amount from the atmosphere

4 This goal expands on our previous goal to reduce Cisco's absolute supply chain-related Scope 3 GHG emissions by 30 percent by fiscal 2030 and includes the use of sold products. The baseline and progress reported for our 2030 goal includes: purchased goods and services from manufacturing, component, and warehouse suppliers; upstream transportation and distribution from Cisco purchased air transportation; and use of sold products.

5 Packaging efficiency is measured by comparing the size of the product relative to the packaging using dimensional weight. Dimensional weight uses volume and a standard dimensional factor to calculate the weight of a package. In this methodology, the packaging efficiency metric is based on the difference of the normalized dimensional weight (by volume) between the baseline and current year.

6 In fiscal 2022, we had a soft launch of the scoring tool to evaluate 13 percent of new products and packaging, and 33 percent of them successfully met our circular design criteria. This is equivalent to 4 percent of total new products and packaging released in fiscal 2022 meeting circular design criteria. In early fiscal 2023, the scoring tool was formally launched across all business units, so we expect the universe of new products and packaging evaluated to increase in fiscal 2023.

7 The plastics included in this goal exclude those contained in commodity components sourced from suppliers (e.g., plastic screws, fans, and cables).

8 Preferably in line with an approved science-based methodology (applying either a 1.5° or well below 2°C reduction scenario). Includes suppliers that set intensity targets that produce an absolute emissions reduction during the target period.

9 According to current standard definitions used in certification protocols, "zero-waste" diversion is defined as a 90 percent or greater overall diversion of solid, nonhazardous wastes from landfill, incineration (waste-to-energy), and the environment. Diversion methods can include reduction, reuse, recycling, and/or compost.