Networks have become a major force in environmental sustainability efforts, and they will certainly continue to play a key role in the future. When we talk about going “green,” we are really talking about mitigating the collective damage we do to the biosphere. That takes more than good intentions—it requires smart strategies and comprehensive management. Whether we focus on office buildings, data centers, homes, or entire cities and regions, effective measurement and control are crucial to successful environmental management. We can foresee a time when virtually all the devices used for managing human infrastructures are able to communicate over the network.
In addition, people are changing how they think and behave as a result of their environmental concerns. For example, as networks become more effective in enabling people to collaborate across distance, they also help reduce our consumption of fossil fuels for business travel and commuting. Less traveling means lower greenhouse gas emissions, as well as more productive workers.
Right now, Cisco and our customers and partners are demonstrating ways in which network technology can transform how people impact the environment. Networks have the power to create sustainable prosperity by enabling beneficial interactions—with our natural surroundings, and with each other. By harnessing the power of the network, we can also become better stewards of the Earth.
Generating ideas and practical solutions that have a real effect on environmental sustainability is no easy task. The issues are complex and far-reaching, and the rules for measuring success are often inconsistent, poorly defined, or do not exist at all. The Cisco EcoBoard has been tasked with setting a course for the company that addresses the many environmental issues that face us and our communities. Established in October 2006, the Cisco EcoBoard consists of 14 senior executives representing key business organizations across the company. The board sets priorities and goals, forms working teams to implement environmental policies and best practices, and assesses the effectiveness of these efforts with both internal and independent third-party audits.
Cisco’s environmental programs focus on three main areas:
- Innovations to network architecture
- Environmentally conscious product design and supply chains
- Sustainable company operations
These programs are at various stages of development. As we progress in our efforts, we look forward to playing a larger part in fostering sustainable prosperity through network innovation.
L-R: Laura Ipsen, SVP, Global Policy and Government; John McCool, SVP/GM, Switching and Service Group; Ron Ricci, VP, Corporate Positioning
Architecting Networks for a Sustainable Future
Cisco is developing technology solutions that benefit the environment by improving service delivery and transportation in urban areas, reducing the need for business travel, and making buildings more manageable and energy efficient. Many of these transformations require an innovative network architecture that can perform multiple tasks.
Environmental initiatives relating to our network architecture include:
Environmentally Responsible Products and Supply Chains
Product stewardship starts with product design and continues all the way to the end of the product’s useful lifespan and disposition. Cisco is embedding energy efficiency in our products and addressing environmental impacts within our supply chain. We are also committed to a diverse supply chain, and to designing products that make the benefits of networking accessible to as wide a range of users as possible.
Cisco’s initiatives relating to environmental sustainability and diversity in our products and supply chain include:
Sustainable Company Operations
Minimizing the ecological impact of how we operate and do business is another key part of our social responsibility efforts. Employees are making our operations more sustainable in a number of ways, on both the organizational and individual levels.
Our environmental efforts related to operations include:
Cisco recognizes the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which call for timely, quantifiable progress in eradicating poverty, achieving universal education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating disease, ensuring environmental sustainability, and building global partnerships for development.
