Volunteerism

Cisco Citizens: Making a Real Difference

We look for volunteer opportunities that provide individual "Cisco Citizen" volunteers the chance to make a positive and long-term impact in their communities. Many different done-in-a-day, team-building projects for large groups of volunteers are also very popular at Cisco. During fiscal year 2007, Cisco employees volunteered more than 168,000 hours in communities around the world. Following are a few of the ways in which we encourage our "Cisco Citizens" to give back to the communities where they live, work, play and learn.

Civic Councils

Each of Cisco's worldwide Civic Councils consists of a team of employee champions who are passionate about giving back in their local communities. The Civic Councils plan volunteer projects, develop nonprofit partnerships, roll out product donation programs, and work towards cash grantmaking — each initiative custom-fit to the specific needs of the local community. By leveraging existing Cisco resources and fostering new enthusiasm for giving back, our Civic Councils create meaningful change at the local level.

Connecting Community Organizations with Cisco Volunteers

We invite nonprofit and non-governmental organizations around the world to submit volunteer opportunities though our Volunteer Connection Tool. This volunteer matching system matches individual employees and employee teams to philanthropic opportunities in their communities worldwide. In addition, it also matches the core competency skills of our employees with nonprofit organizations that are seeking that expertise, including mentors for your organization or constituents.

Volunteer Hours Matched with Cash

The Cisco Foundation matches employee donations of volunteer time to qualifying nonprofit organizations with a cash contribution. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of this generous benefit by volunteering at least a day of service every year to a qualified charity. We believe that when employees volunteer and give back, they strengthen their connections to the communities we serve.

Nonprofit Board Service through boardnetUSA

Joining the board of a nonprofit organization is a unique way to serve the community while developing one's leadership abilities and exploring one's professional interests. Nonprofits depend on their board members for fiscal oversight, strategic guidance, and long-term visionary thinking, but there are thousands of vacant positions on philanthropic boards across the country. That's where boardnetUSA comes in. Through our partnership with this innovative nonprofit, Cisco empowers its employees to connect to a nonprofit board position that's right for them.

Holiday Global Hunger Relief Drive

The goal of our annual global campaign is twofold; educate our employees about the challenges of the working poor, as well as offer the opportunity to give back to the community in which we work and live. Employees get involved with fundraising activities and offer hands-on help with food sorts at various food bank warehouses around the world, in addition to making cash and stock donations to their favorite hunger relief agency via our online giving program.