CASE STUDY 02

CISCO

Building Cisco’s CSR Narrative

Challenge
In 2005, Cisco’s social impact narrative focused on philanthropy—donations, volunteering, and a few pilot social venture initiatives. But the landscape was shifting. Investors and global partners were looking for more: transparency, measurable impact, and alignment with ESG, GRI, EPR, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Cisco needed to move beyond goodwill and develop a strategic, performance-driven narrative—one that would resonate with the communities, markets, and regions that it served.

Approach
To help Cisco evolve its social impact communications, I led the development of Cisco’s first Corporate Citizenship Report and the foundational framework for its CSR strategy. Working in close collaboration with senior leaders across Corporate Affairs, Investor Relations, HR, real estate/facilities, and supply chain management, the goal was to align internal values with rising external expectations.

This collaborative effort focused on:

  • Developing Cisco’s early ESG narrative to meet the needs of socially responsible investors and global stakeholders

  • Establishing the reporting framework and structure that aligned performance with values

  • Creating brand content and executive messaging to support Cisco’s presence at Davos, NGO roundtables, and global forums

What began as a philanthropic story became a platform for strategic credibility, stakeholder trust, and global relevance.

Outcome
By 2009, Cisco’s CSR communications had evolved from a philanthropic sidebar to a strategic relationship tool. The narrative framework helped the company engage investors, governments, and global clients—demonstrating not just values, but action. This early work laid the foundation for future ESG integration and supported Cisco’s credibility as a responsible global leader and partner for economic development.

The Cisco case study is a strong example of strategic narrative development and executive-level communications for sustainability and CSR transformation.

From Philanthropy to Strategy: Shaping Cisco’s CSR Narrative for Global Impact

HOW IT STARTED
HOW IT'S GROWN

By tracing the evolution of Cisco’s Corporate Citizenship Reports from 2005 to 2023, we see how early strategic decisions laid the foundation for a comprehensive, data-driven reporting system. Initially focused on philanthropy—donations, employee volunteerism, and small community projects—the reports gradually shifted as Cisco gathered more data each year. This snowball effect revealed that CSR was not just about giving but about creating real business value.

As Cisco began gathering data on supply chain practices, environmental impact, and community engagement, CSR evolved into a fully integrated business model—measuring and communicating Cisco’s role in solving global challenges through collaboration with local communities, governments, NGOs, and tech innovators. Introducing senior leaders to resources focused on emerging CSR issues empowered them to push boundaries and drive innovation across multiple departments.

This approach elevated CSR from a philanthropic effort to a strategic value proposition, aligning directly with Cisco’s corporate identity and sustainable growth. It became a platform for engaging with investors, governments, and global partners, demonstrating that CSR is not only about giving back but also about how Cisco drives change through its operations and collaborations. This transformation helped position Cisco as a responsible business leader, where CSR is woven into every aspect of its strategy—showing that corporate responsibility fuels long-term success and global impact.

Key Outcomes:

  • Transformed CSR Narrative: Shifted Cisco’s CSR narrative from philanthropic initiatives (e.g., donations, volunteering) to a performance-driven strategy aligned with business goals, global standards, and social impact.

  • Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Worked closely with senior leadership across Corporate Affairs, Investor Relations, HR, Real Estate, and Supply Chain to integrate CSR into core business functions.

  • Enhanced Reporting Framework: Established the foundation for Cisco’s long-term CSR and ESG reporting strategy, setting the stage for future comprehensive disclosures.

  • Data-Driven Insights: Pushed for more granular, measurable data in the early years, leading to a snowball effect in transparency and detailed reporting of Cisco’s impact, business practices, and social venture programs.

  • Executive Thought Leadership Support: Drove the collection of specific examples and cases to support executive content for global thought leadership forums (e.g., Davos, NGO roundtables), positioning Cisco as a responsible business partner.

  • Strategic Engagements: Positioned CSR reporting as a key asset for engaging socially responsible investors, governments, multinational clients, and NGOs, strengthening Cisco’s reputation and relationships.

  • Legacy of Integration: Laid the groundwork for CSR to be embedded into Cisco’s overall business strategy, transitioning CSR from a separate initiative to a critical component of Cisco’s brand and global partnerships.