Embracing sustainability and reducing our environmental footprint has been a longstanding priority at Cisco. For almost two decades, Cisco has set transparent, publicly declared objectives as benchmarks, diligently tracking our progress and holding ourselves accountable. Additionally, we’ve developed comprehensive programs to empower customers to achieve their sustainability goals.

We understand that sustainability is a collaborative effort, and success requires leveraging our extensive partner network. Collaboration is essential, and it’s through working with our partners that we foster innovation and gain support across the value chain. To this end, Cisco has developed several sustainability-focused programs that enable partners to offer customers end-to-end solutions designed with sustainability in mind, while also enhancing deal profitability.

Net zero by 2040

Cisco has embarked on an ambitious journey towards sustainability, aiming to achieve net-zero status by the year 2040. This goal has not been mere words but supported by continuous improvement and innovation across our entire business landscape. Our primary focus has been on delivering tangible, data-validated advancements that lead us closer to the realization of all our sustainability goals, ultimately culminating in our net-zero goal.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. The approval of our net-zero goal by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) stands as a testament to the robustness of our plan, the allocation of resources, and the soundness of our strategic approach. This validation confirms our determination to truly meet these targets, helping to forge a path towards a more sustainable future.

As for our partners, whether you are just starting this journey or already investing, there are four key Cisco programs to consider, through which we work together to meet our sustainability objectives.

Earn Your Cisco Environmental Sustainability Specialization

Launched in 2022, the Environmental Sustainability Specialization (ESS) equips partners with Cisco-specific sustainability knowledge. It covers key sustainability terms, the technology behind our Sustainable Solutions, Cisco’s commitment to a circular economy, and supporting programs. Only one person in the company needs to complete this training and exam. For others in the partner organization, we have additional efforts to educate partner sellers on these topics. If you’re not the one going through formal training, we’ll summarize the partner programs you should leverage in this blog.

Leverage the Cisco Takeback & Reuse Program Plus Incentive

Cisco’s Takeback and Reuse program is integral to CEO Chuck Robbins’ commitment to reclaim 100% of customer gear at no cost while providing partners with discount incentives. This program is an important step towards a circular economy, ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of returned equipment, with a remarkable 99.9% material recycling or reuse success rate.

Partners benefit from this initiative through a stackable discount of up to 7% on Refresh deals, applied to new equipment when replacing older gear. To learn more, visit our Takeback and Reuse Program page. Please note that this incentive is exclusively available to partners with ESS certification and program enrollment, so ensure your company is specialized to take advantage of it.

Strategically Position Cisco Refresh

With Takeback products, we seize the opportunity to remanufacture gear based on their life stage, making them available through the Cisco Refresh program. This refurbished gear supports the circular economy, meeting rigorous quality and performance standards, and is readily available with no lead times. It’s cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and has a lower carbon impact than purchasing newly manufactured products. Explore available products on the Cisco Refresh list – the more we take back, the more we can offer!

Utilize Cisco Green Pay

Cisco Green Pay, through Cisco Capital, offers a flexible payment plan for solutions designed with sustainability in mind, covering hardware, software, and services with a set contract term. At term’s end, Cisco reclaims the hardware to support the circular economy, helping support a more sustainable lifecycle. Cisco’s ownership guarantees gear return, providing a consistent refresh cycle and benefits akin to the Takeback program. All of this is offered to the customer, requiring minimal effort from partners. Plus, customers receive a 5% discount when opting for Green Pay.

Let’s Get Started Helping the Planet Together!

Ready to begin? First, become specialized under the ESS and enroll in the Takeback Program. Inform your Cisco team of your interest. We have partner sustainability specialists to assist you in integrating sustainability into your sales approach and boosting your confidence in discussing your customers’ sustainability goals. Prepare for these conversations by researching your customers’ public sustainability goals on their websites.

Although we’ve made progress in reaching our sustainability goals, we recognize that much more work needs to be done to ensure that people and ecosystems can thrive together on a livable planet. There’s no time like the present to get started.

For further information, visit our Environmental Sustainability Products and Solutions webpage or consult your Cisco team for specialist guidance.

View original content here.

Cisco Systems' collaboration leader, Rowan Trollope, believes channel partners should be "walking away" with the communications and collaboration market as the networking giant laid out a new plan and tools for partners that includes a new subscription licensing model and application marketplace for Cisco Spark.

"We already have the products that are far and away the best products in the industry. We're way ahead of every single competitor -- there really isn't a competitor --- so you guys should be walking away with this market right now," said Trollope, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's IoT and Collaboration Technology Group, on stage during Cisco Partner Summit in San Francisco.

To ramp up channel collaboration sales and help partners more easily transition customers to the cloud, San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco unveiled three tools partners can take to market – including the Cisco Spark Flex Plan.

[Related: 5 New Offerings From Cisco Partner Summit That Solution Providers Should Have On Their Radar]

In a single contract that starts as low as $21 per user, per month, the software subscription Spark Flex Plan lets organizations choose a mix of on-premise and cloud-based services that they can change at any time without additional costs.

"We wanted to introduce a new revolutionary way to buy our collaboration products so that we could totally change the collaboration industry," said Trollope, referring to the Spark Flex Plan. "The plan is a single per-user, per-month subscription which gives you access -- not only to Spark and all the cool technology we have in the cloud -- but everything we have in our premises-based portfolio on a per-user, per-month basis. Which means that when you sell your customer this, they can be licensed for all of their existing Cisco kit – as much premise stuff as they want to use, per-user, per-month, we license it to them."

For meetings, the plan includes cloud-based Cisco Spark Meetings, WebEx, Jabber or the on-premise Cisco Meeting Server. For calls, customers can either choose Cisco Spark call or the company's Unified Communications Manager-based options.

As customers move their collaboration offerings to the cloud, they can be licensed under the plan for that as well – giving businesses room to adjust how much they want to rely on the cloud, according to Trollope. "Premises and cloud – one license, one price, per user, per month as low as $21," he said.

Chris Bottger, chief technology officer at IVCi, a Hauppauge, N.Y.-based solution provider and Cisco Gold partner, ranked No. 234 on CRN's 2016 Solution Provider 500 list, said the plan allows customers to easily keep the license when they migrate to the cloud without additional costs or needing a new contract.

"What they're trying to do is give everybody entitlement to everything, and that's fine if you've got on-premise infrastructure because if you need for it to go to the cloud, that license will allow you to go to the cloud with that same license as well," said Bottger.

Cisco also unveiled the Cisco Spark Depot platform at Partner Summit. The platform is a marketplace for all of the applications and integration that other vendors have built on top of Cisco Spark. Partners can find and sell the different third-party applications that have been integrated within the Spark platform.

There are already more than 60 platforms integrated with the Spark platform -- including Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365 Twitter and Google Calendar.

"Basically we've integrated with every major platform that counts and more. So they are all available directly in Spark at Depot.CiscoSpark.com," said Trollope. "So as you sell Spark to your customers, it can plug in natively and naturally into their existing business processes and all the tools they use."

IVCi's Bottger said the Cisco Spark Depot marketplace is a "huge opportunity" for partners to drive Spark sales and stickiness with customers.

"Now partners have got a huge platform that you can get very, very sticky with so that once you're embedded into that customer, it gives partners the opportunity to get into the customer's workflow, and once you're in there, it becomes very sticky," said Bottger. "So you can build those collaboration tools directly into the tools that customers already use today. … It's a great play for partners, without a doubt."

Cisco also launched Hybrid Media Services at Partner Summit, which gives customers the option of deploying Cisco Spark meetings on-premise, in the cloud or both at the same time. The service automatically determines the best way to deliver the meeting for each user – on-premise, if the users are local, or from the cloud.

Trollope said the service -- which can be installed and set up in minutes -- improves the quality of audio and video, keeps media on-premise for privacy, and lowers internet bandwidth costs.

"The innovation machine is on fire now in collaboration," said Trollope. "What we're doing in the collaboration business and what we're going to continue to do is make our products more and more available, more affordable, and do more things."

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / November 28, 2023 / Cisco Systems Inc.

By Stacy Betts

As a Cisco channel leader, I recognize the importance of understanding our partners' sustainability endeavors in the Americas, as collaborative efforts and mutual support are imperative in addressing the significant sustainability challenges we confront. In this regard, I had the privilege of conducting interviews with several Cisco partners to discuss their challenges, uncover opportunities, and explore how Cisco can offer support.

Throughout these discussions, a common theme emerged: the need to bring our partners together for collaborative engagement, knowledge sharing, and in-depth conversations on building sustainable business models and offerings. The aim is to ensure not only the success of our partners but also the achievement of our mutual customers' sustainability goals.

Prioritizing sustainability is also a business imperative

A key revelation from these conversations is the recognition that prioritizing sustainability is not just an ethical choice; it's also a vital business imperative. While there may be situations where the choices between speed and convenience conflict with what is morally right, aligning our efforts with the objective of creating an inclusive and environmentally responsible future is not only ethically sound but also central to Cisco's overarching mission.

To help us share insights for the better good, the Americas partner sustainability community now convenes on a quarterly basis with a dedicated leadership team committed to helping customers realize their sustainability objectives. These gatherings provide valuable insights from Cisco leaders on the broader sustainability strategy. They also serve as a platform for introducing the latest Cisco programs and tools centered on sustainability, hosting industry and ecosystem partners to share their go-to-market strategies and offerings, discussing sustainability funding, and encouraging partners to share their own experiences and lessons learned.

Inclusive engagements

Sustainability is a concept that calls for inclusivity. It acknowledges that no single individual or group can bring about the needed changes on their own. What we require is a concerted effort that actively engages individuals empowered by organizations to create a culture of sustainability.

At Cisco, we strongly encourage everyone to engage with their local communities in ways that hold personal significance. This can take various forms, such as participating in beach cleanups, contributing to habitat restoration, supporting wildfire prevention, or engaging in organic waste and edible food recovery initiatives, among others. These efforts must address both the current sustainability challenges our planet faces today and inspire and educate future generations to carry this work forward.

Partnering for purpose

In addition, leadership plays a crucial role in driving these sustainability efforts. Leaders must lead by example, inspire others to join the cause, and ensure that everyone participates. It is a collective endeavor, and leaders must be at the forefront of the solution, making tangible commitments, both in financial terms and in the way their businesses operate, to become more sustainable entities.

At Cisco, our objective is to facilitate collaboration, create scalable solutions, and enable the sharing of best practices with partners globally. The "Partnering for Purpose" initiative aligns perfectly with Cisco's vision of an inclusive future. I'm thrilled to announce that in fiscal year 2024, Cisco will introduce sustainability offerings across our services portfolio in four key areas: Sustainable Data Centers, Smart Buildings and Workspaces, Internet of the Future, and Industry Solutions and Ecosystems.

Reducing our carbon footprint necessitates a shift in mindset, challenging us to think differently about how we design technologies, support our employees, and help our customers address challenges. For instance, through Cisco Refresh, we remanufacture and certify used network routers, switches, phones, and collaboration products, extending the value of our customers' budgets while reducing the environmental impact associated with old technology. This is a win-win solution for all parties involved.

A Commitment to Sustainability

My aspiration is for all of us to lead happy, healthy lives and enjoy our planet in a way that ensures future generations can do the same. As a leader, I encourage others to integrate sustainable practices into every facet of their lives and endeavors. Building a culture of sustainability requires the commitment of all individuals to make choices today that will protect us from bearing the consequences of poor decisions tomorrow. Whether it's protecting our oceans, nurturing emerging leaders, or running our businesses in a manner that safeguards the future, sustainability is a shared endeavor that benefits us all.

To learn more about what commitments Cisco has made to ensure a better tomorrow, read our 2022 Cisco Purpose Report.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc
Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/810739/sustainability-collaboration-and-cisco-a-channel-leaders-perspective

Ahead of the end of the tech giant’s fiscal 2023, Cisco has issued more layoff notices to employees as part of its effort to ‘rebalance’ its investment priorities, the company tells CRN. Reports from Cisco employees say the layoffs span several business units, including collaboration, security and data center.

Cisco Systems reportedly began cutting jobs across some of its biggest business segments this week, according to a flurry of posts on TheLayoff.com and Blind, a tech career-focused message board.

The number of employees being let go is unclear and the layoffs began Monday, Blind said in an email to CRN, citing reports from Tested former and current Cisco employees.

Cisco in November said that it would lay off approximately 4,000 employees, or about 5 percent of its workforce, and reduce some of its real estate in an effort to right-size some of its business units, including the collaboration segment. The tech giant told CRN that the latest layoff notifications are part of the November rebalancing effort.

“As we announced then, this is not about cost savings as we have roughly the same number of employees as we did before the process began. This rebalancing is about prioritizing investments in our transformation to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations in the changing technology landscape. We will continue to do everything we can to help place affected employees in open roles and offer extensive support including generous severance packages,” a Cisco spokesperson told CRN in an email.

[Related: Cohesity Expands Cloud Services Reach Through Cisco, HPE Partnerships]

The reported job cuts are across a variety of business segments, including collaboration; security; data center services and solutions; servers, or the company’s Unified Computing System (UCS) division; and Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) group, Blind told CRN.

Cisco, for its part, did not confirm to CRN which business units were being impacted..

Cisco’s last round of layoffs occured in January when the company revealed that it was cutting 673 jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of its plan to maximize cost savings announced in 2022. The company at the time eliminated 371 jobs at its San Jose location, 222 jobs in Milpitas and 80 in San Francisco, with the majority of the layoffs impacting software engineers, technical engineers, hardware engineers, product managers and supervisors, according to Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications filed with the state of California in January.

Cisco is expected to report its full fiscal year 2023 earnings on Aug. 16.

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 3, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc.
By Stacy Betts

Embracing sustainability and reducing our environmental footprint has been a longstanding priority at Cisco. For almost two decades, Cisco has set transparent, publicly declared objectives as benchmarks, diligently tracking our progress and holding ourselves accountable. Additionally, we've developed comprehensive programs to empower customers to achieve their sustainability goals.

We understand that sustainability is a collaborative effort, and success requires leveraging our extensive partner network. Collaboration is essential, and it's through working with our partners that we foster innovation and gain support across the value chain. To this end, Cisco has developed several sustainability-focused programs that enable partners to offer customers end-to-end solutions designed with sustainability in mind, while also enhancing deal profitability.

Net zero by 2040

Cisco has embarked on an ambitious journey towards sustainability, aiming to achieve net-zero status by the year 2040. This goal has not been mere words but supported by continuous improvement and innovation across our entire business landscape. Our primary focus has been on delivering tangible, data-validated advancements that lead us closer to the realization of all our sustainability goals, ultimately culminating in our net-zero goal.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. The approval of our net-zero goal by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) stands as a testament to the robustness of our plan, the allocation of resources, and the soundness of our strategic approach. This validation confirms our determination to truly meet these targets, helping to forge a path towards a more sustainable future.

As for our partners, whether you are just starting this journey or already investing, there are four key Cisco programs to consider, through which we work together to meet our sustainability objectives.

Earn Your Cisco Environmental Sustainability Specialization

Launched in 2022, the Environmental Sustainability Specialization (ESS) equips partners with Cisco-specific sustainability knowledge. It covers key sustainability terms, the technology behind our Sustainable Solutions, Cisco's commitment to a circular economy, and supporting programs. Only one person in the company needs to complete this training and exam. For others in the partner organization, we have additional efforts to educate partner sellers on these topics. If you're not the one going through formal training, we'll summarize the partner programs you should leverage in this blog.

Leverage the Cisco Takeback & Reuse Program Plus Incentive

Cisco's Takeback and Reuse program is integral to CEO Chuck Robbins' commitment to reclaim 100% of customer gear at no cost while providing partners with discount incentives. This program is an important step towards a circular economy, ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of returned equipment, with a remarkable 99.9% material recycling or reuse success rate.

Partners benefit from this initiative through a stackable discount of up to 7% on Refresh deals, applied to new equipment when replacing older gear. To learn more, visit our Takeback and Reuse Program page. Please note that this incentive is exclusively available to partners with ESS certification and program enrollment, so ensure your company is specialized to take advantage of it.

Strategically Position Cisco Refresh

With Takeback products, we seize the opportunity to remanufacture gear based on their life stage, making them available through the Cisco Refresh program. This refurbished gear supports the circular economy, meeting rigorous quality and performance standards, and is readily available with no lead times. It's cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and has a lower carbon impact than purchasing newly manufactured products. Explore available products on the Cisco Refresh list - the more we take back, the more we can offer!

Utilize Cisco Green Pay

Cisco Green Pay, through Cisco Capital, offers a flexible payment plan for solutions designed with sustainability in mind, covering hardware, software, and services with a set contract term. At term's end, Cisco reclaims the hardware to support the circular economy, helping support a more sustainable lifecycle. Cisco's ownership guarantees gear return, providing a consistent refresh cycle and benefits akin to the Takeback program. All of this is offered to the customer, requiring minimal effort from partners. Plus, customers receive a 5% discount when opting for Green Pay.

Let's Get Started Helping the Planet Together!

Ready to begin? First, become specialized under the ESS and enroll in the Takeback Program. Inform your Cisco team of your interest. We have partner sustainability specialists to assist you in integrating sustainability into your sales approach and boosting your confidence in discussing your customers' sustainability goals. Prepare for these conversations by researching your customers' public sustainability goals on their websites.

Although we've made progress in reaching our sustainability goals, we recognize that much more work needs to be done to ensure that people and ecosystems can thrive together on a livable planet. There's no time like the present to get started.

For further information, visit our Environmental Sustainability Products and Solutions webpage or consult your Cisco team for specialist guidance.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc
Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / November 28, 2023 / Cisco Systems Inc.

By Stacy Betts

As a Cisco channel leader, I recognize the importance of understanding our partners' sustainability endeavors in the Americas, as collaborative efforts and mutual support are imperative in addressing the significant sustainability challenges we confront. In this regard, I had the privilege of conducting interviews with several Cisco partners to discuss their challenges, uncover opportunities, and explore how Cisco can offer support.

Throughout these discussions, a common theme emerged: the need to bring our partners together for collaborative engagement, knowledge sharing, and in-depth conversations on building sustainable business models and offerings. The aim is to ensure not only the success of our partners but also the achievement of our mutual customers' sustainability goals.

Prioritizing sustainability is also a business imperative

A key revelation from these conversations is the recognition that prioritizing sustainability is not just an ethical choice; it's also a vital business imperative. While there may be situations where the choices between speed and convenience conflict with what is morally right, aligning our efforts with the objective of creating an inclusive and environmentally responsible future is not only ethically sound but also central to Cisco's overarching mission.

To help us share insights for the better good, the Americas partner sustainability community now convenes on a quarterly basis with a dedicated leadership team committed to helping customers realize their sustainability objectives. These gatherings provide valuable insights from Cisco leaders on the broader sustainability strategy. They also serve as a platform for introducing the latest Cisco programs and tools centered on sustainability, hosting industry and ecosystem partners to share their go-to-market strategies and offerings, discussing sustainability funding, and encouraging partners to share their own experiences and lessons learned.

Story continues

Inclusive engagements

Sustainability is a concept that calls for inclusivity. It acknowledges that no single individual or group can bring about the needed changes on their own. What we require is a concerted effort that actively engages individuals empowered by organizations to create a culture of sustainability.

At Cisco, we strongly encourage everyone to engage with their local communities in ways that hold personal significance. This can take various forms, such as participating in beach cleanups, contributing to habitat restoration, supporting wildfire prevention, or engaging in organic waste and edible food recovery initiatives, among others. These efforts must address both the current sustainability challenges our planet faces today and inspire and educate future generations to carry this work forward.

Partnering for purpose

In addition, leadership plays a crucial role in driving these sustainability efforts. Leaders must lead by example, inspire others to join the cause, and ensure that everyone participates. It is a collective endeavor, and leaders must be at the forefront of the solution, making tangible commitments, both in financial terms and in the way their businesses operate, to become more sustainable entities.

At Cisco, our objective is to facilitate collaboration, create scalable solutions, and enable the sharing of best practices with partners globally. The "Partnering for Purpose" initiative aligns perfectly with Cisco's vision of an inclusive future. I'm thrilled to announce that in fiscal year 2024, Cisco will introduce sustainability offerings across our services portfolio in four key areas: Sustainable Data Centers, Smart Buildings and Workspaces, Internet of the Future, and Industry Solutions and Ecosystems.

Reducing our carbon footprint necessitates a shift in mindset, challenging us to think differently about how we design technologies, support our employees, and help our customers address challenges. For instance, through Cisco Refresh, we remanufacture and certify used network routers, switches, phones, and collaboration products, extending the value of our customers' budgets while reducing the environmental impact associated with old technology. This is a win-win solution for all parties involved.

A Commitment to Sustainability

My aspiration is for all of us to lead happy, healthy lives and enjoy our planet in a way that ensures future generations can do the same. As a leader, I encourage others to integrate sustainable practices into every facet of their lives and endeavors. Building a culture of sustainability requires the commitment of all individuals to make choices today that will protect us from bearing the consequences of poor decisions tomorrow. Whether it's protecting our oceans, nurturing emerging leaders, or running our businesses in a manner that safeguards the future, sustainability is a shared endeavor that benefits us all.

To learn more about what commitments Cisco has made to ensure a better tomorrow, read our 2022 Cisco Purpose Report.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc
Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/810739/sustainability-collaboration-and-cisco-a-channel-leaders-perspective