What are the real-world benefits of diverse teams – and what does it take to make them work? I had a chance to find out when I was asked to lead product management for the Cisco team that developed App Discovery, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution for getting a handle on shadow IT (applications not managed by IT). The 30-person team came from different countries (U.S. Israel, India), different corporate cultures (including Cisco acquisitions CloudLock and OpenDNS), genders, backgrounds, and perspectives.
Eleven years ago, I received a phone call that changed my life. A childhood friend called asking if I would like to join her newly formed nonprofit as they traveled to Nepal on their first medical mission to perform total joint reconstruction surgeries for the under-served.
Researchers investigating some of humanity’s most vexing diseases began reaching out 20 years ago to nerds, gamers and even giant high-tech corporations across the world, hoping to borrow unused time on their computers. They signed up thousands, who donated their computing power so the scientists could better research cancer, Alzheimer’s and the Ebola virus, among others.
Now those scientists have turned their attention to the new coronavirus.
By Jennifer Boynton, Corporate Social Responsibility Content Strategist
Blog
Cisco’s Chairman and CEO, Chuck Robbins, opened his June 1st all-company check-in by admitting he’s leading through uncharted waters. Cisco had held regular weekly check-ins since shelter-in-place orders began in March, to support employees, share information, and answer questions. But this meeting was different. It was a 90-minute “teach-in,” scheduled quickly in response to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the resulting nationwide protests.
Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health in the Age of COVID-19
Multimedia with summary
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Chris Ide, Vice President of Corporate & Community Partnerships at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation, joins host and Common Impact CEO Danielle Holly for a candid conversation on mental health during COVID-19. CAMH is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centers in its field. The Foundation drives change for mental health by inspiring philanthropy that enables leading-edge care, research and education.
Cisco laid the foundation on which the Internet is built. As we enter an era where everything and everyone is connected, we’re once again shaping the network’s future. In the process, we’re applying the lessons we’ve learned over more than 30 years and building technologies that are secure, accessible, and that bring people together.
We’re all navigating this fast-changing environment, doing our best to adjust to the rapid shift to remote working and online learning. This can feel even more uncertain for our military and veteran community as they transition to civilian careers. This transition is daunting in any circumstance, but a fragile economy and shifting work dynamics creates even greater barriers for those who are separating from military service. Cisco continues to be committed to helping service members chart a clear path to meaningful employment, especially during these unsettling times.
Based in Oakland, California, Replate is a nonprofit with a mission to reduce food waste and food insecurity through its food recovery system. Replate’s technology platform makes it easy for companies to schedule on-demand pickups for their surplus food. Their food rescuers bring donated food to people of all ages and backgrounds who are experiencing food insecurity.
In 2017, Cisco launched a five-year, $10 million partnership with Mercy Corps called “Technology for Impact.” The aim was to combine Cisco’s resources and technology with Mercy Corps’ extensive experience in the humanitarian sector to accelerate scale and social impact. Now in its third year, Tech for Impact has reached nearly seven million people in 29 countries.
