The following is an excerpt from the 2020 CSR Impact Report.

2020 has been a year unlike any we could have imagined. The successive battles of COVID-19, the resulting economic contraction and job losses, issues of systemic racism and inequities, natural disasters, and many more factors remind us of the challenges we face as a society. Businesses around the world realize we have a much larger role to play in helping to solve some of these challenges-now more than ever before. Running a great business and delivering for our customers, partners, employees, and shareholders is critical, but we have an opportunity-and a responsibility-to do more.

At Cisco, we believe in the power of technology and what it makes possible. During this pandemic, we've witnessed how technology has helped us reimagine our lives, become a critical lifeline for businesses, and connect our world- ensuring children continue to learn, providing people access to healthcare, allowing businesses to operate, and helping loved ones to stay close even if physically apart. Cisco sits at the heart of so many of these connections-helping keep our customers, partners, and employees safe, secure, and productive in this new world. Now more than ever, we believe that technology can be used for good to provide an opportunity for all, make a meaningful impact, and bring about a future that is better and brighter than the reality of today.

Years ago, we set out to change the way the world works, lives, plays, and learns. I believe we did just that by building networks that have shaped the Internet we know today. But our responsibilities don't end with technology. That's why in early 2020, Cisco announced a new purpose to power an Inclusive Future for all. Cisco will help bridge gaps of inequity and exclusion worldwide through the technology we build, our scale and extended ecosystem, our commitment to corporate social responsibility and social justice, our teams, and the support we bring to our communities.

Our purpose has guided our actions during this extraordinary year, compelling us not only to support healthcare workers and vulnerable communities with technology but also to address inequities inside and outside our company. It's our actions that will make the world we envision possible.

Throughout this report, you will have the opportunity to learn other ways in which Cisco is powering an Inclusive Future. Our actions align with the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which Cisco signed in 2001 and continues to support. Our areas of focus include operating an ethical and trustworthy business, fostering a Conscious Culture, protecting the environment, sourcing responsibly, and more.

We are at a critical moment in the history of our nation and world. There is so much we can do to seize this moment and create a more inclusive and sustainable world together. I remain hopeful for the future and am optimistic that together we can continue to drive change and leave a lasting impact for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Chuck Robbins
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Cisco Systems

To learn more about the progress we're making to power a more inclusive future through CSR, visit our Cisco ESG Reporting Hub, where you can read our CSR Impact Report.