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Cisco recently released its eight annual CSR report. One of the highlights of the report is the company's adoption of the code of conduct of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) as the Cisco Supplier Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct incorporates environmental standards, including the proper disposal of chemical waste. The Code of Conduct also includes content on responsible sourcing of minerals.
Cisco integrated sustainability criteria into its business scorecard for preferred suppliers. The scorecard encourages suppliers to track and disclose environmental and labor impacts, which helps Cisco make its supply chain more transparent when it comes to sustainability issues. Sustainability now accounts for between five and eight percent of the total score. In 2012, Cisco achieved a 100 percent response rate from its preferred manufacturing partners and logistics providers. However, it only achieved an 81 percent response rate from preferred component suppliers. Its focus for 2013, is to achieve a 100 percent response rate from all preferred suppliers.
Cisco opened a new "green" data center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina in 2012 to replace an existing one that "was rapidly approaching its limits for space, power and cooling." The data center was designed to achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness metric of 1.35 at full load and has achieved LEED Gold certification. Features of the data center include:
Other environmental achievements include:
"Our business innovation underpins our CSR performance and as innovation occurs, we are helping break down the barriers that stifle economic growth and stall environmental sustainability," said John Chambers, CEO, Cisco.Image credit: Wikipedia"Cisco has had the ability to address pressing global issues in CSR such as access to health care, improving underperforming education systems, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions," said Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Cisco.
Gina-Marie is a freelance writer and journalist armed with a degree in journalism, and a passion for social justice, including the environment and sustainability. She writes for various websites, and has made the 75+ Environmentalists to Follow list by Mashable.com.