Cisco Exceeds Goal to Positively Impact One Billion People

Cisco achieves ambitious goal one year ahead of schedule, by scaling social impact programs and digital access for communities in Saudi Arabia and around the world

The milestone coincides with the launch of Cisco’s annual Purpose Report, providing updates on its ESG and social impact progress through fiscal year 2023.
Delivering impact locally, Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration program is a driver for digitization and innovation in Saudi Arabia.
Through the Cisco Networking Academy, more than 336,000 learners in Saudi Arabia have gained IT skills to transform their careers.

RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA, Dec. 27, 2023 — One year ahead of schedule, Cisco has surpassed its goal to make a real, tangible difference in the lives of one billion people, leveraging a powerful combination of technology and people, backed by its purpose to power an inclusive future for all.

To achieve its goal of positively impacting one billion people by 2025, Cisco invested in nonprofits through its Social Impact grants and Networking Academy to help them develop and scale technology-based solutions for the critical challenges facing communities around the world. Cisco also worked with local and national governments, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to empower communities with IT skills, helping develop the workforce of the future and fostering digital inclusion – all measured by a rigorous tracking methodology.

“Through collaboration with national leadership, industry and nonprofit partners, as well as the dedication of our people, we are proud to celebrate impacting more than one billion lives globally. We will continue to leverage the power of technology and partnerships in Saudi Arabia and across countries around the world to deliver a secure, connected and inclusive future for all,” said Reem Asaad, Vice President, Cisco Middle East and Africa.

Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program is a long-term partnership with national leadership, industry and academia to stimulate innovation, grow GDP and expand job creation. In Saudi Arabia, the CDA program was launched in 2016, aligning with the pillars of Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program. Since then, Cisco has delivered more than 20 active or completed digitization projects of national impact, including collaborations with the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA), Red Sea Global, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), among others.

Cisco has also supported local industry by forming new partner ecosystems and strengthening existing partnerships, leveraging Cisco’s technology to help transform local businesses. As a result, Cisco now works with over 600 registered partners in Saudi Arabia.

In light of ongoing advancements with generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI), and evolving cybersecurity threat that comes with the technology, the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that half the global labor force may need reskilling over the next two years, and 1.1 billion jobs will be transformed by technology in the coming decade.

In addition, there is the assessment that three million cybersecurity experts are needed to support the current global economy, signifying the imminent importance for initiatives like the Cisco Networking Academy – one of the longest standing IT-skills-to-jobs programs in the world.

Since the inception of Cisco Networking Academy in Saudi Arabia, more than 274,500 learners have received IT skills training in-country, with a strong 35% female participation, making the Kingdom one of the top 20 countries worldwide for female participation worldwide.

95% of students surveyed globally* cite the Academy’s impact in helping them attain a job or further education opportunities. This year, Cisco announced its goal to train 10 million people in digital and cybersecurity skills, over the next 10 years, across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Annual Purpose Report Released

This announcement accompanies the release of Cisco’s annual Purpose Report, which details its latest impact, goals, and progress on ESG topics, including environmental sustainability, social impact, digital access, philanthropy, supply chain, security and privacy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Learn more: cisco.com/go/esg-hub *Based on student outcome surveys of students participating in Cisco certification courses between fiscal 2005 (when exit surveys began) and fiscal 2023