An excerpt from our FY24 Purpose Report, commemorating four decades of impactful contributions by Cisco.
The Growing Demand for Sustainable Technology in a Digital Economy
The backbone of today’s digital economy is heavily reliant on extensive data centers that operate around the clock. These facilities require significant energy and sophisticated cooling systems to prevent overheating, with the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) usage intensifying this demand. To ensure sustainability is proactive rather than reactive, we believe that the IT sector must adapt and innovate ahead of these technological advancements.
Cisco’s Role in Enhancing Energy Efficiency
As a pivotal player among global corporations, Cisco takes on the essential responsibility of reconciling AI-driven growth with effective energy utilization. This entails modernizing existing data centers and implementing advanced energy management solutions that can provide real-time insights into consumption. Furthermore, it involves constructing a resilient smart grid and accelerating shifts towards renewable energy sources. Under our environmental strategy titled “The Plan for Possible,” we place great emphasis on promoting these initiatives as AI adoption continues to expand.
Advancements in Energy Efficiency
Cisco’s commitment to efficient energy use is central to our Circular Design Principles as we strive to enhance product performance regarding sustainability. For instance, consider the Cisco UCS X-Series Modular System explicitly engineered for today’s AI-driven data environments; it boasts improved efficiency ratings when compared to previous iterations of UCS rack servers. Notably, this series offers a remarkable 54% increase in CPU-level energy efficiency relative to elder models while being managed through the intuitive Cisco Intersight IT operations platform—enabling users to fine-tune power settings dynamically.
Navigating Environmental Standards Easily
Given how swiftly technology progresses, it can be challenging for businesses to gauge environmental impacts concerning emerging devices or solutions effectively. To assist customers in navigating these complexities effectively over many years, Cisco has leveraged recognized third-party ecolabels such as ENERGY STAR® alongside tools like the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). These labels help signify compliance with stringent criteria related not only to energy savings but also encompassing broader ecological and social accountability surrounding product design aligned with our corporate mission.
Pioneering Sustainable Solutions Together
In fiscal year 2024 alone saw numerous products within our Catalyst 9000 lineup earning ENERGY STAR certification under Large Network Equipment distinctions—ensuring clients opt for solutions congruent with their own sustainability objectives while minimizing their ecological footprint without compromising technological performance standards.
A detailed understanding surrounding critical metrics such as product energy usage or lifecycle emissions holds immense significance—it enables organizations better awareness regarding their network’s overall impact which ultimately assists holistic reporting efforts tied directly back toward their individual carbon footprints.
To better facilitate this insight requirement across myriad operational contexts globally at Cisco—the Sustainability Data Foundation (SDF) was conceived—a centralized internal platform providing comprehensive access specifically catered towards nurturing sound governance practices across all aspects relating comprehensively back into The Plan For Possible framework upon which much rests today concerning regulation viewpoints evolving rapidly throughout industries worldwide!
The Future Ahead: Strengthening Our Commitment
This past fiscal year marked an enduring commitment—a journey beginning through deploying SDF capabilities enabling functions ranging from customer-oriented carbon footprint documentation through automating emission accounts tailored toward meeting ongoing regulatory landscapes alongside further expanding utility associated both currently available datasets alongside pertinent contextual applications throughout every level company-wide where necessary moving forward continuously!
Read more about our FY24 Purpose Report here!
To explore ongoing advancements steering us toward an Inclusive Future shared by all stakeholders within society - visit [Cisco Purpose Reporting Hub](#).
