Humans of Meraki — Building a Net-Zero Future
At Cisco Meraki, the energy and passion of our employees shapes our dynamic community and empowers us to make intuitive and secure technology for our customers. Our ongoing series, Humans of Meraki, highlights employee perspectives and articulates who we are and the magic of working at Meraki. We hope this series will provide insight into what motivates Merakians at work and beyond. Welcome — we’re happy you’re here.
Cisco is on a mission to build a regenerative future — one that puts life and the health of the planet at the center of every decision. Part of this initiative includes taking a holistic approach to environmental sustainability and creating a net-zero future. Cisco is implementing many initiatives to accomplish these goals, including helping customers and communities reduce their environmental impact.
In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, we interviewed sustainability experts Christian Zachriat, Catherine Paquette, and Fischer Heimburger, who discuss how Cisco and Meraki are building a sustainable future for all.
How are Cisco and Meraki creating a sustainable future?
“We are all working toward a common goal. Every business unit is contributing to that same journey. Our technology can also help customers make progress toward their own sustainability goals. When we consider energy management capabilities and environmental sensors that give visibility into the efficiency of a building, we are seeing the dual approach of internally collaborating across teams to drive change and the external side of helping our customers become more sustainable. This transformation touches every business function.” — Christian Zachriat, Global Sustainability Lead at Meraki
“People have cared about sustainability for a long time, but previously, the focus was from a small group who knew what to look for. Now, everyone from customers to investors to competitors are looking at our programs and goals to understand our priorities and how they fit together. The scope of our sustainability programs extends far beyond our own operations as we work to reduce emissions across our value chain.” — Catherine Paquette, Energy and Sustainability Manager at Cisco
How do Cisco and Meraki center their work around sustainability?
“It’s always possible to embed sustainability in what you already do right now. In the past, sustainability and business success were seen as separate, but now the realization is that these priorities support each other well. That’s the beauty of working in sustainability — fulfilling the mission and amplifying success.” — Christian Zachriat, Global Sustainability Lead at Meraki
Why should sustainability experts apply to work at Cisco Meraki?
“We need sustainability advocates with a wide range of backgrounds and skills. People can bring their expertise to a sustainability team or they can bring their commitment to sustainability into their own team and help embed sustainability into their area of the business.” — Catherine Paquette, Energy and Sustainability Manager at Cisco
“The [climate] crisis is multifaceted and doesn’t come with a single solution. To start moving in the right direction, we need diverse people from diverse backgrounds working on diverse solutions. In every role, we have an opportunity to weave a sustainable narrative into our work.” — Fischer Heimburger, Human Rights Program Manager at Cisco
Cisco’s focus on emissions reductions is captured in its goal to reach net-zero across its value chain by 2040. The goal has been approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative under its net-zero standard, which is aligned with the need to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Cisco was one of the first technology hardware and equipment companies to have its net-zero goal validated under the standard.
To learn more about Cisco’s sustainability initiatives and future opportunities, please read the full story, here.
