The way you think about goal-setting in business is about to change. In this episode of Speaking of Purpose by Benevity, we're joined by Charu Adesnik, Executive Director of Cisco Foundation and Director of Social Impact and Innovation for Cisco Systems. We deconstruct the company’s audacious goal to positively impact one billion lives within 10 years, which they exceeded ahead of schedule.Tune in to hear Charu and Sona talk about executive commitment, using business to drive impact, dealing with the unexpected, having the grace to test, and learn and what it means to authentically scale a  vision to “power an inclusive future for all.”

Show Notes:

Cisco Networking Academy → https://www.netacad.com/

Cisco’s 40years of Impact → https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/about/purpose/index.html

Benevity’s State of Corporate Purpose Report → https://benevity.com/state-of-corporate-purpose-2025

Learn more about Cisco's 1 billion lives initiative → https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/about/purpose/social-impact/one-billion-lives.html

netacad.com

Cisco Networking Academy: Learn Cybersecurity, Python & More

Cisco Networking Academy is a skills-to-jobs program shaping the future workforce. Since 1997, we have impacted over 20 million learners in 190 countries. 

https://www.netacad.com/

Cisco

Cisco Purpose - Power an Inclusive Future for All

Learn how Cisco's Purpose aims to combine our technology, our people, and our broader ecosystem to power an inclusive future for all. 

https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/about/purpose/index.html

benevity.com

State of Corporate Purpose 2025

The corporate purpose landscape is in a state of significant flux, with nearly two-thirds of companies redefining their purpose strategy in the past year.

Cisco

Positively Impacting 1 Billion Lives

Cisco changed over one billion lives for the better through social impact investments with 100+ global non-profit partners, and Cisco Networking Academy programs.