How Cisco Harnesses Circular Design for Sustainable Products

Overview

Cisco has reached a major goal in sustainability. They now design all new products and packaging with circular design. They met their 2025 goal. This work won the 2025 Reuters Global Sustainability Award for Circularity. Cisco cuts waste and boosts product life in a closed-loop system.

What is Circularity?

Circularity is a simple cycle. It does not use the old take–make–dispose route. It keeps products and parts in use. You can reuse, repair, fix up, and recycle them. This cycle cuts waste and avoids new resource use.

Leadership and Implementation

Mary de Wysocki leads Cisco’s green drive. She has run these plans for six years. She says circular design cuts waste, extends product use, boosts work speed and safety, and helps customers and communities.

Cisco uses clear steps: • They use an online Circular Design Evaluation Tool that checks every product on 25 design points.
• Each product must score at least 75% to start production.
• They have steering and audit teams that check the work.

Cisco has trained more than 7,000 workers to use circular ideas.

Tangible Benefits and Case Studies

Cisco shows clear gains: • Webex Room Bar: This product’s new package cuts foam use. It now uses 55% recycled plastic. It saves over 14,515 kg (32,000 lbs) of material each year. • Catalyst 9000: This line now skips oil-based paint. It saves US$9 million between 2020 and 2025. It also cuts 318 metric tonnes of VOCs and 3,400 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions.

These steps show circular design helps both the earth and the business.

Data Infrastructure and Transparency

Cisco built a Sustainability Data Foundation. This tool gathers and checks green metrics like circular design effects and product carbon footprints. It backs clear reports via Cisco’s Purpose Reporting Hub and yearly Purpose Report.

Future Outlook

Circular design grows key for digital growth and AI work. Cisco sees circular design as a green need and smart business move.
Mary de Wysocki calls the 100% change “just the beginning.” She says Cisco will keep learning. Cisco meets with engineers, marketers, and supply chain teams to find better ways. They check options in design, packaging, sourcing, and repair.

In summary, Cisco’s full circular economy plan gives a clear model for tech makers. It mixes green care with smart work and cost control. Their steps show how team work and strong checks can lead to real green change.

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