CEO: Chuck Robbins
Headquarters: San Jose, California
Website: www.cisco.com

Transforming Employment for People with Disabilities

Cisco’s Project LifeChanger is creating new possibilities for changing the way the world works, tapping into the potential of people with disabilities and creating unique business opportunities for the company and its partners that solves a long-standing societal issue.

The model project was derived from Cisco’s Innovation Challenge. It represents what happens when inclusion, collaboration, and technology converge.

In many instances, individuals with disabilities lack the necessary technical accommodations, have transportation challenges, or are dealing with other physical barriers that impact their ability to be employed. Looking to change this, Cisco launched Project LifeChanger in 2016. It began as a collaboration with technology companies, the National Council for Vocational Rehabilitation, not-for-profit employment service agencies, the state of California and a host of other experts. The volunteers developed innovative solutions to overcome key employment barriers for people with disabilities, limited access to employment and employers and bias concerning capabilities.

The project includes Cisco’s Video and Collaboration technologies plus accommodations to help the disabled transcend location, mobility, and challenges to seamlessly join teams and contribute. Under the LifeChanger model, at least 59 talented people have been hired and an additional 115 roles are targeted 2017. Plans are in the works for scaling the initiative across Cisco locations around the world to make this a core part of its DNA and culture. The company is also sharing its experience with governments, customers and industry groups.