Cisco Systems marked the 20th anniversary since its founding on December 10, 1984 by two Stanford University scientists. Since then, Cisco has grown from a start-up business with two employees to a global company with more than 35,000 employees in 259 cities worldwide and $22 billion in revenue. In its infancy, the company manufactured one router; today it offers more than 40 product lines.
In support the anniversary, president and CEO John Chambers challenged every Cisco employee globally to volunteer one day in their community. Cisco employees have exceeded the goal of donating 175,200 hours, which equates to 20 years worth of service to the global community. Cisco began the challenge in May 2004 and will continue until May 2005. Examples of the charitable work includes:
- Cisco worked closely with a Seattle-based non profit organization, Community Voice Mail, to provide voicemail boxes for the homeless and others who may not have access to phones--which is critical to help them secure jobs and services.
- More than 1300 Cisco employees worldwide helped Habitat for Humanity build more than 420 houses in various cities including wiring 10 percent of them for networking.
- A team of employees from Cisco's Hungarian office volunteered one full day to help repaint fire-damaged walls of a Hungarian children's home so that the displaced children could return.
- More than 250 employees from Cisco's offices in Korea spent an entire day rejuvenating the Mt. Bookhan hiking area.
