Washington D.C. (October 14, 2020) – Cultural Vistas is pleased to announce that Cisco has been named the recipient of its 2020 Corporate Leadership Award for its valuable contributions to the global workforce and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This award is the highest honor that Cultural Vistas bestows upon its corporate partners.

With locations nearly 100 countries and a mission to build bridges with technology, Cisco has long built a reputation for being a workplace where diverse cultures thrive. Since 1999, Cisco has worked with Cultural Vistas to host annually 40 J-1 intern + trainees, deepening collaboration across borders. Through a Co-operative Education program with the University of Waterloo, Cisco has provided opportunities for hundreds of talented students from Canada to complete international internships with the technology leader.

“Cisco has been an ideal corporate partner, not only building bridges across the globe with its technological innovation, but also with its commitment to an international workforce,” said Jennifer Clinton, President/CEO of Cultural Vistas. “We are consistently inspired by the actions this company takes to close the gap in global leadership and demonstrate a commitment to equity.”

Shari Slate, Chief Inclusion and Collaboration Officer and Vice President, Inclusive Future and Strategy, will be accepting the award on behalf of Cisco. Slate is responsible for designing Cisco’s next horizon people strategy to deliver on the company’s commitment to power an inclusive future for all.

“Cisco is committed to powering an inclusive future for all by creating opportunity for people across the full spectrum of diversity,” said Shari Slate, Cisco’s Chief Inclusion & Collaboration Officer. “We are honored to be recognized by Cultural Vistas for our ongoing efforts to invest in developing skills and talent around the world.”

Cisco has also taken a global leadership role in a wide range of partnerships to drive equity and create fully diverse and inclusive organizations.  As founding members of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion initiative to creating the Multiplier Effect Pledge that encourages leaders from across the global to sponsor diverse talent to participating in the Employers for Pay Equity consortium. Under Slate’s leadership, Cisco has achieved its highest diversity levels for five years running, and the company was ranked #2 on Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces for Diversity list for 2019.

The future of international exchange is at a crossroads, forcing us to re-examine existing structures to delivery through virtual program models and ask ourselves how we might create more access to facilitate global literacy and increase cooperation despite the barriers being put in place. Cisco technology serves as a bridge in these challenging times, helping foster global dialogue and mutual understanding. The company is also a vocal advocate for embracing talent from anywhere, recognizing that a highly skilled workforce drives innovation and creates jobs, enabling businesses to be more inclusive and better compete on a global stage.

Cisco will be recognized along with several alumni award recipients at the Cultural Vistas Virtual Awards Benefit on October 22 from 12-3 p.m. EST. Established in 2018, the Cultural Vistas Awards Benefit recognizes individuals and institutions for their influence and notable contributions toward the advancement of global skills, leadership development, and cross-cultural understanding. This signature event will feature a keynote address by Fareed Zakaria, CNN Worldwide Host and best-selling author, as well as a cultural celebration of the diversity of people, ideas and skills shared throughout our global community.

Learn more about the event program, tickets and opportunities to sponsor at cvbenefit.splashthat.com.

About Cultural Vistas
Founded in 1963, Cultural Vistas is a nonprofit exchange organization whose mission is to enrich minds, advance global skills, build careers, and connect lives through international exchange. Cultural Vistas develops international professional experiences that create more informed, skilled, and engaged citizens. Learn more at culturalvistas.org.