Discussions of integrity have become increasingly important in today's business environment. But these discussions are not new to Cisco – ethics, most especially integrity – have always been a significant part of both our culture and the way we conduct business. Operating with a strong sense of integrity is critical to maintaining trust and credibility with our customers, partners, employees, and shareholders. Our continued emphasis on ethics and integrity is one reason why Cisco is considered a leader in our industry and why we are consistently rated one of the best places to work in our industry.

Our code has traditionally embodied such rules regarding individual and peer responsibilities, as well as responsibilities to our employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, the public and other stakeholders, and includes:

•  Prohibiting conflicts of interest (including protecting corporate opportunities)
•   Protecting Cisco’s confidential and proprietary information and that of our customers’ and vendors’
•   Treating Cisco’s employees, customers, suppliers and competitors fairly
•   Protection and proper use of company assets
•   Compliance with laws, rules and regulations (including insider trading laws)
•   Encouraging the reporting of any unlawful or unethical behavior

The information below are those portions of our code of conduct, which address the issues listed above.

Overview of Business Ethics

The collection of policies and guidelines established in the Code of Business Conduct applies to all Cisco employees and board members. We believe that long-term, trusting business relationships are built by being honest, open and fair. We promise to uphold the highest professional standards in all global business operations. We also expect that those with whom we do business (including suppliers, customers or re-sellers) will adhere to Cisco's Code of Business Conduct standards.

Outstanding employees are key to Cisco's success. Everyone is part of the company team, and each of us deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. In addition, every employee is responsible for his/her own conduct. No one has the authority to make another employee violate Cisco's Code of Business Conduct, and any attempt to direct or otherwise influence someone else to commit a violation is unacceptable.

Managers, in particular, set an example for other employees and are often responsible for directing the actions of others. Cisco requires all employees, including managers, to know and understand the Code of Business Conduct, as it applies personally to the employee or manager and to those under his/her supervision.

The fundamental principle that underlies the way we do business at Cisco is good judgment. An understanding of our legal and ethical parameters enhances that judgment. Cisco has a responsibility to pay constant attention to all legal boundaries and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in all of its operations worldwide. We have the same obligation to the communities in which we do business and to the customers with whom we do business. For everyone at Cisco, this means following the spirit of the law and doing the right, ethical thing even when the law is not specific.

This code outlines the broad principles of legal and ethical business conduct embraced by Cisco. It is not a complete list of legal or ethical questions an employee might face in the course of business, and therefore, this code must be applied using common sense and good judgment. Additionally, under certain circumstances local country law may establish requirements that differ from this code. Cisco employees worldwide are expected to comply with all local country laws and Cisco business conduct policies in the area in which they are conducting Cisco business.

Although we realize that no two situations are alike, we aim for consistency and balance when encountering any ethical issues. It is essential that we all keep an eye out for possible infringements of Cisco's business ethics - whether these infringements occur in dealings with the government or the private sector, and whether they occur because of oversight or intention. Cisco employees who have questions regarding business conduct or possible violations should contact their local HR representative, the Legal Department, or Sylvia Allen, Cisco’s Ethics’ Officer at Ethics Program Office. The Company will not tolerate retaliation for reports made in good faith.

Business Ethics

It is essential that we all keep an eye out for possible infringements of Cisco’s business ethics--whether these infringements occur in dealings with the government or the private sector, and whether they occur because of oversight or intention. Cisco employees who have knowledge of possible violations should notify Human Resources, the Legal Department or the “Ethics at Cisco” website, which includes a direct link to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors for financial matters. To assist employees in the day-to-day protection of our business ethics, we’ve compiled a list of some areas where breaches may occur:

•  Improper or excessive payments of any of the following:
•  Consulting fees -Director & officer payments
•  Agents’ fees -Advertising fees
•  Miscellaneous expenses -Insurance premiums
•  Nondeductible expenses -Employee loans
•  Public relations fees -Legal fees
•  Commissions -Other professional fees
•  Expense reports -Employee bonuses or compensation agreements
• Questionable payments to agents, consultants, or professionals whose backgrounds haven’t been adequately investigated, who don’t have signed contracts or letters of engagement, or whose association with Cisco would be embarrassing if exposed
•  Payroll-related expenditures, bonuses, awards, and non-cash gifts given to or by Cisco employees without proper approval and adequate documentation
•  Payments made in cash or checks drawn to Cash or Bearer or bank accounts/property titles not in Cisco’s name
•  Transfers to or deposits in the bank account of an individual, rather than in the account of the company with which we are doing business
•  Billings made higher or lower than normal prices for fees, at a customer’s request
•  Payments made for any purpose other than that described in supporting documents
•  Payments made to employees of customers or agencies through intermediary persons or organizations, or that seem to deviate from normal business transactions
•  Any large, abnormal, unexplained, or individually approved contracts, or expenditures made without review of supporting documentation
•  Unusual transactions occurring with nonfunctional, inactive, or shell subsidiaries or undisclosed or unrecorded assets or liabilities
•  Use of unethical or questionable means to obtain information, including information about competitors, information concerning government acquisition plans, or any procurement decision or action
•  An employment, consulting, or business relationship between a Cisco employee and another company, especially in the same or related business
•  Frequent trading (buying and selling over short intervals) in Cisco stock or the stock of a company with which we do business.

These are examples of possible infringements that Cisco employees need to avoid. Employees should feel free to discuss any concerns about this policy with their manager, HR representative or the Legal Department.

Conflicts of Interest

Employees are expected to make or participate in business decisions and actions in the course of their employment with Cisco based on the best interests of the company as a whole, and not based on personal relationships or benefits. Conflicts of interest can compromise employees' business ethics. Employees are expected to apply sound judgment to avoid conflicts of interest that could negatively affect Cisco or its business. At Cisco, a conflict of interest is any activity that is inconsistent with or opposed to Cisco's interests, or gives the appearance of impropriety.

Employees should avoid any relationship that would cause a conflict of interest with their duties and responsibilities at Cisco. Employees are expected to disclose to us any situations that may involve inappropriate or improper conflicts of interests affecting them personally or affecting other employees or those with whom we do business. Waivers of conflicts of interest involving executive officers require the approval of the Board of Directors or an appropriate committee.

Members of Cisco’s Board of Directors have a special responsibility because our Directors are prominent individuals with substantial other responsibilities. To avoid conflicts of interest, Directors are expected to disclose to their fellow Directors any personal interest they may have in a transaction upon which the Board passes and to recuse themselves from participation in any decision in which there is a conflict between their personal interests and the interest of Cisco.

Set forth below is specific guidance for some areas of potential conflict of interest that require special attention. It is not possible to list all conflicts of interest. These are examples of the types of conflicts of interest that Cisco employees are expected to avoid. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of each individual to avoid any situation that could appear to be a conflict of interest. Employees are urged to discuss any potential conflicts of interest with their manager, HR Representative, the Ethics Program Office, or the Legal Department.

Interest in Other Businesses: Cisco employees and members of their immediate families must avoid any direct or indirect financial relationship with other business that could cause divided loyalty. Cisco employees must receive written permission from the Cisco vice president for their organization before beginning any employment, business, or consulting relationship with another company. This doesn't mean that family members are precluded from being employed by one of Cisco's customers, competitors, or suppliers. However, Cisco employees must avoid conducting Cisco business with members of their families--or others with whom they have a significant personal relationship--unless they have prior written permission from the Cisco vice president of their organization.

Outside Directorships and Membership in Technical Advisory Boards ("TAB"s): Cisco encourages its employees to be active in industry and civic associations, including membership in other companies' Boards of Directors and TABs. Employees who serve on outside boards of a profit making organization are required, prior to acceptance, to obtain written approval from a Review Board which includes the Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and General Counsel. As a rule, employees may not accept a position as an outside director or TAB member of any current or likely competitor of Cisco. Furthermore, in the absence of an overriding benefit to Cisco and a procedure to avoid any financial conflict (such as refusal of compensation and recusal from involvement in the company's relationship with Cisco), approval is likely to be denied where the Cisco employee either directly or through people in his or her chain of command has responsibility to affect or implement Cisco's business relationship with the other company. Approval of a position as a director or TAB member of a company that supports or promotes a competitor's products or services is also likely to be denied.

If the committee approves an outside directorship or TAB membership, employees may keep compensation earned from that directorship unless the terms of the committee's approval state otherwise. Generally, however, employees may not receive any form of compensation (including stock options, IPO stock or cash) for service on a board of directors of a company if the service is at the request of the company or in connection with Cisco's investment in, or a significant relationship exists with, that company and the directorship is as a consequence or in connection with that relationship. Any company that is a vendor, supplier, partner or customer of Cisco has a "relationship" with Cisco. "Significant" is broadly defined to include a sole-source vendor/supplier, or one in which Cisco is responsible for generating five percent or more of the outside company's revenues. When membership on a Board of Directors or TAB is other than at Cisco's request, and even if no compensation is received, a potential for conflict of interest exists, and therefore the Cisco employee is expected to recuse him- or herself from any involvement in Cisco's relationship with that company. It is therefore important that Cisco employees recognize that their membership should be an opportunity to provide expertise and to broaden their own experience, but they should not be put in a position where the other company expects to use the person's board membership as a way to get access or to influence Cisco decisions.

Cisco may at any time rescind prior approvals in order to avoid a conflict or appearance of a conflict of interest for any reason deemed to be in the best interests of the company. In addition, Cisco will periodically conduct an inquiry of employees to determine the status of their membership on outside boards.

Investments in Public Companies: Passive investments of not more than one percent of total outstanding shares of companies listed on a national or international securities exchange, or quoted daily by NASDAQ or any other board, are permitted without Cisco's approval--provided the investment is not so large financially either in absolute dollars or percentage of the individual’s total investment portfolio that it creates the appearance of a conflict of interest. Any such investment must not involve the use of confidential "inside" or proprietary information, such as confidential information that might have been learned about the other company on account of Cisco's relationship with the other company. Investments in diversified publicly traded mutual funds are not deemed subject to these conflict of interest guidelines, provided confidentiality requirements are observed.

Investments in Private Companies. Cisco employees will occasionally find themselves in a position to invest in Cisco partners or customers. It is imperative that employees presented with such opportunities understand the potential conflict of interest that may occur in these circumstances. Cisco employees must always serve our shareholders first. Investing in companies that Cisco has an actual or potential business relationship with may not be in our shareholders' best interests. The following guidelines are intended to cover such circumstances:

Cisco employees may not invest in privately held companies that are Cisco customers, partners or suppliers without disclosure to the Cisco senior vice president for their organization and to the Review Board. Where the employee either directly or through people in his/her chain of command has responsibility to affect or implement Cisco's relationship with the other company, approval of the Review Board is required; however, in such cases approval is likely to be denied. Examples of employees having such responsibilities include:

• Employees in a position to select a particular chip for a given product and owning shares in that chip vendor
• Employees in a position to recommend a particular software or hardware vendor partner to a customer while owning shares in that vendor or reseller
• Employees whose responsibilities include sales of Cisco products to a customer or reseller while owning shares in the customer or reseller

Such situations may put the Cisco employee in a conflict of interest between furthering their personal interests versus the interests of Cisco, hence the likelihood of denial. Employees in those circumstances should not invest in the company in question.

If an investment is made and/or approval is granted, and the employee subsequently finds him- or herself in a potentially conflicted position due to his or her job responsibilities or those of others in his or her chain of command, the Cisco employee is expected to recuse him- or herself from any involvement in Cisco's relationship with that company. (If the conflict is so fundamental as to undermine the employee's ability to undertake an important job activity, a discussion of possible divestiture may be required). Furthermore, with respect to any investment or financial interest in a third party, employees should be extremely cautious to avoid activities such as recommending or introducing the company to other parts of the Cisco organization unless there is a clear disclosure of the financial interest.

If an employee happens to have an investment in a company and transitions into a role that would place him/her in a conflict of interest position (such as those described above), the employee should disclose the situation in writing to his/her manager and HR Representative. Efforts will be made to resolve the situation equitably on a case-by-case basis.

Where Cisco has made an investment in a company, permission must be obtained before an employee invests in that company. When a Cisco employee is placed on a boards of director or advisory board to represent Cisco, such employee cannot make an investments in that company without Review Board approval; and they may not receive compensation for such participation at Cisco's request.

Investments in Venture Funds. Just as investments in publicly traded mutual funds are not deemed to pose a conflict of interest since such investors do not control the timing of fund investments or dispositions, there is no general restriction on Cisco employees investing in private venture funds that, in turn, invest in start-ups. Given that investors in venture funds are "limited partners" and do not have influence in the decision making of the funds, we have deemed these investments appropriate from the standpoint of conflicts with the venture firm itself. At the same time, general conflict of interest rules outlined above apply to the employee's relationship with known portfolio companies of private venture capital funds in which employees have invested. Just as in the case of investments in private companies described above, employees should not invest in funds where it is likely that the employee will be responsible for recommending, reviewing or transacting business with a known portfolio company of the fund. Employees will be expected to not participate in Cisco's relationship with that company if such a situation arises after the investment commitment has been made.

Honoraria: Speaking at events, when it is determined to be in Cisco's best interests, is considered part of an employee's normal job responsibilities. Because employees will be compensated by Cisco for most or all of their time spent preparing for, attending, and delivering presentations approved by management, employees should not request or negotiate a fee or receive any form of compensation (excepting the novelties, favors or entertainment described in the Favors, gifts, and entertainment section) from the organization that requested the speech, unless the employee first receives express authorization from the Cisco vice president for their organization; alternatively, a fee can be accepted provided it is donated to the Cisco Foundation or other non-profit charitable organization.

Inventions, books, and publications: Cisco employees must receive written permission from the Cisco vice president for their organization before developing, outside of Cisco, any products, software, or intellectual property that is or may be related to Cisco's current or potential business.

Proper payments: All Cisco employees should pay for and receive only that which is proper. Cisco employees should not make payments or promises to influence another's acts or decisions, and Cisco employees must not give gifts beyond those extended in normal business. Cisco employees must observe all government restrictions on gifts and entertainment. Employees will not receive payments of any kind from Cisco customers.

Favors, gifts, and entertainment: Cisco employees and members of their families must not give or receive valuable gifts (including gifts of equipment or money, discounts, or favored personal treatment) to or from any person associated with Cisco vendors or customers. This includes accepting the opportunity to buy "directed shares" (also called "friends and family shares") from a company where the Cisco employee is now or is likely to become involved in the evaluation, recommendation, negotiation or approval of current or prospective business with that company.

This is not intended to preclude Cisco from receiving or evaluating appropriate complimentary products or services. Nor is it intended to preclude Cisco from making a gift of equipment to a company or organization, provided that the gift is openly given, with full knowledge by the company or organization, and is consistent with applicable law. In rare circumstances, local customs in some countries may call for the exchange of gifts having more than nominal value as part of the business relationship. In these situations, gifts may be accepted only on behalf of Cisco (not an individual) with the approval of the employee's managing director and the Cisco Legal Department. Any gifts received should be turned over to Human Resources for appropriate disposition or donated to the Cisco Foundation or other nonprofit, charitable organization. In all cases, the exchange of gifts must be conducted so there is no appearance of impropriety. Gifts may only be given in accordance with applicable laws, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Advertising novelties, favors, and entertainment are allowed when the following conditions are met:

• They are consistent with Cisco's business practices
• They do not violate any applicable law, such as state and federal procurement laws and regulations
• They are of limited value ($50 U.S. or less)
• Public disclosure would not embarrass Cisco

Industry Associations. Membership on boards of industry associations generally do not present financial conflicts of interest. However, employees should be sensitive to possible conflicts with Cisco's business interests, if, for instance, the association takes a position adverse to Cisco's interests or those of key customers.

Supervisory Relationships with Family Members: Supervisory relationships with family members present special workplace problems, including a conflict of interest, or at least the appearance of conflict, in various personnel decisions that the supervisor makes. Accordingly, Cisco employees must avoid a direct reporting relationship with any member of their family or others with whom they have a significant relationship. If such a relationship exists or occurs, the employee must report it in writing to the HR Representative.

Special Ethics Obligations For Employees With Financial Reporting Responsibilities

As a public company it is of critical importance that the Cisco's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission be accurate and timely. Depending on their position with Cisco, employees may be called upon to provide information to assure that the Company's public reports are complete, fair and understandable. Cisco expects all of its personnel to take this responsibility very seriously and to provide prompt and accurate answers to inquiries related to the Company's public disclosure requirements.

The Finance Department bears a special responsibility for promoting integrity throughout the organization, with responsibilities to stakeholders both inside and outside of the Cisco. The Chief Executive Officer and Finance Department personnel have a special role both to adhere to these principles themselves and also to ensure that a culture exists throughout the company as a whole that ensures the fair and timely reporting of Cisco's financial results and condition.

Because of this special role, the Chief Executive Officer and all members of Cisco's Finance Department are bound by the following Financial Officer Code of Ethics, and by accepting the Code of Business Conduct, each agrees that he or she will:

• Act with honesty and integrity, avoiding actual or apparent conflicts of interest in personal and professional relationships.
• Provide information that is accurate, complete, objective, relevant, timely and understandable to ensure full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that Cisco files with, or submits to, government agencies and in other public communications.
• Comply with rules and regulations of federal, state, provincial and local governments, and other appropriate private and public regulatory agencies.
• Act in good faith, responsibly, with due care, competence and diligence, without misrepresenting material facts or allowing one's independent judgment to be subordinated.
• Respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of one's work except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to disclose. Confidential information acquired in the course of one's work will not be used for personal advantage.
• Share knowledge and maintain skills important and relevant to stakeholder's needs.
• Proactively promote and be an example of ethical behavior as a responsible partner among peers, in the work environment and the community.
• Achieve responsible use of and control over all assets and resources employed or entrusted.
• Promptly report to the Director of Internal Control Services and/or the Chairman of the Audit Committee any conduct that the individual believes to be a violation of law or business ethics or of any provision of the Code of Conduct, including any transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to such a conflict.

Violations of this Financial Officer Code of Ethics, including failures to report potential violations by others, will be viewed as a severe disciplinary matter that may result in personnel action, including termination of employment. If you believe that a violation of the Financial Officer Code of Ethics has occurred, please contact Cisco's General Counsel, Mark Chandler, at machandl@cisco.com. You may also contact the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors at:

• auditcommittee@external.cisco.com, or
• if you are concerned about maintaining anonymity, you may send correspondence to the following outside private mail box (pmb) address at: Cisco Systems, Audit Committee, 105 Serra Way, PMB #112, Milpitas, CA 95035.

It is against Cisco policy to retaliate against any employee for good faith reporting of violations of this Code.

Laws, Regulations, and Government Related Activities

As an international U.S. based company, Cisco is subject to laws and regulations both in the U.S. and abroad. Violation of governing laws and regulations is both unethical and subjects Cisco to significant risk in the form of fines, penalties and damaged reputation. It is expected that each employee will comply with applicable laws, regulations and corporate policies. Specific areas with which employees are expected to comply include:

•  Anti-Trust
•  Insider Trading
•  Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
•  Government Business
•  Political Contributions
•  Using Third-Party Copyrighted Material
•  Export, Re-export and Transfer Policy
•  Customs Compliance for International Shipping

Anti-Trust

The economy of the United States, and of most nations in which Cisco does business, is based on the principle that competition and profit will produce high-quality goods at fair prices. To ensure that this principle is played out in the marketplace, most countries have laws prohibiting certain business practices that could inhibit effective competition. The antitrust laws are broad and far-reaching. They touch upon and affect virtually all aspects of Cisco's operations. Cisco supports these laws not only because they are the law, but also because we believe in the free market and the idea that healthy competition is essential to our long-term success. Cisco fully embraces all antitrust laws and avoids conduct that may even give the appearance of being questionable under those laws. Whether termed antitrust, competition, or free trade laws, the rules are designed to keep the marketplace thriving and competitive. In all cases where there is question or doubt about a particular activity or practice, employees should contact the Legal Department or Sylvia Allen, Cisco’s Ethics Officer at the Ethics Program Office before proceeding.

Insider Trading

If an employee has material, non-public information relating to Cisco, it is Cisco's policy that neither the employee, nor any person related to the employee, may buy or sell securities of Cisco or engage in any other action to take advantage of, or pass on to others, that information. This policy also applies to trading in the securities of any other company, including our customers or suppliers, if employees have material, non-public information about that company which the employee obtained in the course of their employment by Cisco.

Transactions that may be necessary or justifiable for independent reasons, including emergency expenditures and transactions planned before the employee learned the material information, are not exceptions. Even the appearance of an improper transaction must be avoided to prevent any potential risk to Cisco or the individual trader. Violations of insider trading laws may be punishable by fines and/or imprisonment.

Besides the obligation to refrain from trading while in possession of material, non-public information, employees are also prohibited from "tipping" others. The concept of unlawful tipping includes passing on information to friends or family members under circumstances that suggest that employees were trying to help them make a profit or avoid a loss. Besides being considered a form of insider trading, of course, tipping is also a serious breach of corporate confidentiality. For this reason, employees should be careful to avoid discussing sensitive information in any place (for instance, at lunch, on public transportation, in elevators) where others may hear such information.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Cisco requires full compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by all of its employees, consultants, agents, distributors, and resellers. The anti-bribery and corrupt payment provisions of the FCPA make illegal any corrupt offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization to pay any money, gift, or anything of value to any foreign official, or any foreign political party, candidate or official, for the purpose of:

• Influencing any act, or failure to act, in the official capacity of that foreign official or party
• Inducing the foreign official or party to use influence to affect a decision of a foreign government or agency, in order to obtain or retain business for anyone, or direct business to anyone.

Payments, offers, promises or authorizations to pay any other person, U.S. or foreign, are likewise prohibited if any portion of that money or gift will be offered, given or promised to a foreign official or foreign political party or candidate for any of the illegal purposes outlined above.

All Cisco employees, whether located in the United States or abroad, are responsible for FCPA compliance and the procedures to ensure FCPA compliance. All managers and supervisory personnel are expected to monitor continued compliance with the FCPA to ensure compliance with the highest moral, ethical and professional standards of the company.

Any action in violation of the FCPA, or any of the ethical and business standards as outlined in Cisco's Resource Guide is prohibited. All Cisco employees who become aware of apparent FCPA violations should notify the Legal Department or the Ethics office immediately. Any question or uncertainty regarding compliance with this policy should be brought to the attention of the Legal Department or Sylvia Allen, Cisco’s Ethics Officer at the Ethics Program Office.

Government Business

Cisco employees should understand that special requirements might apply when contracting with any government body (including national, state, provincial, municipal, or other similar government divisions in local jurisdictions). Because government officials are obligated to follow specific codes of conduct and laws, special care must be taken in government procurement. Some key requirements for doing business with a government are:

• Accurately representing which Cisco products are covered by government contracts
• Not offering or accepting kickbacks, bribes, gifts, gratuities or anything else of value with the intent of obtaining favorable treatment from the recipient (a gift that is customary in the business sector may be perceived as a bribe by a government official)
• Not improperly soliciting or obtaining confidential information, such as sealed competitors' bids, from government officials prior to the award of a contract
• Hiring present and former government personnel may only occur in compliance with applicable laws and regulations (as well as consulting the Legal Department and Human Resources).

Political Contributions

No Cisco assets--including employees' work time, use of Cisco premises, use of Cisco equipment, or direct monetary payments--may be contributed to any political candidate, political actions committees (aka "PACs"), party, or ballot measure without the permission of the General Counsel. Of course, Cisco employees may participate in any political activities of their choice on an individual basis, with their own money and on their own time.

Using Third-Party Copyrighted Material

Cisco employees may sometimes need to use third-party copyrighted material to perform their jobs. Before such third-party material may be used, appropriate authorization from the copyright holder must be obtained. The need for such permission may exist whether or not the end product containing third-party material is for personal use; for Cisco internal or other use. It is against Cisco policy and it may be unlawful for any employee to copy, reproduce, scan, digitize, broadcast, or modify third-party copyrighted material when preparing Cisco products or promotional materials, unless written permission from the copyright holder has been obtained prior to the proposed use. Improper use could subject both Cisco and the individuals involved to possible civil and criminal actions for copyright infringement. It is against Cisco policy for employees to use Cisco's facilities for the purpose of making or distributing unauthorized copies of third-party copyrighted materials for personal use or for use by others.

Export, Re-Export, and Transfer Policy

Design, Development, and Production Technology

Export of design, development, and production technology is subject to national security, foreign policy, and anti-terrorism laws and regulations. Employees must obtain written authorization from Cisco's Export Compliance and Regulatory Affairs (ECRA) group before providing design, development, or production technology to nationals or territories of countries that have not ratified global weapon non-proliferation treaties. Non-Disclosure Agreements do not constitute written authorization to transfer design, development, or production technology.

Use technology and technology that has been made publicly available, with the exception of cryptography, may be exported to all foreign nationals and territories except those embargoed or sanctioned by the United States.

Products & Technology

Under no circumstances shall employees or agents engage in marketing, service, or sales of products or technology to embargoed or sanctioned territories without written authorization from ECRA.

Violation & Suspicious Activities Reporting

Employees should contact ECRA if they know or have reason to believe that any party (e.g. Partners, Users, Employees) has or intends to violate United States or local country laws or regulations.

Customs Compliance for International Shipping

Cisco's policy is to comply fully with customs laws, regulations and policies in all countries where Cisco does business. Accurate customs information on shipping documents is required for all international shipments. Employees should not initiate shipping documents outside approved automated shipping systems or non-production shipping group.

Proprietary Information

Proprietary information is defined as information that was developed, created, or discovered by the company, or that became known by or was conveyed to the company, that has commercial value in the company's business. It includes but is not limited to software programs and subroutines, source and object code, trade secrets, copyrights, ideas, techniques, know-how, inventions (whether patentable or not), and any other information of any type relating to designs, configurations, toolings, schematics, master works, algorithms, flowcharts, circuits, works of authorship, formulae, mechanisms, research, manufacture, assembly, installation, marketing, pricing, customers, salaries and terms of compensation of company employees, and costs or other financial data concerning any of the foregoing or the company and its operations generally.

Cisco's business and business relationships center on the confidential and proprietary information of Cisco and of those with whom we do business– customers, vendors, and others. Each employee has the duty to respect and protect the confidentiality of all such information. The use of confidential and proprietary information–whether Cisco's or a third party's–is usually covered by a written agreement. In addition to the obligations imposed by that agreement, all employees should comply with the following requirements:

• Confidential information should be received and disclosed only under the auspices of a written agreement.
• Confidential information should be disclosed only to those Cisco employees who need to access it to perform their jobs for Cisco
• Confidential information of a third party should not be used or copied by any Cisco employee except as permitted by the third-party owner (this permission is usually specified in a written agreement)
• Unsolicited third-party confidential information should be refused or, if inadvertently received by a Cisco employee, returned unopened to the third party or transferred to the Legal Department for appropriate disposition

Employees must refrain from using any confidential information belonging to any former employers, and such information must never be brought to Cisco or provided to other Cisco employees.