Sripriya Narayanan, a senior product manager at Cisco’s Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) business unit, has been a driving force in integrating sustainability principles into her work. Her journey towards embracing circularity began in her childhood in India, where she was taught the importance of living a simple and sustainable lifestyle. Her interest in sustainability was further strengthened when she moved to the United States and began volunteering with an environmental nonprofit in San Jose. She earned a certification in tree planting and led community groups in tree planting activities across Santa Clara County. Sripriya’s professional and educational journey has been marked by a commitment to sustainability. She began her career as a software engineer at Cisco, where she progressed to a lead engineer and technical leader. She pursued an MBA at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, which has a strong focus on sustainability. Her involvement with the Net Impact Club enabled her to engage with industry influencers and promote sustainable practices. Sripriya transitioned into product management at Cisco, leading the industrial routing portfolio. Her role involves end-to-end management, from defining the product to launching it and engaging with customers. She has been instrumental in developing a series of industrial routers with Circular Design Principles at the core. Sripriya’s approach to incorporating circularity in her role as a product manager has been multifaceted. She has emphasized modular design, which allows for standardization across business units and reduces redesign costs. She has also prioritized Circular Design Principles, inspired by sustainability advocates and her own passion. Some of the benefits of implementing Circular Design Principles include extending product lifetimes, reducing waste and resource usage, and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. By adopting a circular design mindset, businesses can foster innovation without the need to launch new products every few years. Cisco’s Industrial IoT innovations have helped customers transition to more circular models. The company’s solutions underscore energy efficiency and support circular practices, enhancing sustainability in product management. Customers can save the expense of buying new equipment every time their requirements change, eliminating the resources and energy required to create new equipment. In her personal life, Sripriya strives to promote circularity by adopting a minimalist lifestyle. She recommends making conscious choices and recognizing the necessity of purchases, and encouraging others to do the same. Sripriya’s story is a testament to the importance of integrating sustainability principles into one’s work. Her journey has shown that embracing circularity can have a significant impact on reducing waste and promoting responsible living. Sustainable practices, such as reducing, reusing, and recycling, can have a profound impact on the environment. By adopting circular design principles, businesses can reduce their environmental footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future. The benefits of circular design are numerous, and Sripriya’s story is a great example of how it can be applied in industry. By incorporating circularity into one’s work, individuals can make a positive impact on the environment and promote sustainable practices. Sripriya’s commitment to sustainability is an inspiration to others, and her story highlights the importance of integrating sustainability principles into one’s work. Sripriya’s story is a reminder that small actions can add up to make a big difference. By making conscious choices and promoting sustainable practices, individuals can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Cisco Systems Inc. Striving for Sustainability

• Emphasize modular design to reduce waste and resource usage
• Prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability in product design
• Minimize greenhouse gas emissions and promote responsible living

1. Extend product lifetimes
2. Reduce waste and resource usage
3. Minimize greenhouse gas emissions

Sripriya’s journey towards embracing circularity has been marked by a commitment to sustainability. She has been a driving force in integrating sustainability principles into her work, and her story is a testament to the importance of integrating sustainability principles into one’s work.

Sripriya’s story highlights the importance of integrating sustainability principles into one’s work.