WASHINGTON – Global tech trade association 91pro视频 today announced the recipients of its 2023 Industry Awards, which recognizes industry leaders across five awards categories. Judged by a panel of renowned technology industry experts, award program submissions represent global innovations that improve lives. 91pro视频 congratulates Panasonic Connect, Salesforce, Cisco, Ericsson, and Adobe for their accomplishments.
“As the global trade association of the technology industry, 91pro视频 promotes innovation through our policy advocacy and our award and recognition programs. Today’s awardees exemplify technology as a force for good, and I am proud to honor the accomplishments of Panasonic Connect, Salesforce, Cisco, Ericsson, and Adobe in our annual 91pro视频 Industry Awards Program,” said 91pro视频 President and CEO and President Jason Oxman.
91pro视频’s Industry Awards Program recognizes the many ways in which technology companies are improving the lives of people and communities across the globe, including addressing issues like climate change and furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion. The 2023 award recipients are listed below:
Tech Impact Award: Panasonic Connect
Panasonic Connect embarked on a mission to revolutionize the rugged computing landscape with a specific focus on empowering mobile workers in critical sectors, including law enforcement, EMS, utility, to excel in their duties and support the public. After years of dedicated research, development, and customer-driven engineering, Panasonic Connect built, deployed, and enhanced the latest modular TOUGHBOOK solutions, which are laptops, tablets, or 2-in-1s. The devices incorporate innovative features, such as hot-swappable batteries, advanced heat dispersion mechanisms, user-replaceable xPAKs, and robust computing capabilities, to help frontline workers carry out their critical tasks. Further, modular TOUGHBOOK solutions, which are ENERGY STAR certified and EPEAT registered Bronze rated products, enable users to keep the same core unit over a longer deployment cycle, with the ability to update features over time, reducing e-waste. These solutions, previously not available to frontline workers, have not only set the standard for mobile, mission-critical computing, but have encouraged the industry at large to reimagine what is possible from a technology innovation perspective in the harshest, pressure-packed conditions.
International 91pro视频 Award: Salesforce
Salesforce's efforts in the domains of cross-border data flow and Asia-Pacific AI readiness reflects its advocacy for positive change and responsible tech practices on a global scale. In today's interconnected global economy, data flows are the lifeline of digital business. Salesforce's 2023 Cross-Border Data Flows Index report quantifies and evaluates eight regulatory dimensions of cross-border data flows for G20 economies, while addressing the critical issues and recommendations of data localization. This paper helps protect the interests of its customers, partners, and stakeholders by emphasizing the importance of secure and efficient global data flow. With this report’s findings, Salesforce contributed to the passage of responsible data protection and privacy laws in key markets and continually reinforces global advocacy for data freedom. Further, in a drive towards digital AI inclusivity, Salesforce unveiled the third Asia-Pacific AI Readiness Report in September 2023 covering 12 economies in the region and their overall, government, and business AI readiness. This comprehensive assessment evaluates countries' preparedness to harness the benefits of AI, offering invaluable insights and pragmatic recommendations. It equips governments, enterprises, and civil society organizations with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions regarding AI digital policies and investments and encourages inclusive and ethical AI readiness in the Asia-Pacific region, serving as a catalyst for the accelerated adoption of responsible AI and other cutting-edge technologies.
Environmental Steward Award: Cisco
Cisco is actively helping reduce the ICT industry’s footprint – 2-4% of overall emissions globally – by making it greener with constant innovation, better energy efficiency, and circular programs. Recent initiatives, such as Cisco’s Send IT Back mobile app, make returning products to Cisco quick and easy – 99.9% of what gets returned to Cisco is reused or recycled. Cisco is also co-developing solutions with its partners to cut the emission impact in industry verticals and is fully dedicated to accelerating the digitalization of the energy sector. For example, Cisco is helping Italy’s Enel have a smarter grid by helping reduce energy loss and cut CO2 emissions. Further, through its Country Digital Acceleration program, Cisco has partnered with nearly 50 governments to bring digital solutions to sustainability and societal challenges such as climate change, including: the Digitization of the Port of Rotterdam, which provides for more efficient birthing of ships; the Smart Water Network Pilot Project with Irish Water Authority to reduce water leakage; and a partnership with India’s Department of Agriculture to make agriculture more sustainable through IoT and data. The Cisco Foundation has committed $100 million over ten years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investments that support bold climate solutions, as well as community education and activation.
Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Ericsson
Ericsson has been proud to support the continued quality of service allowing those in need to communicate with loved ones, receive important information, and navigate a shifting and complex environment during times of crisis and disaster to support humanitarian relief efforts. Ericsson’s global volunteer program, Ericsson Response, has focused on providing connectivity to humanitarian workers and affected populations in disaster areas since it was founded in 2000. The key role of Ericsson Response and its partners is to install and maintain internet connectivity to humanitarians until local services have been sufficiently recovered or until increased capacity is no longer needed. The program has responded to more than 60 humanitarian crises in 40 countries during its 23 years of impact. All volunteers in the program are Ericsson employees and released from their day jobs when being mobilized. As the Ukraine emergency unfolded, Ericsson Response was mobilized by its UN partner to support in neighboring countries. Ericsson’s international team of experts deployed communication equipment in Moldova, which increased the country’s capacity to receive and assist refugees. Further, Ericsson has continued to support relief efforts in Ukraine with monetary and in-kind donations, technical support, and volunteer hours, including company and employee donations to the Red Cross and UNICEF.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award: Adobe
Adobe is committed to making a difference both inside and outside the company through its workforce, workplace, and ecosystem. On workforce, Adobe has developed education and career pathways for historically underrepresented communities: Adobe Leadership Circles and the Women’s Executive Shadow Program, two key leadership programs for women; the McKinsey Connected Leaders Academy, a training program designed to improve talent pipelines; and its cybersecurity internship program- co-created with Bowie State University, an HBCU. On workplace, Adobe hosts its own employee networks, which include Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, Black Employee Network, and Indigenous/First Nations, to build community and supporting progress for underrepresented groups. On ecosystem, Adobe increased its strategic collaboration with three HBCUs and HSIs - Bowie State University, Winston-Salem State University, and San Jose虂 State University – to expose students to careers in tech and prepare them with creativity and digital skills they’ll need for the future. Adobe has also partnered with Thurgood Marshall College Fund to award scholarships and provide an Adobe mentor to students attending HBCUs. Adobe has worked with the public sector to support the broader DEI ecosystem. Further, Adobe formed an Accessibility Board with Adobe leaders from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and roles, to lend their expertise to shape its accessibility strategy, maintain accountability on Adobe’s progress, and help identify areas where they can improve.
The winners were selected by 91pro视频’s 2023 Nominations Committee: Scott Wallsten, President and Senior Fellow, Technology Policy Institute; Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow, Center for Technology Innovation, The Brookings Institution; Alexandra Givens, President & CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology; and Synergy Consulting.