DUE DILIGENCE ON BEIRUT'S NOMINEE FOR THE

UNCLAS BEIRUT 000895

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EEB/EPPD SMITH-NISSLEY
NEA/ELA ALLEN, NEA/RA MCCLOUD
COMMERCE FOR LOUSTAUNAU, SAMS, WIEGLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT BEXP ECON ELAB ETRD KSEP SENV LE
SUBJECT: DUE DILIGENCE ON BEIRUT'S NOMINEE FOR THE
SECRETARY OF STATE'S 2009 AWARD FOR CORPORATE EXCELLENCE

REF: STATE 78538


1. (SBU) The following are answers to the due diligence
questions posed in reftel:
A) Post sees no risk of U.S. embarrassment resulting from the
selection of Cisco for the Secretary's Award for Corporate
Excellence. Many of Cisco's Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) activities in Lebanon were part of the "Partnership for
Lebanon" initiative established after the 2006 war between
Hizballah and Israel with the encouragement of the USG.

B) Cisco's CSR activities led to job creation in the U.S. as
those activities are supported by Cisco and NGO employees in
the U.S. who were recruited specifically to carry them out.

C) Cisco, one of the leading U.S. technology providers,
believes its international CSR activities have boosted its
brand image and hence international demand for its products,
which have more than 60% U.S. content.

D) Cisco abides by local labor laws everywhere it operates,
including in Lebanon, though its small staff here is not
unionized.

E) There is no litigation pending in Lebanese courts
involving Cisco.

F) Embassy,s Chief of Mission and officers involved in the
nominating process do not hold shares of stock or have
financial interests in Cisco.
SISON