Coordinated pro bono programs often struggle to take root throughout the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. The disparate laws and customs across countries create challenges when it comes to growing pro bono at scale.

Kedian Goode, Senior Corporate Counsel, felt otherwise. “It’s often difficult navigating challenges in countries like Germany, Italy, France where pro bono isn’t fully embedded into the legal systems, but nothing’s impossible when you work with a great team of highly motivated lawyers and business professionals,” she says. The London-based Goode, Cisco’s pro bono lead for EMEA, assembled an equally motivated team to create partnerships with law firms, community interest groups, charities and other organizations that have enabled Cisco’s pro bono activities across the region.

“We started from the ground up, going from having zero projects a year and a half ago to participating in multiple projects across several countries,” Goode says. “There are many areas where you can get tapped into pro bono work, such as helping social enterprises and grassroots organizations. Pro bono opportunities are not just steeped in any space or any discipline of law. They’re everywhere,” shares Goode. Working with partners, the team has successfully helped three UK clients earn citizenship, and two French clients achieve refugee status.

Similar work is ongoing in Italy, where the team—along with a partner law firm and a nongovernmental organization—created a legal advocacy program for high school students on cybercrime. Morgana Rapetti Sabbione, Cisco’s pro bono ambassador for Italy, shared recently “I am very grateful to be one of the Pro Bono Ambassadors for Italy so I can help people in need find their path and make a lasting impact beyond my everyday job at Cisco. What impresses me most about Italy’s volunteers is the kindness and sense of human connection which grows in these interactions, both for us volunteers and the people helped."

These bonds have forged tighter collaboration across EMEA country borders among the volunteers. Annick De Waele, executive sponsor for the EMEA pro bono program, is pleased with the team’s results in EMEA. “I am so grateful for all the effort put in by this entire team. Together, they are charting a course for generating immense impact in EMEA. We will continue to build on this foundation to ensure that our pro bono clients continue to be supported,” De Waele noted.

Published October 2024