Canon's corporate philosophy of living and working together for the common good-kyosei-has fostered numerous sustainability projects across Asia and the world.
This philosophy, rooted in the belief that all people, regardless of culture, customs, language, or race, can live and work together harmoniously, drives Canon's commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
Canon's broad vision of sustainable living covers reducing CO2 emissions, efficient resource use, biodiversity restoration and promoting social good.
From tree planting to solar energy installation, Canon staff are taking action to broaden the concept of sustainability by restoring balance to communities in diverse ways.
In Thailand, Canon staff have planted 106 trees in Bangkok's Benjakitti Park, enriching biodiversity with fruit-bearing trees and medicinal plants. These trees not only enhance the park's beauty but also provide food for local birdlife and offer educational opportunities for the community to learn about natural remedies.
In India, Canon has adopted four villages, installing solar panels and streetlights to combat frequent power outages that disrupt daily life. The solar panels provide a reliable and efficient alternative to battery-run or fuel-guzzling power generators, improving the quality of life for households and schools.
In Malaysia, over 9,000 trees have been planted across several states, including Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, and Selangor. These trees comprise mangroves, fruit trees, indigenous species, and towering shade trees, all of which contribute to ecological balance and foster biodiversity.
Canon's holistic approach to social responsibility reflects its commitment to the kyosei philosophy, striving to create opportunities and improve lives.
In India, Canon has opened vision care centres in several villages to provide eye examinations and reduce the incidence of cataracts.
To date, over 6,000 people have visited these vision care centres, with 640 receiving free eyeglasses and 188 patients referred for hospital treatment. These initiatives address critical health needs and improve the quality of life for rural communities.
Over in Vietnam, Canon has been running the Canon Friendship School Chain Project since 2007 to improve the learning environment for children. The project has built schools and furnished them with desks, chairs, and educational supplies. In 2023, Canon opened the project's 51st school in the mountainous region of northeastern Vietnam.
Sustainability does not just happen outdoors; it is achieved in the workplace as well.
Canon's "Green Platform" is a comprehensive framework that integrates eco-friendly approaches and technologies across all stages of the product lifecycle, from design and production to reuse and recycling.
By utilizing its "Green Platform" and innovative simulation tools, Canon continuously reduces energy consumption and environmental impact in its business operations, ensuring a more sustainable and harmonious future.
Thanks to energy-saving technologies in office equipment, Canon products achieved cumulative energy savings of 7,047GWh between 2013 and 2023. This achievement is expected to result in a CO2 reduction of 3,184,000 tons. (Source: Canon Sustainability Report 2024)
Canon's imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C3900F series of multifunction office devices use less electricity than previous models, placing it among the industry's top performers in typical energy consumption (TEC).
Resource efficiency, another pillar of Canon's environmental strategy, aligns with the kyosei philosophy through the promotion of the 3Rs-reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Canon has revamped its product development process to be resource-efficient from the start. For example, the latest Canon professional camera lenses like the RF600mm and RF800mm are 70 per cent lighter than their predecessors. This reduces raw material consumption and recycling burdens.
Canon operates five global recycling sites where it engages in closed-loop recycling of toner and inkjet cartridges as well as remanufacturing office devices. This comprehensive approach to resource efficiency ensures that valuable materials are reused and recycled, minimizing waste.
In collaboration with the National Library Board (NLB), Canon Singapore is launching a new recycling programme.
Between August to September 2024, newly designed recycling boxes will be progressively placed at the National Library Building and four regional libraries in Jurong, Punggol, Tampines and Woodlands. The public can deposit any brand of used ink and toner cartridges, which will then be sorted into their component materials and recycled.
This collaboration with NLB will provide the public with a network of convenient drop-off points across the island. The number of participating libraries will increase in coming months.
Globally, Canon has recovered 46,023 tons of plastics from used products for recycling as raw materials and directly reused another 37,155 tons of products and parts since 2008.
Canon's commitment to sustainability and community engagement has earned it numerous accolades, including the Energy Star Award for energy conservation and the EcoVadis Sustainability Rating for overall sustainability practices. The UK-based non-profit organisation CDP recently recognised Canon with an A score for transparency and leadership in climate change initiatives.
Despite the challenges posed by current economic, resource, and environmental factors, Canon remains steadfast in its mission to overcome these barriers and advance toward a future of shared happiness and prosperity.
By fostering good relations with customers, communities, governments, and the environment, Canon aims to fulfil its social responsibilities and contribute to global prosperity and the well-being of humankind.
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