4.Social and Cultural Support as a Good Corporate Citizen
Basic Approach and Policies
Canon's business is founded on the cooperation of people and communities in each country and region where we operate. In line with the Canon Group CSR Activity Policy, Canon seeks to plant roots in local communities as a good corporate citizen while striving to be a company that is admired and respected the world over. Utilizing Canon technology and human resources, our social and cultural support activities have expanded to cover such areas as humanitarian aid and disaster relief, conservation of the environment, social welfare, local communities, education and science, and art, culture and sports.
Disaster Recovery
—Support for post-disaster recovery efforts worldwide
Making a Wish for Recovery
Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, occur worldwide, causing much devastation. As a global company, Canon utilizes its Group network to provide a wide range of support, including relief funds and donation drives, to help disaster-stricken areas recover as quickly as possible.
When it comes to offering assistance, Canon looks closely at local needs and the effectiveness of support efforts to provide timely assistance, while also examining the affect and impact. We also carefully consider how to assist at each stage of recovery when we offer long-term support.
Ongoing Support for Areas Affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake
The deep scars left by the Great East Japan Earthquake, which struck on March 11, 2011, are still visible. Canon donated a total of ¥300 million to support relief efforts for the stricken areas. Group employees additionally collected and donated approximately ¥50 million. Fukushima Canon Inc. also made a donation of ¥100 million to Fukushima Prefecture.
We also engaged in support efforts that put our business strengths to use by donating Canon products useful to recovery in the stricken areas, such as medical devices, including portable digital radiography systems, and digital cameras.
Our Group companies are also involved in support for rebuilding communities; for example, by offering photographic print services as means of providing needed emotional support to victims. In addition, we assist and participate in the recovery support efforts of NPOs and industry associations.
Michi no Cafe provides photo printing services to people living in stricken areas
A photography class held at a children's center in a disaster-stricken area
Canon supports the Signal of Hope Project to assist reconstruction and revival of the Tohoku fishing industry
Charity Efforts for Disaster-Stricken Regions Worldwide
Many places around the world faced natural disasters in 2011, including the flooding in Thailand, which had economic consequences internationally, floods in Brazil, earthquakes in New Zealand and Turkey, and tropical storm damage in the Philippines. Canon provided assistance after each of these disasters through donations to the Red Cross and similar organizations.
Support for New Zealand earthquake victims
Bright Future for Children
—Educational assistance for children in Asia
Poverty remediation is an urgent issue in emerging and developing countries. The education of children is an important aspect of this issue, constituting a vital mission for all of society, because children are the future.
In light of this, since 2007 Canon Vietnam has been continuously engaged in projects for improving the educational environment for children in economically disadvantaged areas, as well as conducting health examinations. We also launched the For a Bright Future scholarship program for local schools in 2010. In addition to providing scholarship funds to a total of about 900 students at six schools over the past two years, we also donated Canon printers and scanners to the schools.
In China, Canon Dalian Business Machines has since 1995 supported the funding of the Project Hope lead by the China Youth Development Foundation, and has been proceeding with the construction of Hope Schools for primary school students unable to attend school for economic reasons. Canon China and Canon Suzhou have also joined in, and to date, nine schools have been built in China.
In addition to support for building schools, Canon offers photography classes at the Hope Schools, and conducts photo exchange projects with primary schools from around Asia.
In November 2011, an exhibition of photos by children participating in Asia photo exchange projects was held at the Canon China showroom in Guangzhou.
For a Bright Future ceremony
Photography class at a Hope School
Resolving International Issues
—Assisting refugee support organizations
Wars, conflicts, human rights violations and natural disasters around the world are continuously forcing people to leave their homes. Canon supports the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to aid refugees through Japan Association for UNHCR, which serves as the official recipient of donations from the private sector.
In 2011, Canon contributed to the 6th UNHCR Refugee Film Festival in Tokyo, an event organized by the UNHCR Representation in Japan to raise awareness of the problems of the world's refugees and spark consideration of how to resolve them, reprising our role as a main sponsor.
Canon also provided cameras and produced panels for the public relations campaign on a mission to Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal, and offered support to a photo exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of UNHCR, entitled Transit held in Switzerland.
Transit photo exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of UNHCR. ©UNHCR/Jean-Marc Ferré
