Contributing to a Society in Harmony with Nature

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Toward the nature- and human-friendly society

Valuable forest resources, biodiversity, and various habitants are disappearing as a result of climate change and overdevelopment globally. Canon recognize that it is important to protect natural environment and biodiversity for the future sustainable society, and we promote conservation activities accordingly.

Policy of biodiversity conservation

Canon recognizes biodiversity as essential for a sustainable society. We carry out various activities to conserve and protect biodiversity under our Biodiversity Policy, which applies to the entire Canon Group.

Biodiversity Policy

Basic Policy

Canon fully recognizes biodiversity as an important basis for a sustainable society, and promotes activities that contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Action Guidelines

Canon strives to conserve biodiversity with consideration for various regional characteristics from a global perspective.
Canon actively works to reduce the impact on biodiversity associated with various business activities, and to conduct social-contribution activities that lead to biodiversity conservation.

Specific Actions

“Utilization of Canon technologies and products for biodiversity conservation” Support for biodiversity conservation activities and projects
“Consideration for biodiversity centered on operational sites” Ascertaining the impact of our business activities on biodiversity, and conservation of animal and plant habitats around operational sites
“Contribution to the realization of a community rich in biodiversity” Promotion of biodiversity conservation activities and educational activities in collaboration with local communities

Global Initiatives to harmonize with Nature

Canon creates various initiatives, like the Bird Branch Project, to conserve the ecosystem and biodiversity.

We introduce our initiatives to harmonize with Nature.

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Canon Bird Branch Project

Installing a nest box

A nest box, observed breeding, at some Canon's site

Canon promotes the Bird Branch Project, which highlights consideration of the biodiversity with focusing on birds. And we are making efforts to raise awareness of biodiversity internally and externally, including greening at our sites which provides natural habitats for birds.
As part of the Bird Branch Project, a wild bird habitat has been created at Canon Global Headquarters in Tokyo, where birdlife is monitored with network cameras and regular bird census are conducted. Moreover we organize seminars and bird watching events to our employees to recognize the nature in our neighborhood.
At other sites than Canon Global Headquarters, we are expanding several initiatives such as bird surveys and conservation of green area. Especially, at our overseas sites such as France and the Netherlands, they corporate with local conservation organization. We plan to increase the number of operating sites where this program is implemented from 22 sites in 2019 to 36 sites by 2021.
We report these activities on our special website. We aim to gain 1 million page viewers of the website by 2022 from current 600,000 page viewers in 2019, by communicating importance of conservation of biodiversity.

Eyes on Yellowstone

Canon U.S.A. contributes funds to the globally renowned Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to support surveillance activities targeting endangered wildlife species.
Specifically, through the research and education program Eyes on Yellowstone, Canon imaging devices are being used for ecological observation with the aim of building a digital image library that can be accessed through the website. These images will serve as educational resources for millions of children worldwide, helping to foster their knowledge of the environment and awareness of the importance of conservation.

Canon Canada Branch Out

Canon Canada’s Branch Out Program gives employees at all levels the opportunity to help create green spaces and sustainable environments in their local communities. Branch Out began as a tree-planting program in 2014, but has evolved to include a wide range of sustainability activities, including cleaning up parks, rivers and shorelines, removing invasive plant species, restoring habitats and constructing turtle shelters. All employees from Canon Canada’s 13 offices, from Toronto to Quebec City and Vancouver, are encouraged to participate, sparing a few hours from their work schedule to volunteer. Since the start of the program, employees have volunteered more than 9,700 hours in 68 locations across the country. Their achievements so far include planting more than 36,000 trees and shrubs, removing 7,000 m³ of non-native vegetation and restoring shoreline. In 2019, Canon Canada was recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers by Canada’s Top 100 Employers Project, a partnership with the Globe and Mail newspaper. Companies who receive this designation are recognized for leading the way in creating cultures of environmental awareness.

Protecting rhinos by our network cameras

Axis Communications, a Canon Group company, has started to collaborate with a NPO to protect rhinos from poachers, and has donated network cameras and horn speakers in South Africa. The cameras use thermal imaging to detect objects and incidents 24/7, even in the dark. Our image identification technology detects suspicious activity and the horn speaker then issues an alert remotely.

Furusato Project—Linking Our Dream to the Future

In Japan, Canon promotes an environmental conservation and environmental education project known as the Furusato Project—Linking Our Dream to the Future, with the aim of passing on a beautiful, verdant, and biologically diverse furusato (hometown) for future generations to enjoy.
Through this project, Canon stakeholders, including employees and their families, customers, and business partners, forge links with NPOs and regional community members across Japan to carry out environmental conservation activities and environmental education programs. To help finance these activities, we promote initiatives closely linked with our business activities, such as donating funds according to the amount of used ink cartridges collected or the volume of paper sold.

Action to protect the marine ecosystem

With the collaboration of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center and local communities, Canon Hi-Tech (Thailand) worked on a project to protect the marine ecosystem by restoring coastal seaweed beds in the Sattahip District of Chonburi Province. A 200-strong team made up of 150 Canon employees and 50 local government employees and community members took part in an operation to restore seaweed beds using a total of around 10,000 individual plants.

Initiatives to Support Continuous Use of Sustainable Forestry Resources

Canon promotes the use of sustainable forestry resources

To help support biodiversity, Canon promotes the use of sustainable forestry resources as the raw materials for paper production within the value chain. We have set procurement policies favoring the purchase of paper products derived from sustainably sourced wood pulp. Moreover, the office paper we sell is made under forest certification schemes or using environmentally conscious raw materials.

Basic Policy on the Procurement of Timber Products

1. Use sustainable forest materials

In its procurement of timber products, the Canon Group uses materials supplied from forest resources managed exclusively for use as timber products.

2. Trace the origin of forest resources used

We seek the cooperation of business partners to ensure the traceability of products throughout the manufacturing process, from the harvest of raw materials onward.

3. Confirm evidence of traceability

Canon works with its business partners to ensure the traceability of materials used in Canon products (or OEM products) and their packaging that are subject to timber product regulations in each country.

Canon Management Standards for Timber Products is here.

Canon Management Standards for Timber Products（20KB）