For technology companies, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has evolved from simple charitable activities to integrated strategies embedded in brand DNA. Canon, the Japanese imaging giant, has consistently pursued this model for more than a decade through its Young People Programme. The eleventh edition of the Polish edition of this project, known as ‘To We Create the World’, is currently underway. The initiative, currently present in 36 countries and carried out in cooperation with more than 40 partners, is an example of how a technology concern can combine the promotion of its solutions with education about the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This year’s autumn series of workshops confirms Canon’s focus on substantive quality, involving recognised market practitioners. The October sessions, organised in Kwidzyn and Roskosz, were attended by a total of 30 participants. Young students of the visual arts worked under the guidance of leading documentary filmmakers Marcin Jamkowski and Piotr Małecki. The presence of mentors of this class signals that the programme goes beyond learning how to use the equipment. A key element of the training is the development of storytelling skills and the visual sensibility needed to address important social issues.
The educational dimension of the project was enhanced by the presence of Katarzyna Sykurska, 4CE Sustainability Manager at Canon Poland. Her talk set the workshop activities in the broader context of Agenda 2030, pointing to the role of images in documenting climate change and social inequalities. This is a direct reference to the corporate philosophy of Kyosei, meaning living and working for the common good, which determines the direction of the company’s CSR activities. Andrzej Szypulski was also a special guest, sharing his experience in creating engaging photographic projects.
Canon’s strategy is for continuity and diversity of themes. The next stage of the programme is a meeting scheduled for 20 November at the Orientarium in Łódź. The choice of location is not coincidental – the workshop is to refer to the brand’s global projects related to the protection of coral reefs, moving the discussion about ocean ecosystems to the local ground.
Since the launch of the global programme in 2015, the initiative has reached out to thousands of young people, becoming a platform for the exchange of ideas on climate, diversity and responsibility. The Polish edition stands out from this with its consistency in building bridges between the professional documentary community and the generation entering the labour market. The results of this year’s work, including film reports and interviews, have been made available to the general public, providing evidence that technology in the hands of conscious filmmakers can be a catalyst for real social change.
