Canon Q&A: Circularity, Conservation & Net Zero Emissions

Canon is continuing to strengthen its leadership in imaging and advanced technology, supporting individuals, businesses and industries as the world embraces a more sustainable and responsible future.

Building on decades of expertise in cameras, printers, copiers, medical equipment and cutting-edge nanoimprint lithography systems, the company is driving innovation and social impact through environmentally conscious practices and trusted global partnerships.

As Sustainability & Government Affairs Director for Canon EMEA, Peter Bragg leads the strategic oversight of environmental, sustainability, regulatory compliance and social impact programmes across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa. 

His role focuses on developing impactful strategies, driving transformational change and delivering successful business outcomes in these critical areas.

With extensive international experience across multiple regions and industries, Peter brings deep insight into creating sustainable business models and fostering initiatives that align with Canon’s philosophy.

Peter shares his insights with Sustainability Magazine.

How is Canon using its expertise to address global challenges?

We operate under the corporate philosophy of 'Kyosei', which means living and working together for the common good. 

We believe that imaging can reveal what is unseen and drives a true responsibility to protect our planet. 

Leveraging technology helps us address global challenges to actively enable scientific breakthroughs and accelerate conservation initiatives. 

One way we are bringing this to life is through our ‘Coral Matchmarking’ partnership with Nature Seychelles (NS) and Coral Spawning International (CSI), where Canon is providing advanced imaging tools, such as EOS R System cameras and specialised macro lenses, to CSI to assist with their research in coral propagation. 

These tools are precisely monitoring and documenting the coral breeding process, capturing previously unseen details of coral spawning events. 

This helps researchers to more accurately monitor and optimise controlled reproduction, predict spawning cycles and ultimately breed more resilient coral species. 

What are Canon's sustainability pillars?

Our sustainability efforts are built upon three core pillars, each vital to achieving our ambitious goals:

Firstly, we have our commitment to Net Zero and Emission Reduction. 

We understand the urgency of climate action, which is why we've committed to a significant 50% reduction in lifecycle CO₂ emissions per product by 2030, in alignment with the Paris Agreement. 

Canon is well on track, having already achieved a cumulative 44.6% reduction since 2008. 

We're already seeing tangible progress, with double-digit reductions in both categories last year. 

This pillar is about transforming our operations and manufacturing processes to significantly lower our carbon footprint, moving us steadily towards net zero.

Secondly, our focus is on circularity and sustainable product design. 

We believe that true sustainability means keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible and that starts at the design stage.

We're continually investing in R&D to create products with longer lifespans and improved end-of-life strategies. 

This isn't just theory; it's tangible actions like our successful toner cartridge takeback schemes and offering remanufactured and refurbished devices. 

Our pioneering recycling partnership in the UK & Ireland, which has diverted more than 33 tonnes of waste from landfill in its first year, further exemplifies this commitment to a closed-loop system.

Finally, we recognise that we cannot achieve these goals alone, which leads to our third pillar: Collaborative industry leadership. 

Sustainable solutions require collective action. 

We work alongside regulatory authorities, scientific communities and other industry stakeholders to develop transition frameworks, contribute to regulatory discussions and establish realistic implementation timelines that balance environmental protection with innovation needs. 

This collaborative spirit ensures that we're not just setting standards for ourselves, but helping to raise them across the entire industry.

How can these pillars be used for positive environmental outcomes?

Canon's sustainability pillars are used for positive environmental outcomes in two key ways. 

Firstly, they ensure responsible internal practices, leading to operational impact reduction (e.g, lower carbon emissions, efficient resource use, circular economy principles). 

Secondly, beyond internal measures, we are extending our commitment by actively leveraging our core expertise in imaging technology and providing tools for environmental innovation. 

Technological innovations are central for positive environmental outcomes, for example, Canon’s proprietary TR-A100 Raman plastic analyser dramatically boosts recycling efficiency. 

This tech capability is then amplified through strategic collaborations, like its partnership with Waterloo Business Management, which has successfully diverted substantial waste from landfills, demonstrating accelerated circularity. 

Beyond direct operations, Canon plays a pivotal role in industry coalitions, such as DIGITALEurope, using its technical expertise to drive systemic change and establish practical environmental timelines across sectors. 

This collaborative, tech-driven approach extends to urgent biodiversity efforts. 

Our coral conservation campaign leverages Canon's advanced camera technology, combined with expert partnerships, to capture crucial data for accelerated coral restoration. 

This holistic strategy, underpinned by continuous innovation and a commitment to Kyosei, ensures that Canon's core imaging expertise consistently contributes to tangible, accelerated environmental outcomes.

Can products and services support conservation and if so, how?

Yes, products and services can profoundly support conservation. 

Canon’s focus on extending the life of products directly reduces the need for new raw materials and minimises waste.

This benefits conservation by lessening the environmental impact associated with extraction and manufacturing as well as reducing the pressure on natural resources. 

Therefore, ensuring products are well maintained and can be remanufactured can support resource conservation.  

Canon also provides expertise and financial investment, acting as a crucial enabler for detailed observation and documentation, thus transforming its products and services into direct instruments for scientific breakthroughs and global conservation.

Why are corporate-led conservation projects essential?

Corporate-led conservation projects are essential because they bring together diverse expertise and resources that single entities often cannot achieve alone. 

Taking the Coral conservation project as an example, corporate involvement (like Canon's) contributes cutting-edge technology, equipment and financial investment, which acts as a crucial enabler for detailed observation and documentation. 

This combines Canon’s resources with CSI’s research and Nature Seychelles’ local community. 

This synergy enables a multi-faceted, impactful approach to conservation, driving groundbreaking advancements in addressing complex environmental challenges. 

As a result, this can create scalable models and can inspire wider action by moving beyond just hitting internal targets to actively deploy core expertise for tangible contributions.