Bengaluru : Marking its commitment towards community development, Canon India celebrated three years of successful involvement in its sixth adopted village, at Annadodi in Karnataka, under its flagship CSR initiative, ‘Adopt a Village’. Through its 4Es CSR policy, Canon India is continuously working towards building self-reliance and creating sustainable impact in the village across four key areas–Education, Eye Care, Environment and Empowerment, along with making significant infrastructure developments.
The flagship ‘Adopt a Village’ initiative was launched in 2012, through which Canon India undertakes the task of overall development of the villages across North, East, West, and South India for a certain period for the holistic development of the society. At present, Canon India has a total of four adopted villages which includes Nandrampur Bass in Haryana, Parivali in Maharashtra, Annadodi in Karnataka and Kalyanpur in Kolkata.
Manabu Yamazaki, President & CEO, Canon India visited the village to map the progress and interact with the community members. Speaking on the third-year milestone, he said, “At Canon India, we believe that investing in the holistic development of villages is an important cornerstone towards building a self-reliant nation. Empowering villages with essential skills, education, and access to basic necessities not only uplifts their lives but also strengthens our collective future. The flagship ‘Adopt a Village ‘initiative and our journey with Annadodi village, stands as a testament to this belief as seen in the smiles of the children and spirit of the villagers. By nurturing self-sufficiency and fostering comprehensive growth, we endeavor to pave the way for a resilient India that thrives on the strengths of every community. Seeing the beneficial influence on the village further reinforces our belief that businesses can indeed help shape a better future for communities. We will continue our journey with unwavering dedication to create a positive impact in the lives of people in this village and beyond.” He added.
Improving the quality of education as part of its 4Es policy, Canon India’s endeavors have ensured enrolment of 678 students at the Resource Centre, benefiting from remedial education. Besides, Canon has also made notable infrastructural advancements in the school premises, including establishment of hygienic water stations and renovation of separate toilets for boys and girls. Furthermore, imparting skill-based training, 422 beneficiaries have benefited from computer training as well as tailoring courses. The establishment of a ‘Vision Center’ has enabled over 5000 community people until now through regular eye camps and check-ups. Lastly, driving efforts towards creating a green environment, nearly 600 trees have been planted, and village residents are continuously being engaged in cleanliness drives to ensure awareness about keeping their surroundings clean. Further, solar panels along with solar streetlights have been installed for the continuous supply of electricity.
Canon India’s CSR endeavours are driven by their corporate philosophy of ‘Kyosei’, which indicates the ‘spirit of living and working together for the common good’, which is considered foremost in the organization’s way of working and day-to-day operations. However, their definition of the word is much broader and encompasses “all people-regardless of their race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together for the common good.
