In recent years, the circumstances surrounding us have been changing drastically. There are now a large number of global social and environmental issues that we need to surmount, including responses to natural disasters and new infectious diseases.

In this situation, it is increasingly necessary for companies to resolve social issues through their businesses. Reflecting this, the public is paying more attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) every year. I feel that it is more and more significant to integrate doing good for society and the environment into business strategies. Management executives are renewing their awareness of the significance of incorporating the SDGs and ESG into management and achieving sustainable growth together with society.

The Canon Marketing Japan Group has been seeking to resolve social issues through business and help build a sustainable society based on our corporate philosophy, Kyosei (coexistence). In our Long-Term Management Objectives (2021-2025) announced in April 2021, our vision is to create a "professional corporate group that solves social and customer issues using ICT and the power of humans."

For example, the work style reform aimed at addressing labor shortage and at increasing productivity has gathered momentum, and so did teleworking and the establishment of satellite offices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for the information technology (IT) supporting these developments is always growing. We will provide high value-added businesses that meet IT needs which are becoming more advanced and diverse through comprehensive support based on collaboration using IT solutions and Canon products.

Sudden natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, typhoons and tsunami are difficult to predict and their danger has been growing in recent years. To address serious damage, we propose imaging solutions based on the camera and optical technologies developed in Canon's founding business. We will provide support to ensure safety in many different ways. For example, we propose real-time monitoring to detect the overflow of rivers and irrigation canals and systems for the visualization of landslide disaster risks.

To resolve environmental issues that can directly damage us, including global warming and marine plastic pollution, we will work not only to reduce our own CO₂ emissions but to reduce the CO₂ emissions of our customers and society using IT solutions and Canon products as a whole. We are seeking to build a society that champions both fulfilling lifestyles and the global environment.

Thus, we will create high value-added businesses to solving social problems, help realize a sustainable society and achieve growth together with customers. We believe that this is what we should aim to be like in society.