Olympus 2008 Annual Report Download - page 24

CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
> The Olympus Group clarified its stance on corporate social
responsibility (CSR) by formulating the Olympus Group
Corporate Conduct Charter and the Olympus Group Code
of Conduct. These offer guidance in putting into practice
in day-to-day operations the principles embodied in our
“Social IN” (“Social Value in the Company”) manage-
ment philosophy and in fulfilling our CSR objectives.
We have also established a CSR Division and a Quality
and Environment Administration Division, which work to
promote CSR initiatives across the Group and to foster
business operations based on respect for involvement
with people, harmony with the environment and good
relations with communities. Since its founding, Olympus
has been engaged in manufacturing activities that
contribute to people’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
We devise products that create value from the customer’s
perspective and demonstrate our strong awareness of the
importance of quality assurance.
Olympus conducts business activities based on human
dignity, eliminating discrimination in the workplace. With
this in mind, Olympus established an Olympus Human
Rights and Labor Policy to thoroughly advocate human
rights, provide working environments that respect the
individual and foster each employee’s skill development by
showing concern for their health and safety. Together with
this, we will create workplaces where each employee can
acquire knowledge, where technological capabilities can
be improved and where the values society demands can be
offered.
A Day in the Life of Africa (DITLA) Photo Exhibition in 2008.
Olympus drew up its Basic Environmental Plan as
part of its 2006 Corporate Strategic Plan to introduce
ISO 14001 environmental management systems at all
Olympus manufacturing sites in Japan and overseas. We
are also working to reduce the environmental impact of
our products, while promoting our range of Eco-Products.
Furthermore, Olympus produces nature-photo calendars
and donates the proceeds to WWF Japan as a way of sup-
porting environmental conservation activities.
> The Group contributes to society by offering safe, secure
and highly efficient medical equipment through its busi-
nesses. In addition, the Group is highly aware of its social
responsibility as a leading endoscope company. In this
light, we have held the “BRAVE CIRCLE” colorectal cancer
awareness campaign since 2007 to promote colorectal
cancer detection and diagnosis and to reverse a disease
rate that has been increasing in Japan in recent years.
To raise awareness of this type of cancer detection and
as a way of reducing as far as possible the number of
cancer fatalities, the Group energetically promotes the
campaign’s wide-ranging enlightenment activities. We will
make continuous efforts to extend our activities to develop
them to the social level.
Furthermore, we participated in a project commenced
in 2002, for which photographers of worldwide renown
take pictures of the reality of people’s lives in Africa to
give their full support to the establishment of the AIDS
Education Fund in Africa. Called “A Day in the Life of
AFRICA,” Olympus took part in the event as an official
sponsor and photographic equipment supplier to extend
its own all-out support. We donate all revenues from a
photo exhibition, first held in Tokyo in 2003, to the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the purpose
of attaining its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
which set targets for international society to address
such issues as eradicating poverty and starvation, and
implementing universal primary education. Since then, we
have continued to hold photo exhibitions throughout the
world in cooperation with NGOs and NPOs, including the
UN agencies. The Olympus Group will strive to publicize
the international issues of the MDGs as a company that
gives its wholehearted support to and participates in the
UN-driven Global Compact.
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