Words by Abi Scaife
The Corporate Cause section in the Smiley Charity Film Awards is a chance for businesses to demonstrate how they’re giving back. It’s a hugely important and impactful category, allowing us to celebrate their partnerships with charities and causes that benefit our world.
Canon Europe provided the non-profit organisation Amici per il Centrafrica’s project Mama Carla's ‘Anna’ Eye Centre with equipment, so that they are better able to screen and treat eye health in Central Africa.
We caught up with Louise O'Driscoll, the European Marketing Communications Specialist at Canon Europe, to hear more about the work they’re doing to support sight in Central Africa.
In [the] Central African Republic, it’s estimated that 95.5% of blindness could potentially have been prevented or treated. Bangui’s dry climate has been a huge contributor to poor vision conditions such as Paediatric Dry Eye and Glaucoma. With so many children facing undetected vision limitations, it’s imperative that they have access to treatment and this is where Canon has been able to support the community. With enhanced vision, children gain the ability to immerse themselves in a holistic and more accessible approach to learning. This applies to both academic subjects and social skills, offering them a broader range of opportunities to lead a richer and more fulfilling life. Our technology can make a meaningful and life-changing difference to thousands of these children.
Delivering positive social impact lies at the heart of our Kyosei philosophy of living and working together for the common good. To achieve this, we are empowering the next generation and bringing opportunities to those who need it most in our region. We are growing our social impact initiatives, with a focus on education programs and supporting communities. Particularly for brands like ours, such as Canon, which operate across various businesses capable of impacting many aspects of life due to our wide range of services, the combined effect can create monumental impacts on societies. Our diverse portfolio not only allows us to touch lives through multiple channels but also amplifies our potential to drive significant social change.
We think that businesses can maximize their support for a cause by strategically aligning their products and services to address pressing community issues. Recognizing what they can offer to make a meaningful difference should be a crucial part of the social responsibility charter of an organisation.
This approach ensures that their contributions are both impactful and reflective of their commitment to making a lasting difference in the communities they operate.
You can view Canon Europe’s entry into the Smiley Charity Film Awards here on the website. You can learn more about Canon Europe and their work on their website.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
RNIB. This charity offers support to blind and partially sighted people across the UK. Learn more here.
BlindAid. This is London's oldest charity for blind and visually impaired people, working to improve quality of life and promote independence. Support them here.
Guide Dogs UK. Guide Dogs supports and raises awareness for blind and partially sighted people. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Good Health and Wellbeing and Partnerships for the Goals.
