Canon UK & Ireland awarded tenth place in the Sunday Times Best Green Companies 2010

The Green List 2010 highlights the top 60 UK companies that are at the forefront of making real environmental change within their organisation.  The survey takes account of the views of employees – who get to rate their organisation’s green credentials – as well as assessing the environmental performance, policies and practices of businesses.

Scoring 81% in the staff survey, Canon UK & Ireland employees are well aware of the importance of environmental responsibilities within the company. 81% state that they have received adequate environmental training; 86% understand what IS0 14001* is; and 87% believe that Canon’s green credentials are becoming more important to its customers.

Most employees consider the environment as part of an everyday consideration of the company (79%) and they are encouraged to minimise their individual impact on the environment both at home and in the office. For example, instead of bins by employees’ desks, there are central recycling points for paper, cardboard and plastics, as well as battery recycling points for both personal and work use. A free private coach runs from the train station to Canon’s office in Woodhatch, Surrey, making it easier for staff to travel by public transport. Throughout 2010, the company is also replacing its entire company vehicle fleet with low-emission VW Golf BlueMotion estates for staff that need to use cars for site visits. The company also offers the government led ‘Cycle to Work Scheme’, meaning that employees can purchase bikes and safety equipment for both work and leisure use, tax-free.

Canon UK and Ireland has invested more than £27 million in the building and furnishing of its headquarters in Surrey. Featuring water-saving kitchen devices, low-flush urinals and photovoltaic panels, the purpose-built head office is eco-friendly, with energy conservation and minimal environmental impact being key factors in its construction. The surrounding parkland is also now home to a hive of bees, which is managed by a local bee keeper.