Educating for the SDGs: How Canon uses technology for SDG4
Through the Canon Young People Programme, Louise O’Driscoll, Adam Pensotti, and their team at Canon empower young people to share their stories through encouraging self-expression and running creative storytelling workshops.
Living and working together for the common good in order to contribute to worldwide prosperity and happiness — the philosophy of Kyosei has been upheld by Canon since 1988. As a global technology company, Canon enables people to tell stories through its products — especially young people from marginalised communities — through the Canon Young People Programme, a programme that connects Canon’s world-class photographers together with communities to orchestrate the challenges and inspiring stories of those uniting for the SDGs through workshops, panels, and exhibitions.
Having collaborated with over fifty non-profit partners through the programme, Canon has been entrusted with uncovering the untold narratives of communities at the forefront of issues, including gender equality, climate change, and wildlife conservation. Noteworthy editions of the program included a six-month workshop in Jordan at the Zaatari refugee camp.
This year, Canon extended its reach by taking to the United Nations Least Developed Countries Conference and the SDG Action Awards in Rome with interactive photography workshops that tested the limits of bringing education into decision-making spaces.
“Creating impact through education is a great opportunity for change and resonates with the Unite to Act message.” — Louise O’Driscoll, Canon EMEA Sustainability Communications Specialist
“It is only through collaboration that we can make a difference.” — Adam Pensotti, Head of the Canon Young People Programme and EMEA Social Initiatives
We spoke with Louise O’Driscoll and Adam Pensotti about how they are uniting to act to advance SDG 4: Quality Education, and what future opportunities they see that will be critical to SDG action:
Zooming in on one priority, what challenge speaks to Canon’s social impact initiatives the most and how are you uniting to act for the SDGs?
AP: In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Canon places a strong emphasis on SDG 4 — Quality Education. We achieve this by driving social impact through the Canon Young People Programme and wider social initiatives. As a global technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of imaging products such as cameras, lenses, and printers, we feel a responsibility to ensure our products are used to tell stories that matter to sustainable development. We empower individuals to narrate stories about their surroundings. Additionally, through the Canon Ambassador programme, we collaborate directly with world-class storytellers. Our commitment to social impact education programs enables us to extend this knowledge and technology to young individuals in marginalized communities within our region. This empowers them to share their own stories with the world, thereby enhancing our collective understanding of the challenges they face.
This year marks the half-way point to Agenda 2030 and yet indicators show that progress on the SDGs is lagging. Only about 12% of the Goals are currently on track while close to 50% are moderately or severely off track. What do you want to see happen right now in your sector that can contribute to inverting this negative trend and putting us back on the right path?
AP: The SDGs provide the perfect framework for change, but it is only through collaboration that we can make the difference. As Canon we are investing in education for the most disadvantaged places including schools, communities and refugee camps we are investing in the next generation of changemakers. Through collaboration with our NGO partners across more than twenty-five countries we make education more accessible to those from the less developed countries in our region — enabling all voices to be heard in this challenge. As we expand our initiatives, we enable more young people to share the challenges they face today, and tomorrow.
Which individual or initiative inspires you to take action and continue to work towards a better future for all
LO: I felt inspired during a recent interaction with the Canon Young Champion finalists at the Global Good Awards. Twelve-year-old Ethan Hill from Alabama shared his mission to help the unhoused, using his savings to provide essential supplies and even creating a mobile store from a customised trailer, offering vital items free of charge. Pear Chotbunwong, the Under 21’s Canon Young Champion for 2023, spoke about her non-profit H.E.R. (Health. Equity. Respect), distributing over ten thousand reusable pads to women across five countries through strategic partnerships. Addressing crucial global issues, these young leaders, including Pear, unite organisations and emphasise progress interconnecting SDG 3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG 5 (gender equality). They make impact on the ground but also advocate online, amplifying awareness and shining a light on the considerable impact individuals can make when they raise their voice.
What are the novel trends and opportunities that you think will be game-changing for SDG action?
LO: Creating impact through education is a great opportunity for change and resonates with the Unite to Act message. As a global community we need to support local groups like social enterprises and community youth centres. These organisations offer safe spaces for development. Through prioritising safe spaces for learning, we can contribute to tackling inequalities and building sustainable livelihoods.
This is something we are passionate about at Canon. The Canon Young People Programme applies art, creativity, photography, and writing as tools to encourage the amplification and awareness of youth voices on critical topics. We bring young people together with photographers, teachers and Non-profits, working with leading events and brands to challenges sectoral divides.
For many, the quest for an equitable and sustainable future starts from within. What has been a key turning point in your life? What have you learned from this that gives you hope for the current turning point we find ourselves in?
LO: I believe purpose is driven by realisations we live through. Early in my career I worked on an assignment documenting youth services and community spaces and submitted video clips as evidence in funding bids for community services. This experience taught me that imaging can be used as more than an art form and can be instrumental in creating evidence that can be used to secure funding and spread awareness.
If we can convey important messages through creative methods, whilst respecting those we work with, then imaging can serve as a catalyst for change, spotlighting the SDG’s and influencing decision-making. At a crucial moment in the 2030 agenda, I think we need persistence, and we need to feel inspired. Younger generations and creativity both have great value here. Within my network, I witness changemakers emerging, bouncing back from failure, and trying new avenues to inspire others to act. This gives me great hope at this turning point.
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