LONDON, October 14, 2008 – This year, Canon Europe, world-leader in imaging solutions, and WWF, the global conservation organisation, celebrate 10 years of collaboration in Europe. The anniversary marks Canon Europe’s ongoing commitment to developing sound environmental practices and raising awareness and funds for conservation across the globe.

Canon Europe became the first Conservation Partner for WWF in 1998, and since that time has worked with WWF to specifically tackle global warming and the extinction of endangered species. Through the partnership, Canon Europe provides WWF with funds for conservation and helps to raise awareness through internal and external communications and networking opportunities.

Together WWF and Canon Europe have collaborated on a number of successful initiatives since 1998:

The WWF-Canon Photo Gallery
One of the earliest projects, the WWF-Canon Photo Gallery, was launched in 1999 to digitise the WWF Photo Library. Using Canon support and technology, thousands of images were made available online to the WWF organisation and photographers working for and on behalf of the WWF. This superb collection of pictures, revamped in 2007, is an invaluable communications tool and an ideal way for conveying the WWF’s message.

The WWF-Canon Panda Bus
In 2000, the WWF-Canon Panda Bus, a travelling roadshow to teach children about conservation was launched. Between April and November 2000, the bus toured 13 European cities, including Copenhagen, Dublin, Moscow, Oslo and Paris and was visited by more than 20,000 people across Europe.

The Canon-WWF PAN (Protected Area Network) Parks Programme
Since 2003 this annual conservation scheme has allowed Canon Europe employees to gain ‘hands-on’ experience by contributing to valuable conservation and maintenance efforts.
Based on the network of eight PAN Parks across Europe founded by WWF to protect the continent’s wildlife, the programme is also designed to raise awareness of environmental issues and provide the opportunity for environmentally-minded participants to exchange ideas with their colleagues throughout Europe.

The WWF-Canon Polar Bear Tracker Programme
Launched in 2007, Canon Europe’s support has enabled the tagging of two polar bears in the Svalbard Arctic with radio collars to allow WWF scientists to monitor their positions via satellite. Running alongside the tracking programme is the Canon Kids' Zone, a children’s micro-site which mirrors the WWF Polar Bear Tracker with games and educational content to encourage children aged 7-11 years to make a positive environmental contribution in their own lives.  With an audience of over 35 million people since its launch, the WWF-Canon Polar Bear Tracker Website has become WWF’s most popular micro-site and has been refreshed in 2008 with new and appealing interactive content for children, parents and teachers.

"Canon Europe's collaboration with WWF has been a pioneering example of a company using its expertise to contribute in a sustained and substantial way to helping a global conservation effort," said James Leape, Director General of WWF International.  "We are delighted with the outcomes of this partnership and look forward to further collaboration with Canon."

James Leipnik, Chief of Communication and Corporate Relations at Canon Europe, Middle East & Africa said: “Canon Europe recognises its responsibility for the environment and everyone at Canon Europe feels the importance of addressing climate change and environmental issues.  We are proud of our long partnership with WWF which not only shows our commitment to conservation but also actively contributes to WWF’s actions to stop and, hopefully, reverse the degradation of the planet’s natural environment.”

(Picture: WWF / Fritz Pölking)

Media enquiries, please contact:
Lisa Boustead / Valerie Holloway
Nelson Bostock Communications (on behalf of Canon Europe)
t. +44 (0)20 7229 4400
e. lisa.boustead@nelsonbostock.com / valerie.holloway@nelsonbostock.com

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