Environmental Charter
I recently read an article by Garret Browning, a South African psychologist and advocate for planetary health about the devastating effects a mere increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius will have on our lives. But I find myself getting lost in despair when people talk about our demise if they don’t have any solutions. Browning’s words are reassuring and this always makes me read on. He notes that South Africa has embraced the idea that planting more trees will cool sections of our cities by almost one degree Celsius. Then, we all acknowledge that one of the “most profound public health responses to climate change is to ensure our government, institutions and organisations divest from fossil fuels. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions alone could help save seven-million lives annually.”
And this is where KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa (KDZA) can make a significant difference. The KYOCERA Corporation has always been way ahead of its business peers in respecting the world’s finite resources. In fact, in 2018, the Corporation celebrated the 27th anniversary of its Environmental Charter.
This Charter is the cornerstone of our operations in South Africa. I personally find the Charter’s concept of “Co-existence” beautiful, because it ties in with our founder Dr Inamori’s seminal advice: “do the right thing as a human being.”
If we just think about Dr Inamori’s advice every day, the results will be astounding, not only for the environment, but in all our business and personal relations.
I find it useful to recap what we as a Group do to mitigate environmental damage and what we do to add to the world’s construction of positive and effective solutions for our future:
- We endeavour to reduce our packaging, and where possible, develop eco-friendly alternatives.
- We use pollution-reducing engine components.
- We take pride in our creative solar energy systems and high-efficiency fuel cells.
- Our document equipment is designed with fewer disposable parts.
- Our global parent Kyocera Corporation, Japan, has received eight consecutive Japanese Environment Minister’s Awards for ongoing efforts to operate in harmony with our planet’s fragile ecosystems.
I often think of one of our founding corporate mottos: “Respect the Divine and Love People.” We are now moving into an era where we can’t simply conduct business and make money. Our wealth will exponentially expand if we work in reverence of our world and its people
Go Green Team, Go!
Natalie Lombard - Environmental Management Systems Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
