It is known as green print to that printing activity that is carried out in a less polluting way. also makes reference to the commitment of manufacturers in the printing industry to modify their processes to reduce their carbon footprint. Different elements come into play in sustainable printing: from the ink used and the materials to the technology itself.
One of the big companies in this sector and one that demonstrates the most commitment to the environment is Canon. To learn in detail what the brand is doing in terms of sustainability, we have spoken with María Jesús Arroyo, Product Manager of Canon Spain.
MuyPymes: What have been the most outstanding initiatives of Canon to support sustainable printing?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: At Canon we work under the philosophy kyosei (live and work together for the common good), we believe in the power of image to transform our world and strive to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for a more sustainable present and future.
At the product level, we rely on the CO2 emissions index linked to the life cycle of our products and we set ourselves the global objective of reducing it, on average, by 3% per year. The measures implemented have allowed us to successfully exceed this objective and place ourselves at an average reduction of 4.7% in the period 2008-2019 (this represents an accumulated reduction of 37.7%). Our objective is to maintain this trend, which would mean a reduction of approximately 50% in the emissions associated with the life cycle of our products by 2030.
In addition, at Canon we are committed to remanufacturing, through our series of printers imageRUNNER ADVANCE EQ80. This model meets the most demanding qualities, helping companies achieve their sustainability goals, while offering the levels of reliability and quality of Canon’s latest generation equipment.
The result of research and development work undertaken over the last two decades, the EQ80 range has been designed so that organizations actively contribute to the consolidation of a circular economy, without neglecting its integration into a workspace adapted to the printing and scanning needs of each company.
MuyPymes: Why Canon technology could be described as ‘green’?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: The company is well aware of the importance of business initiatives in the field of sustainability and the great help that multinationals and sectors take to launch initiatives that take care of the planet. Sustainability is much more than a commitment to the environment, it is present in the viability of business. Currently, more consumers are choosing to request services and products from companies capable of demonstrating their social responsibility.
At Canon, we are reducing the environmental impact of our operations and our customers by using materials for longer and reducing the waste generated by changing the way we use materials in our products, consumables, packaging and operations. For example, when we talk about our aforementioned range of remanufactured products EQ80; each kit is built using 80% by weight of existing components, contributing to the circular economy.
In addition, through remanufacturing, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions derived from various aspects of manufacturing by up to 80%. And it is that if we analyze how the carbon footprint is generated in the world of printing, we see that 40% comes from the use of products in the office and the majority, up to 60%, comes from the extraction of raw materials, manufacture of parts, assembly and transportation of products. And this is where the EQ80 equipment is playing a very important role.
MuyPymes: How can you combine printing with sustainability in a company?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: At Canon we conceive printing, under the Smart printing model, this means that, each time, it prints in a smarter and more efficient way. In addition, this concept implies an integration of printing with information management processes through cloud solutions and collaborative work tools.
In this sense, Canon is a technological partner that supports and helps companies in this sustainable transition. We accompany them throughout the process and offer them the tools that best meet their needs, thinking of approaching business models that are much more respectful of the planet.
MuyPymes: What differentiates remanufactured printing products from reconditioned ones?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: Remanufacturing is not limited to recovering second-hand devices and giving them a coat of paint, but it takes devices and rebuilds them so that the product returns to the market updated, with full guarantee and quality so that they work like new. Offers a great advantage over other processes, such as recycling as it reduces the amount of energy and time spent recovering and processing materials for use in creating new products. This manufacturing model helps to meet the demand of technological consumers and limits the impact on the environment, without forgetting the great economic potential it has.
It is a process that offers products of maximum quality and durability, but with a low environmental impact. It is a different and novel approach. In our case, our EQ80 printers go through a tear down and rebuild process. We select the best-selling models of recent years and thoroughly rebuild them, applying the company’s manufacturing experience and the ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and remanufacturing standards. “British Standard 8887-220” to produce these affordable, high-quality multifunction devices.
The printers arrive at our European factory in Giesssen (Germany), specialized in remanufacturing, where it is verified that the equipment meets the technical conditions and then proceed to disassemble each unit. The parts that suffer wear and intervene in the performance of the equipment are replaced with new ones and those that no longer serve are sent directly to recycling.
MuyPymes: Are there certificates that can consider a printer model as sustainable?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: Yes, for example, Canon has been awarded an EcoVadis gold rating for its commitment to sustainability for the seventh consecutive year, placing Canon in that elite 3% of companies globally. This qualification evaluates the performance of companies in a series of areas that are essential for the achievement of sustainability objectives, areas encompassed in categories such as, for example, the environment, human and labor rights, ethical business practices and repercussions in the supply chain. supply. At Canon we have been awarded for our drive to design easily recyclable products, along with the adoption of measures aimed at reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
In addition, we have achieved and maintained global ISO 14001 certification since 2007, continuously demonstrating our highest standards.
MuyPymes: Why should an SME worry about sustainability?
Maria Jesus Arroyo: Sustainability is an issue that is present in all areas of economic activity and within the business context, positioning itself as a competitive and differentiating pillar. It began as a trend and has ended up being a reality in which SMEs also have a leading role, especially if we focus on Spain, where medium and small companies make up 99% of the business fabric and represent 62% of GDP.
For this reason, it is important and necessary that SMEs can develop and offer efforts to do their bit in this important and global objective. As I was saying, its role in the global economy is essential, therefore, their contribution to progress towards the sustainable development goals is essential.
