“I am proud of how Konica Minolta and its employees have continued to make positive philanthropic contributions throughout 2020,” says Rick Taylor, president and CEO, Konica Minolta. “This has been a tough year for many communities, and the team at Konica Minolta remains committed to supporting people and causes where we can for the betterment of society.”
The following is a look at some of Konica Minolta’s key 2020 citizenship initiatives.
Promoting Health and Wellness
N95 Mask DonationsEarlier this year, as the pandemic hit, there were national N95 mask shortages. Konica Minolta worked with its suppliers to procure and donate more than 50,500 masks to customers in need of them nationwide. Donations went to 30 domestic customers, along with additional customers in Canada and Mexico. Recipients included hospitals, medical centers, schools, and senior care centers among other high-risk businesses.
National Kidney Foundation
This past fall, Team Konica Minolta joined its longtime charity partner, the National Kidney Foundation, to raise funds and awareness for their important mission by participating in their virtual walk series. Fourteen Konica Minolta teams were formed across the country to participate in the walk season that wrapped up Nov. 8 with the virtual NYC Kidney Walk.
Blue Angels Foundation
Konica Minolta is also a supporter of the Blue Angels Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The organization works to support wounded veterans and their families and to save lives by providing a continuum of care to those suffering from PTSD. In honor of Veteran’s Day 2020, the Foundation ran a Virtual Salute to the Wounded Warriors event to raise awareness and funds to support their mission. Konica Minolta contributed to their efforts by creating a donation website to raise funds and awareness for this important cause.
Working Toward Environmental Sustainability
Arbor Day FoundationKonica Minolta partners with the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) to help revitalize national forests. The ADF is a conservation and education organization with a mission to inspire people to plant, celebrate and nurture trees. The Foundation is one of the world’s largest nonprofits dedicated to planting trees, distributing more than ten million trees each year.
Through the partnership, Konica Minolta donated funds to plant more than 10,000 trees in areas in need of reforestation. In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and other local planting partners, these trees will be planted in forests affected by wildfires or other natural disasters. The initiative will have a significant impact over the next 40 years, sequestering 1,617 metric tons of net carbon dioxide, intercepting 11.1 million gallons of rainfall and removing 207 tons of air pollution. Supporting the sustainability of the planet is a key piece of Konica Minolta’s global environmental action plan, Eco Vision 2050. Its work with the ADF supports its vision of a more sustainable and prosperous future for the planet and society.
Supporting Food Security
Feeding America
This holiday season, Konica Minolta is working with Feeding America to provide nutritious meals to its neighbors in need. Currently, 37 million people in the U.S. are struggling with hunger, and this number is estimated to reach 54 million people, including 18 million children in the coming months. Through Feeding America’s virtual ‘Fund Drive,’ the company will be funding 100,000 meals this December to those struggling with hunger.
2020 CIANJ Companies that Care Award Recipient
Earlier this year, Konica Minolta was named as a ‘Champion of Good Works' by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ). The company earned this prestigious recognition for its ongoing corporate citizenship efforts, including work to support childhood education through volunteer efforts, donations and fundraising.
As a global company, Konica Minolta believes in helping to preserve the planet in every respect, from supporting education in local communities to cleaning the air for friends afar.