Social Responsibility

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage in the southeastern United States. Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., an office equipment sales company, has been providing support, as part of its reconstruction assistance in the afflicted area, for the restoration of the McDonogh 15 School for the Creative Arts, which was damaged by the disaster, to help with repairing and renovating the school building and facilities. In fiscal 2007, in addition to supporting work on the outer wall and outdoor learning center, the company donated color printers, scanners and software helpful for art and creative classes. Since the year 2007, the company has also started the Konica Minolta scholarship program for students graduating from the school with outstanding results to support them in moving on to higher education.

In Lithuania, the Konica Minolta Group has been offering the Konica Minolta Class at Kaunas Technical College since 2001. The group has been promoting understanding and dissemination of the latest precision science as well as the technology incorporated in Konica Minolta's new products among students through classroom lectures and exchanges such as visits to Konica Minolta sites.

Tracing its origins back to 1966, the Konica Minolta Imaging Science Foundation has pursued ongoing initiatives focusing on the promotion of imaging science by providing support for research projects in this field. The foundation solicits research projects based on new ideas in the field of imaging science and presents the Konica Minolta Imaging Science Award for outstanding research projects.

In accord with the mission of the foundation, Konica Minolta offers financial support for its activities every year.

Konica Minolta has been in the planetarium business for half a century. In addition to supplying materials for planetariums across Japan, Konica Minolta has been contributing to science education. We have expanded many people's knowledge of astronomy including that of children, by taking a small portable digital planetarium, Media-globe, to different parts of the country. Since 2001, Konica Minolta has participated in the traveling National Lifelong Learning Festival, "Manabipia," jointly sponsored each time by the host prefecture and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In fiscal 2007, the festival was held in the city of Okayama, and Konica Minolta treated visitors young and old to a digital planetarium program using the Media-globe.

Since 2004, Konica Minolta has sent environmental instructors to Masugata Junior High School in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, as one company participating in the school's environmental education program. In fiscal 2007, we participated in the school's open house and research report session on Energy and Environment Education, and gave a lecture entitled, "Reuse and Recycle: Caring for the Planet."

In fiscal 2007, Konica Minolta held a special experimentation workshop called, "The Mystery of Color and Light," at the Hachioji Science Dome, a children's science museum in the city of Hachioji. Konica Minolta employees volunteered to run the workshop, and carried out experiments with the children, thereby helping them to experience the joy of science.

Konica Minolta supports Project Hope, begun by the China Youth Development Foundation in 1989 to help children attend school. Our support for this project started in 2006 with donations for the construction of the Zhuanghe Chengshanzhen Konica Minolta Hope Elementary School in Zhuanghe, Dalian (Liaoning Province). In 2007, Konica Minolta Opto (Dalian) Co., Ltd., an optical lens production company in China, donated funds to build a school fence, as well as providing stationery and sports equipment. The company also provided support for the students' graduation trip in fiscal 2007, and invited the students to visit the company and tour the Dalian Development Zone.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (China) Co., Ltd., an office equipment sales company, provides support to a school for children with disabilities in Shanghai. In addition to donating laser printers, the company gave out matching jackets and gifts at an event to honor students attending the Special Olympics.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (China) Co., Ltd. also provided support to four schools for the children of migrant workers in Beijing, with donations of laser printers, books, and stationery.