Social Contribution
The Menicon Declaration on the Environment
Our Corporate Principles at Menicon
In countries throughout the world, interest in the environment has been rising at a rapid rate. We have reached an era in which we must all step forward to maintain awareness about the environment and to take action as conscientious members of society. It is an era in which everyone – corporations, individuals, public and private sector alike – must give serious thought to the global environment. In reality, animals such as gorillas, orangutans, polar bears, pandas, and other species threatened with extinction, have passed the point of no return. If we continue to postpone taking action with respect to issues that humankind has caused, we could eventually fall into a death spiral in which even global warming becomes unstoppable.
We at Menicon to fulfill our responsibility as a company involved with eyes,*¹ Menicon will continue contributing to society by providing superior visual correction, which has been our corporate principle since our founding, and providing everyone with a multitude of highly functional, high-quality products and services. With your support, for more than half a century we have led the industry, taking pride in our steadfast principles and shining history. When we consider Menicon's future, even as we fix our sights on the future of humankind and the Earth with our hope for "Infinite Vision,"*² Menicon also give thought to being a global enterprise that is friendly to people, animals, and the environment. As part of our dream to repay the entire Earth with the technology and wisdom we possess, we intend to devote all efforts to activities that include a new focus on ecology.
- *¹ : Used in our Corporate Message in 2001
- *² : Used in our Corporate Message in 2005
Protecting the Earth's future: planting trees and alleviating environmental burden.
We are also implementing electricity and water saving schemes and introducing innovations to control energy consumption, including constantly streamlining operations.
Even when developing new products and services, we are continually working to alleviate environmental burden, in ways such as reducing production waste. Menicon’s Eco-Green Campaign began in 2009, when 500 seedlings were planted as a contribution to reforestation.
That's one square meter of woodland for every member of the Menicon fixed-charge membership plan (MELS Plan) in Japan.
MIT chaired professorship: supporting the world's leading research.
Menicon set up a foundation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and established a chaired professorship at the MIT Center for Learning and Memory in 1996. As most of our research focuses on the eyes, it was decided that we could make the best contribution to society by supporting top researchers in related fields.
The first professorship was awarded in 2001 to Dr. Morgan Sheng, a researcher in the field of molecular neuroscience. Dr. Sheng has received much acclaim for his research on synapses, which has contributed to our understanding of the human brain and human development.
We believe supporting such important research is a significant achievement in itself.
The Secret Behind Our Menicon Logo
You may have noticed that our name, "Menicon," includes the letters that spell "ECO." We feel this is a sign that points to our mission.
With burning passion, Menicon has developed materials for safe contact lenses that can provide excellent permeability for the oxygen that the cornea needs. In our woodlands, trees take in carbon dioxide from the air, and use sunlight and chlorophyll to produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Both share the key word oxygen, with red symbolizing the light from the sun just as green recalls our oxygen-giving forests.