CSR 2021 - Our people
For Canon Medical Systems Group, our employees are our most important assets. We are always looking for talented people and are generous in providing training opportunities. We are a global organization with employees from every continent and cherish our diversity.
Employees from all over the world
Our worldwide activities are guided by Standards of Conduct that summarize how our employees worldwide should strive for integrity and sustainability.
Scope for self-development
We consider it important for our employees to have opportunities to develop at Canon Medical Systems Group. We therefore provide ample training and development facilities so they can keep up to date with the latest developments in the field and invest in deepening and developing their skills. Support offered by our various branches includes training during onboarding, provision of both short- and long-term plans for career development and opportunities to participate in advanced degree programs. Additionally, various self-development programs are offered.
Formal performance review meetings were conducted with 82% of employees in 2020. Reasons for not conducting performance reviews of remaining employees include organizational changes in 2020 and the fact that certain groups of employees were still in their probationary period. The aim is to conduct performance reviews with all employees by the end of 2023.
Formal performance review meetings were conducted with 82% of employees in 2020. Reasons for not conducting performance reviews of remaining employees include organizational changes in 2020 and the fact that certain groups of employees were still in their probationary period. The aim is to conduct performance reviews with all employees by the end of 2023.
We also offer internships and places for apprentices to contribute to their development and that of the local community. We had 305 interns and apprentices from various types of educational programs in 2020. Given the size of the branch, France is prominent here, supervising 15 interns and apprentices in 2020 (approx. 9% of employees on the payroll). They are followed by Canon Medical Informatics the software development company in the USA, which had 19 interns and apprentices (approx. 5%) and Japan, which had 215 (approx. 4%).
Education
Jason Cotter, Manager Ultrasound, Canon Medical Systems Australia and New Zealand
Opportunities at Canon Medical Systems Group
Apart from a variety of seminars and training courses, several career development programs are available in the organization. I participated in the Leadership Development program myself. In the meantime, I am manager of the Ultrasound Division of Canon Medical Systems Australia and New Zealand.
Having a background in medical imaging and medical ultrasound in several private and public hospitals in the world, I started working for the Canon organization 19 years ago, first as an application specialist in ultrasound, to tailor the equipment to clients and teach them how to get the best images.
Leadership development
After a selection procedure, I was selected, along with five other colleagues, to participate in the three-year leadership development program. It took quite some effort, especially in terms of the investment in time, time management and opening up to learn. But it was definitely worth it: it broadened my horizons after my specialist focus.
The program consisted of internal courses in developing leadership and management skills and enhancing business knowledge, which were provided by one of our own managers or an external trainer. Additionally, one had to participate in an external education program and I chose to get my MBA.
The leadership development program definitely helped me to reach my current position. I really like what I am doing and realize I am working with great people who are engaged and interested in working to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
Workforce breakdown
Our workforce at the end of 2020 was as follows.
Overview of employees
Overview of employees
Diversity
One of our objectives for 2021-2025 is to improve the gender balance in our organization. Currently, 76% of employees are men and 24% of employees are women at Canon Medical Systems Group. The fact that we have more men than women working for us is due partly to more men than women traditionally opting for the profession of field engineer and technical roles. We realize that this is not something that can be changed overnight, but we are actively working towards a gender balance where the organization consistent of at least 40% female and 60% male employees in 2025.
Our primary criteria when appointing new staff remains quality. Additionally, we specifically encourage females with high potential to come and work for us and progress in our organization. Among the measures that we take are reaching out to female interns for technical internships, putting forward both female and male role models in technical staff and management positions during job events for universities, and rethinking further improvement of work-life balance for both female and male workers. In 2020 this resulted in being able to appoint 20% more women than left the company (201:168 employees), and 6% more men (466:436 employees).
Our primary criteria when appointing new staff remains quality. Additionally, we specifically encourage females with high potential to come and work for us and progress in our organization. Among the measures that we take are reaching out to female interns for technical internships, putting forward both female and male role models in technical staff and management positions during job events for universities, and rethinking further improvement of work-life balance for both female and male workers. In 2020 this resulted in being able to appoint 20% more women than left the company (201:168 employees), and 6% more men (466:436 employees).
Vitality
2020 was an unusual year for our employees as regards COVID-19 - and this has continued in 2021. Many employees worldwide started working from home, with the necessary modifications to their home offices. In the case of others we were able to provide workplace facilities at the office and in the field to ensure safe, healthy working.
In order to remain in touch with everyone, additional digital meetings were organized, internal newsletters were produced, managers sought regular contact with their staff, and tips were given on fitness and health (both physical and mental).
All in all, our concerted efforts enabled us to continue providing services, satisfy our customers and work on new services to deal with COVID-19.
We are very proud of the flexibility and efforts of our employees, and to reiterate, we realize that health and vitality are a great boon to us all.
We intend to continue to do our best for our employees. The additional digital meetings even proved highly popular in many group companies, and they will therefore continue after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Company guidelines were also revised to increase the options for working from home in some group companies and thus contribute to a good work-life balance. An additional advantage is the reduction of carbon emissions.
Occupational health and safety
The health and safety of our employees, customers and patients is our paramount concern. Our staff are supported in this respect in various ways. In addition to providing regular training, instruction and guidelines, we periodically evaluate potential risks and take steps where necessary. It should be noted that risk profiles differ by branch and role: there are more potential risks on the production side than in sales, for instance. The safety management system of the Canon Medical Systems Corporation in Japan is consequently ISO 45001 certified.
In the run-up to 2025 we intend to take various actions to compare the safety management systems of all our branches worldwide, share learning experiences and issue additional central guidelines where necessary. For example, training material is available at the global level for field engineers, one of the largest groups of staff, who maintain products at customers premises. Training material will also be made available globally for other roles.
In the run-up to 2025 we intend to take various actions to compare the safety management systems of all our branches worldwide, share learning experiences and issue additional central guidelines where necessary. For example, training material is available at the global level for field engineers, one of the largest groups of staff, who maintain products at customers premises. Training material will also be made available globally for other roles.
Safety and vitality during the COVID-19 pandemic
Challenges
Along with the rest of the world, we were suddenly faced with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and all of the measures taken specifically by the federal, provincial and local governments and hospitals in Canada. Especially challenging was ensuring whether we could continue delivering essential services and equipment maintenance to our customers - hospitals and medical clinics - as they were on the frontline helping patients suffering from COVID-19.
One of the first essential equipment installations we performed in the pandemic was an Aquilion Prime SP CT in April 2020 in a remote town in the northern part of Canada. Our specialist had to take three planes and a helicopter to reach the hospital. In addition to the traveling, it was challenging to arrange accommodation and food for her, while providing training to the hospital staff. I developed a step-by-step plan for her travel and visit, together with our team, to ensure that she could be kept as safe as possible, and just as importantly, to minimize the risk of transmission to the hospital and town. We remained in close communication with our employee and the customer during the visit, and we were happy that we managed to do the job! The plan that was developed was subsequently used as a template for other employees when traveling and working on site.
The majority of our employees are service technicians, applications specialists or sales persons, who are typically visiting, servicing or training customers. In addition to planning these essential visits during the pandemic, we increased the provision of remote service consultations and remote training courses.
The COVID-19 pandemic was challenging in other ways as well, both for our employees in the field and for other employees who usually work at the office. This varied between employees coping with isolation, especially in the case of those living alone away from their families, and employees coping with balancing work and looking after young children at home. We therefore set up a variety of online contacts: personal meetings, meetings with the team and company-wide virtual events. It was also possible for our employees to participate in courses focused on mental health or visit a company doctor.
Cheryl Silver, General Counsel and Head of Compliance, Canon Medical Systems Canada
The Canon ʻfamilyʼ
In some ways, the situation we have been in this past year has strengthened our connections with each other. Especially appreciated were the daily - subsequently – weekly COVID-19 updates and informal moments together. For example, the virtual coffees, Friday afternoon e-mail exchanges where people shared anecdotes about their plans for the weekend, and Friday night cocktails, where fun themes such as show us your hobby were shared.
We are known as an organization with a family feel. I observed this when I started working at the company two years ago. The organization focuses on the business, but at the same time the Canadian leadership models friendliness, a team player mindset and real interest during regular face-to-face meetings. In 2020, it was almost impossible to meet each other in person, but apart from the virtual meetings, we still managed, for example, to organize a baby shower for a pregnant colleague, with four persons maintaining a 1.5-meter distance and other safety protocols in place.
Once the COVID-19 measures are lifted, the team is looking forward to working in person again. That being stated, the pandemic has demonstrated the organization can manage with individuals working from a home office, so we will most likely move forward with a hybrid working model providing commuting flexibility and reduced environmental impact.
Due to medical device regulatory reasons, not all products/service displayed on this Canon Medical Systems global webpage are available in all countries, regions or markets. Future availability of the products/service cannot also be guaranteed. Please contact your local Canon Medical Systems representative for further details.
