Winners of Nikon Group Sustainability Photo Contest announced

Entries collected from group employees

February 7, 2024

Nikon Group has held an "environmental photo contest" that employees could partake in, every year since 2004. From this fiscal year, in order to increase employees' understanding and interest in sustainability, the name of the contest was changed to the "Nikon Group Sustainability Photo Contest", the theme was sustainability, and "The act of focusing the lens marks the beginning of sustainability" was the slogan.

137 entries were accepted from June through to the end of September 2023 from 75 Nikon Group employees in ten countries and regions around the world. Mr. Noriyasu Kunori, who has visited more than 80 countries and regions as an explorer and photographer, and is currently a university professor specializing in sustainability and environmental management, was in charge of judging the works and selecting the grand prize winner and excellence winner. A certificate was presented to each winner, as well as a video of the judge explaining the reasons behind the choice of winners.

Nikon Group will continue to promote voluntary employee activities and actions through photo contests etc., to help create a sustainable society.

Grand Prize Award

Work title: Marked by the past. A message to all of us
Winner: Zed Kato
Company: Nikon Precision Europe GmbH (Germany)

Reasons for the award

In this work, a "hunger stone" that appeared in the exposed riverbed of Germany's Elbe River was photographed. The stone, which is engraved with words and years, is a warning regarding famine caused by low water levels in the river. The water level has now dropped so low that the stone has appeared and is sending us a warning. The work was highly praised as it reminds us that water is the "source of life" for humankind and is a part of the ecosystem that is extremely important for sustainability.

Excellence Award

Work title: Protectors
Winner: Shibashis Mukherjee
Company: Nikon India Private Limited (India)

Reasons for the award

In this work, the mangrove area of the Sundarbans in India was photographed from above. Mangrove forests are known as "cradles of life" and are treasure houses of biodiversity. The work poses the question of whether we can pass on this wonderful environment to the future. It was praised as it is symbolic of environmental sustainability.