Summary

A framed copy of the September 1996 version of the Kodak Environmental Policy, titled 'Environmental Care', signed by Gerard P (Gerry) Johnston, then Chairman and Managing Director of Kodak Australasia.

The document, complete with a green fern graphic to highlight its environmental focus, states that Kodak '...recognises the sensitivity surrounding environment and life', and it goes on to list 7 principles or values that Kodak adheres to: Compliance, Conservation, Waste Minimisation, Safe Products, Lifecycle Management, and Community Concern. In many cases, their commitments are rather general in this document. For instance, the value of conservation is to be upheld by 'demonstrating their commitment to conserving energy and natural resources'. Reducing waste and safe disposal are the main, and most specific, ways that Kodak commits itself to environmental care in this document. Kodak claims responsibility for the 'complete lifecycle' of its products and packaging, and it spells out that waste will be minimised through a hierarchical procedure of 'source reduction, recycling, treatment or destruction and safe disposal'.

In the final value, or principle, 'Community Concern', Kodak places high importance on their public image and state they will address public concerns over environmental safety. The onus is on staff at all levels to act accordingly and responsibly. Kodak were making a statement by framing this certificate, and the fact that this was mounted in an office indicates their commitment to the 'Community Concern' principle.They were choosing to present themselves as an environmental company that places importance and pride in their environmentally friendly processes.

This certificate is part to the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down.

Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers, as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.

Physical Description

Black painted wooden frame with gold painted inner frame border and a glass cover. Certificate is white cardboard with a blue watermark and greed fern watermark in the upper third. There is a Kodak Environmental Policy green logo in the upper left corner and a yellow and red Kodak logo in the lower right corner. Text is in black except for the title of environmental care. There are six small metal brackets holding the plywood backing board in place. The backing board has a woodgrain look laminate(?) and there is a piece of white nylon string fastened with staples to the frame in the upper third.

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