Canon Future Book Forum 2021: the target is that of sustainable innovation

Sustainability has assumed an increasingly important role for all those who work in the publishing sector and will remain a fundamental objective in the years to come. That’s why during the Canon Future Book Forum which will take place on December 2, 2021 (from 14:00 to 17:00) we will talk about how to promote sustainable innovation in every aspect of the publishing sector: from the way books are created, distributed and consulted to their impact on our daily life.

The 2020 edition of the Future Book Forum saw the participation of a thousand professionals from over 65 countries, who went online and participated in a program full of practical advice on how companies can survive and renew themselves during a pandemic. In the wake of its success, the Future Book Forum 2021, now in its ninth edition, proposes the virtual format, bringing together professionals from the publishing ecosystem, including publishers, distributors and book printers.

Also this year, the event will be chaired by Peter Fisk, internationally renowned author and speaker, who will be joined by experts in the fields of sustainability, innovation and publishing to explore the opportunities that sustainability offers companies to guide smarter innovation and profitable growth.

Jessica Lobo, Global Goals Program Manager at Global Compact Network UK, will deliver the keynote address on “Why is sustainable innovation important?” and how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underpin the development of actions aimed at promoting sustainable growth.

Andy Hunter, CEO and founder of Bookshop.org, will share his vision that books will remain an essential component of our culture in the digital age. He will also present his reflections on the business model of bookshop.org, a socially aware platform that supports independent bookstores by helping them increase their share of the e-commerce sales channel for books. Future Book Forum attendees will surely draw inspiration from this company’s initiative which has been described as a “revolution for the book market”.

Marko Silventoinen, Managing Director and Pekka Kuurne, Development Manager of Otava Group, a Finnish diversified company operating in the publishing, retail, book printing and online services sectors, will talk about how the company is implementing within the group an efficient supply process for printed books based on the interaction between data and innovative digital printing workflows. Together, they will share their vision for a more sustainable and commercially viable supply chain.

Canon Idea Challenge 2021
In keeping with the theme of this year’s Future Book Forum, Canon launched a challenge on the HYVE Crowd platform in September to gather innovative ideas on how to increase the sustainability of printed books. The challenge was open to everyone, inside and outside the publishing industry. A shortlist of candidates selected on the basis of criteria is currently being developed including: practical implementation, innovative character, link with printed books and publishing activity and to what extent the idea addresses one or more of the 17 development objectives sustainable development of the United Nations.

Canon Innovators Cauldron
The finalists of the challenge will present their ideas at Canon Innovators Cauldron, which will take place live in December during the Future Book Forum, in front of the public and a group of experts, including Andy Hunter, Jessica Lobo and Dalia Ibrahim, CEO of Nahdet Mis Publishing House and founder of EdVentures, the first corporate venture capital focused on educational technology in the Middle East. The public will have the opportunity to participate in the innovation process by voting for their favorite idea.

Speaking about this year’s Future Book Forum, Peter Wolff, Senior Vice President, Production Printing Products at Canon EMEA says: “In line with our Kyosei corporate philosophy, which means living and working together for the common good, the theme of sustainable innovation to which this year’s Future Book Forum is dedicated is particularly close to my heart. As a company, we contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through a range of commercial activities while our technology, products and services offer the publishing industry the opportunity to achieve its sustainability goals. I can’t wait to find out how the new edition of the Future Book Forum and the Canon Idea Challenge 2021 will set an example to help the industry unearth new ideas for a more sustainable business. “

The Futurand Book Forum is aimed at:

* Publishers (Books)
* Editorial printers
* Distributors
* Journalists
* Publishing and printing associations
* Technology Providers / Start-ups
* Influencers and opinion leaders of companies, forums, media, etc.