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Enhancing green marketing and contributing to reducing environmental impact that affects the whole world
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The movement toward green procurement is rising in Scandinavia and EU countries as well as in Japan and North America. The idea that gives a priority to purchase products with less environmental impact from companies practicing environmental conservation activities has emerged and led to the creation of laws in each country. In Japan, the Law Concerning the Promotion of the Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities (Law on Promoting Green Purchasing) came into effect in April 2001. Canada established a tender system called the Environmental Choice Program, in which winners are given up to a 10% premium if they enthusiastically take an environmental approach in procurement for government organizations. This system is also used by private sectors.
The Ricoh Group actively engages in developing and manufacturing products with less environmental impact. It works continuously to reduce the environmental impact imposed on the customer and the world in general. Furthermore, the Group takes the lead in disclosing the environmental information of products by participating in establishing standards for environmental labels in many countries.
 Click here for the information of Environmental Labels
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| Japan |
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| A "live office" in Mie Ricoh |
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| Aichi Ricoh environmental conservation staff and a "green box" |
Using Offices as Showrooms
[Japan]
Ricoh's sales companies, including Mie Ricoh Co., Ltd.; Aichi Ricoh Co., Ltd.; and Kanagawa Ricoh Co., Ltd., established a new "live office" system to enhance Ricoh's green marketing scheme. The system promotes the computerization of offices, where customers are invited to see an example of a paperless office in actual operation as well as experience simulated cost reductions that result from computerization. Aichi Ricoh launched a new service that places "green boxes" in the customer's office for the collection of used paper to be recycled.
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| The Americas |
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| Screen shot of the Environment Edge Kit |
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| An environmental booth in the showroom at Ricoh Corporation |
Awareness Promotion and Green Marketing 
[The United States]
To make environmental conservation activities more effective, not only must employee awareness be encouraged but customer participation in the activities must be allowed. Ricoh Corporation, the regional sales headquarter for the Americas, is developing green marketing activities to promote employee and customer awareness of environmental conservation programs and eco-friendly products in order to conduct the activities more effectively. The company developed the Environmental Edge Kit, an environmental awareness promotion tool to promote green marketing that can be used in showrooms and presentations to customers.
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NASA and Lanier Worldwide [The United States]
Lanier Worldwide, Inc., is a sales company that joined the Ricoh Group in 2001. When Lanier submitted a tender to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it was asked to explain its corporate responsibility, to which Lanier described the Ricoh Group's innovative technological developments; positive support of international energy organizations, including the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and eminent social reputation in promoting awareness. Lanier Worldwide eventually got a superior position for their tender, and the whole story appeared in the green purchasing guidebook for copiers as a good example of green purchasing in the United States. NASA cooperated with the EPA in promoting green purchasing and became a model government organization.
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| Members of the Toronto District School Board and Ricoh Canada staff |
The Toronto District School Board and Ricoh Canada  [Canada]
Ricoh Canada Inc. concluded a big sales contract for 1,400 machines with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), which is the third largest board of education in North America. The company successfully convinced the board of the environmental performance of the new Aficio series of printers, which are user-friendly and have significant energy-saving capabilities. Ricoh Canada went on to convince the Toronto District School Board of the Ricoh Group's achievements in environmental conservation activities. The most important achievement that Ricoh Canada accomplished was in preparing the board to present a good model of green purchasing to board staff, students and their parents, and to the community in general and to show the board of education's sense of social responsibility.
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| Europe |
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ISO 14001 Certification Awarded to All 13 Ricoh Sales Companies
In March 2002, Ricoh France S.A., Ricoh Norge A.S., Ricoh Europe B.V. (Portugal Branch), Ricoh Espana S.A., and Ricoh Polska Sp.zo.o. qualified for the final screening for ISO 14001 certification. Accordingly, all 13 of Ricoh's sales companies (Ricoh Europe B.V., Ricoh Austria GmbH, Ricoh Europe B.V. (Belgium Branch), Ricoh Deutschland GmbH, Ricoh Hungary Kft., Ricoh Italia S.p.A., Ricoh Nederland B.V., Ricoh UK Ltd., and five companies mentioned above) were awarded ISO 14001 certification. There are only a few sales companies qualified for ISO 14001 in Europe, even though it is known as a highly environment-conscious society. Therefore, this effort will result in the development of more-effective green marketing.
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Establishment of an Environmental Database
Ricoh Europe B.V., the regional sales headquarter for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, established an environmental database for the entire Ricoh Group to answer customers' inquiries. During the period from June through August 2001, the database was accessed more than 1,500 times. The increased number of customer inquiries about environmental issues proved growing interest in environmental conservation in Europe. At present, the establishment of a database is a basic requisite for government authorities and larger companies in some European countries to demonstrate their environmental conservation efforts in their tenders and marketing tools.
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| Members of Volvo, Carl Lamm, and Ricoh Europe staff |
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| An environmental conservation meeting held by STAKO |
Volvo, Statskontoret (STAKO), and Carl Lamm  [Sweden]
In Sweden, the world leader in environmental conservation activities, sales companies, customers, and government organizations work together to set challenging goals for environmental conservation. As an example, sales companies and manufacturers are required to be ISO 14001 certified before submitting tenders. Carl Lamm AB is a Ricoh distributor operating in 43 cities in Sweden. The company markets environment-conscious products and promotes customer awareness of environmental conservation by marketing products with less environmental impact and encouraging customers to send back used toner cartridges for recycling. Volvo, a manufacturer of trucks and construction equipment and one of Carl Lamm's customers, and STAKO, a government procurement organization, both prepare their own independent guidelines for green purchasing that require them to comply with their guidelines in submitting tenders. Carl Lamm and the Ricoh Group successfully market a variety of products by satisfying their guidelines, which brought remarkable sales performances.
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| Members of Continental, NRG Deutschland, and Ricoh Europe staff |
Continental and NRG Deutschland
[Germany]
NRG Deutschland GmbH is a sales company in Germany. When NRG Deutschland successfully concluded an agreement with the Ministry of Justice of Germany for the sale of more than 200 copiers, it became big news because there were only a few sales companies that were ISO 14001 certified in Germany. When Continental AG, the fourth worldwide-largest tire manufacturer decided to install our products, ISO 14001 certification was again one of key factors for their decision.
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| A reconditioned machine for a copy service area of a supermarket |
Marketing of Reconditioned Machines by NRG Benelux  [The Netherlands]
NRG Benelux B.V., a sales company, collects machines and toner cartridges and markets the reconditioned machines. The divisions in charge of after-sales service, production, and marketing efficiently work together to market reconditioned machines in response to market needs. Sales of both new and reconditioned machines are expanding.
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| Press conference held at a greenhouse in a zoo in Budapest |
Sales Promotion Activities by Ricoh Hungary  [Hungary]
In Hungary, in Eastern Europe, people are becoming increasingly aware of environmental conservation. In June 2001, Ricoh Hungary Kft. decided to develop its business activities under the slogan "A Friend of the Environment." Ricoh Hungary invited reporters to a greenhouse in a zoo in Budapest for a press conference. In its environmental conservation campaign in autumn, the company publicized Ricoh's commitment to the environment by posting 400 signboards and placing advertisements in newspapers and economic or business magazines as well as on Web sites. Ricoh Hungary supports approximately 15 dealers and 30 sales companies and encourages them to give the same level of customer service that Ricoh Hungary does. Ricoh Hungary underlined the Group's commitment to environmental conservation by preparing collection boxes for used copy paper, giving customers zoo admission tickets, and handing out stationery made from eco-friendly materials as Christmas gifts. More customers now answer "yes" when asked if they consider environment-friendliness when purchasing OA equipment.
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| China and Taiwan |
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Energy Label Scheme
[Hong Kong]
In Hong Kong, an energy label scheme for analog and digital copiers was established. Ricoh Hong Kong Ltd. helped establish the scheme, which provides information on energy consumption so that customers can choose more energy efficient products. Other schemes for printers are to be established in the future.
Click here for the information of Environmental Labels
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| Asia and Oceania |
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Ricoh New Zealand
[New Zealand]
By promoting environmental conservation activities, Ricoh New Zealand Ltd. won a bid to sell 23 units to governmental divisions in charge of environmental issues. This attracted inquiries from other divisions. In New Zealand, environmental issues are becoming important social issues, and Ricoh New Zealand is continuing its efforts to closely unite business activities with environmental conservation.
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