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In June 1999, the Ricoh Group launched a leadership-training program for Ricoh employees to promote environmental conservation activities. In fiscal 2001, the program was expanded to include the Ricoh Group's employees and retirees. By the end of fiscal 2001, as many as 142 employees and directors of Ricoh and the Ricoh Group became environmental volunteer leaders. The leadership-training program consists of training sessions called "Ricoh Nature Seminars" and meetings called "Ricoh Company Meetings for Environmental Volunteer Leaders." Following the training at nature seminars, each leader develops environmental volunteer activities in close cooperation with relevant divisions or with the local community. Ricoh provides support in promoting these activities.
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Ricoh Nature Seminars |
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Ricoh nature seminars aim
at turning employees into environmental volunteer leaders
by teaching them how to enjoy the natural environment
and implement environmental conservation activities.
Each seminar lasts for two days and is attended by approximately
15 participants. In fiscal 2001, the seminar was held
three times, and a new intermediate course was offered.
Members of the Wild Life Bird Society of Japan, an environmental
NPO, were invited to give lectures at the seminar. From
them, participants learned how to preserve satoyama
(community forests), which has a good system to follow
when creating a resource-recirculating society, and
how to participate in environmental conservation activities,
beginning with bird watching. Participants also made
"eco soap" from used edible oil and took part in bamboo
grass cropping as a way of preserving satoyama. |
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The intermediary course at a Ricoh nature seminar(first session) |
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The elementary course at aRicoh nature seminar (ninth session) |
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Ricoh Company Meetings for Environmental Volunteer Leaders |
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The aim of Ricoh Company Meetings for Environmental Volunteer Leaders is to update environmental volunteer leaders on each other's activities. The leaders report on the environmental volunteer activities that they organized, exchange information with each other, and learn how to improve the quality of their activities. Four Ricoh Company Meetings for Environmental Volunteer Leaders were held in fiscal 2001. The leaders were divided and attended separate meetings because their number was too large for a single meeting.
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Activities of Environmental Volunteer Leaders |
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In fiscal 2001, there were 28 activities and a total of 787 participants. Environmental volunteer leaders conduct different activities with the company divisions and communities to which they belong as well as with their friends and families. Recently, leaders often form groups for ongoing activities. |
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Cleaning around historic buildings at Seseragi Park
Volunteer leaders assess historic buildings and peripheral areas for damages every two months and carry out repairs, if needed. |
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Planting palm trees in the Hakata Bay Area
Volunteer leaders planted 500 palm saplings and learned about the inhabitants and the status of pollution in the area. |
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Festa Costa del Gomi (Seaside Festival of Garbage) in Senbonhama
Volunteer leaders participated in cleaning up a stretch of beach in Numazu City. The participants from Ricoh filled up several 40-liter garbage bags with trash. |
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"Hometown Forest" at the Gotemba Plant
Volunteer leaders constructed a hometown forest, complete with a pond and brook, on the plant's site. At theng ceremony, the volunteers and the local children stocked the brook with killifish and other fish. |
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