RICOH wins
the 2003 WEC GOLD MEDAL for International Corporate Achievement in
Sustainable Development
Ricoh (President: Mr. Masamitsu Sakurai) was recently nominated for the
2003 WEC Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable
Development. Only one company receives the Gold Medal each year and
Ricoh is the first Asian company to be so honored. The WEC Gold Medal
for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development
was established in 1985, and is awarded to a corporation that demonstrates
preeminent industry leadership, worldwide environmental commitment,
and significant efforts toward global sustainable development.
The WEC Gold Medal is awarded by an independent jury of distinguished
international environmentalists, which carefully examines all nominations
submitted by qualified multinational companies each year. The jury
screens each nomination according to a clearly defined set of values:
a history of accomplishment, a global outlook, and a commitment to
sustainable development. The award will be presented at a gala on
May 15, 2003 at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.
(WEC:
World Environmental Center)
| Achievements |
- Ricoh believes environmental conservation is an important
part of its broader social responsibilities. The Ricoh General
Principles on the Environment are a reflection of our corporate
values-values that strive to place as much weight on environmental
conservation as on making a profit.
- Ricoh's Code of Conduct clearly defines our commitment
to cooperation with local communities, making social contributions,
and ensuring health and safety at work.
- Based on the Comet Circle concept, Ricoh has established
a system to work with our suppliers and recyclers in reducing
the environmental impact of our activities throughout the
life cycle of our products.
- Environmental conservation is now one of the criteria
used to evaluate performance at company divisions and organizations
to encourage employees to engage in environmental conservation
activities.
- Ricoh has developed its "quick start-up" (QSU)
technology, a cutting-edge energy-saving feature, for its
products.
- Efforts in "green procurement" are underway
in close cooperation with suppliers. These efforts seek
to minimize the use of chemicals that may have an environmental
impact, and to use recycled materials wherever possible.
- Ricoh is also promoting efforts to collect used copiers
and to market them where possible.
- Our environmental accounting methods and the effectiveness
of our environmental conservation activities have been improved
through implementation of an environmental impact information
system.
- Ricoh has begun consideration of "e-mission 55,"
a petition put together by companies in favor of adopting
the Kyoto Protocol. This demonstrates Ricoh's firm resolve
to reduce global warming.
- Ricoh seeks to build close ties with local communities,
governments, and environmental authorities. We have made
proposals to certification organizations for Type III Environmental
Impact Disclosure to establish certification frameworks
as a part of these efforts.
- Ricoh is working hard to support the Energy Star program
promoted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
the United States.
- Ricoh has a world-class reputation for its environmental
efforts, including receipt of the highest "eco-rating,"
AAA, in the photographic and office equipment categories
from Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, a U.S. investment
research company.
|
Commenting on the award, Mr. Sakurai had this to say: "
You cannot achieve true responsibility as a global player without assuming your responsibilities to the environment. At Ricoh environmentalism is front and center: it informs all our activities. Our environmental management has now reached the stage where profitability and sustainability have equal weight and are closely intertwined, something we impress upon the mind of every single employee. This enables us to give our customers added value through cutting edge technology as well as passing on our environmental knowledge.
We humbly accept the WEC award as a testament to the strength of our beliefs and operating principles.
" According to Dr.
Abrams, "collectively, these accomplishments serve as a model for corporations to achieve success through sustainability. The Jury believes this model will provide an excellent standard for the office landscape of the future and as an example for other similar enterprises.'"
In addition to receiving the WEC award, Ricoh has been rated number
one in environmental performance by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun for
three years running and is ranked number one by IT/Home & Office Appliances, Computer, Network & Components, Oekom, a German
corporate responsibility ratings agency.
|
