Ricoh sets materiality and environmental goals aimed to resolve social issues in accordance with U.N. SDGs and the Paris Agreement

Company commits to 100% renewable energy reliance by 2050 and becomes first Japanese company to join RE100

TOKYO, April 21, 2017– Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Yoshinori Yamashita) today announced new goals to strengthen its commitment to fostering sustainability in business and society. Ricoh started its 19th Mid-Term Management plan from April 2017, and to coincide with the plan, Ricoh outlined five material issues and new environmental goals that include achieving zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Furthermore, Ricoh has become the first Japanese company to join the RE100, a collaborative, global initiative of influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity, working to massively increase demand for - and delivery of - renewable energy. By joining the RE100, the Company has committed to using a minimum of 30% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

Ricoh aims to create new markets and value propositions by looking broadly at social issues, and taking on the challenge to resolve them while simultaneously achieving social development and Ricoh’s own business growth. The five material issues Ricoh will address include:

1. Productivity Enhancement
2. Intelligence Creation
3. Quality Of Life (QOL) Enhancement
4. Zero-carbon Society
5. Circular Economy

“Ricoh is committed to continuous growth as a trusted and valued corporate citizen for our customers and society at large, and our Ricoh Global Environmental Declaration clarifies our environmental material issues focus and outlines our action plan,” said Yoshinori Yamashita, President and CEO, Ricoh Company, Ltd. “As our global team embarks on new beginnings outlined in our Mid-Term Management Plan, we will be focused on empowering society to benefit from working smarter and becoming more environmentally sound. Today’s announcement further aligns tangible goals to these ideals.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ricoh, the first RE100 member headquartered in Japan – a country known for its technology, with huge potential in renewables,” said Sam Kimmins, Head of the RE100. “Ricoh’s commitment to 100% renewable electricity sends a clear signal that corporate demand is increasing globally. We look forward to working with this leading company to share the combined knowledge of RE100’s membership and help them achieve their renewable electricity ambitions.”

With the launch of its 19th Mid-Term Management Plan, Ricoh has established these five material issues to focus on through business, based on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs *1) that were agreed upon by the international community, and Ricoh’s Mission Statement. 

Highlights of new environmental goals and achievements include:

• Ricoh will set new goals for 2030 based on the Paris Agreement, which was enacted last year (*2).
• Ricoh will strive to achieve zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. We made the Ricoh Group Environmental Declaration to achieve those goals, and we will thoroughly promote energy conservation activities, and actively use renewable energy.
• For utilization of renewable energy, Ricoh became the first Japanese company to join RE100.
• By joining RE100, Ricoh has committed to using a minimum of 30% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
• Concerning GHG emissions from sources other than Ricoh, we will contribute to creating a zero-carbon society across the value chain by striving to improve the energy efficiency of our products, and also by encouraging business partners and customers to work together.

《Ricoh Group Environmental Declaration》

We proactively reduce environmental impact and strive to improve the Earth’s self-recovery capabilities to achieve a zero-carbon society and a circular economy through business.

《Ricoh Group Environmental Goals 》

Global warming prevention area

Goals for 2050　

- Aim for zero GHG emissions (*3) across the entire value chain

Goals for 2030　

- GHG Scope 1, 2: 30% reduction (*4) compared to the 2015 level

- GHG Scope 3: 15% reduction compared to the 2015 level (procurement, use, and logistics categories)

Resource Conservation area

Goals for 2050

- Resource conservation rate for products (*5): 93%

Goals for 2030

- Resource conservation rate for products: 50%

*1: U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

These are shared global goals that were agreed at the United Nations, which stipulated global priorities and the ideal targets to be reached by 2030. The SDGs comprise 17 goals and 169 targets.

*2: Paris Agreement

This international agreement was adopted at COP21 and specifically addresses the issue of global warming. It was agreed that it is essential to hold the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, achieving a balance between GHG emissions and absorptions by the end of this century.

*3: Zero GHG emissions

The target is to minimize GHG emissions toward 2050 and offset emissions of GHG (Scope 1 and 2) by using socially accepted systems to achieve “net-zero emissions.” Regarding emissions of GHG (Scope 3), the Company will take measures in areas where they can achieve reduction, such as development energy-saving products and cooperating with business partners to promote zero - carbon emissions across the value chain.

GHG Scope 1: All direct GHG emissions from the Company’s own manufacturing plants, offices, vehicles etc.

GHG Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions from the consumption of electricity and heat, purchased by the company

GHG Scope 3: Emissions in the supply chain of business activities (excludes GHG Scope 1 and 2)

*4：30% reduction　

Represents the reduction levels, according to RCP2.6, which is a scenario to hold the increase in temperature, to well below 2°C in the future, as presented by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

*5：Resource conservation rate

Values are calculated by dividing the reduction in new resource inputs by the total resource inputs.

News release in PDF format

• Ricoh sets materiality and environmental goals aimed to resolve social issues in accordance with U.N. SDGs and the Paris Agreement(6pages/358KB)

About Ricoh

Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline — imagine. change. — Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, visual communications systems, digital cameras, and industrial systems.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2016, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,209 billion yen (approx. 19.6 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com

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