Ricoh merges environmental advocacy in company system

Determined to help protect the environment, Ricoh Philippines has started to integrate environmental preservation programs in their business operations.

In an interview with Ricoh Philippines, Inc. Manager for its Customer Service Department Orly S. Closa, he said that “Ricoh is very serious in preserving the environment.  We have integrated our own environmental management system in our company’s operations.”

Ricoh (Philippines), Inc., is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd. in Japan under the management of Ricoh Asia Pacific in Singapore their Regional Headquarters for South East Asia and Oceania.

Ricoh is a leading global manufacturer of office automation since the 1970’s and their product lineup includes: copiers, multifunctional and other printers, facsimiles, personal computers, optical disc products, and related supplies and services, as well as digital cameras and advanced electronic devices.

In line with the promotion of environmental preservation, Ricoh has also started manufacturing environmentally-friendly products like plastic facsimile machines made of corn.

Ricoh Philippines is both ISO: 1400: 2004 and ISO: 9001: 2000 accredited, an environmental certification that ensures their commitment in practicing environmental awareness. Closa said that they are the only company in their kind of industry to have an ISO accreditation.

The company has launched several environmental activities such as their so-called “Waste to Wow Project” wherein they urged their employees to collect waste and convert these to useful objects. Through this project, Ricoh was able to come up with useful items that they utilized as corporate gifts like lamp shades, bracelets, water powered calculator, battery-less flashlights, rulers made of empty toner cartridge, notepads, non-wired stapler, flower base, CD Holder and many more. 

Ricoh also motivated their clients to bring their empty toners when they purchase their products and they are given rebate in exchange. “We want this to be a continuous process so that there will be no need for a landfill. We have not imagined it but this has turned into a big project and that shows how certain the company is in promoting causes for the environment,” stressed Closa.

Ricoh has operations in Asian countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand and Ricoh Philippines has recently been awarded as having the best environmental practice for Asia Pacific in the whole Ricoh operations.

Closa underscored that advocating environmental projects has been equally rewarding on the business aspect of the company. “We were able to attract more customers with this project and we certainly believe that our environmental effort has become one of our competitive advantages against other companies.”

He also added that, “for a company like us, mixing business with protecting the environment could be very difficult but thinking that we can have more business through doing these efforts is the main thing we consider.”

According to its website, Ricoh is forecasted to generate about 2,250,000 million yen in their net sales and a net income of about 117, 000 million yen for their global operation from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008. – Rhia de Pablo