Sustainability in Action: Inside Ricoh’s Green Initiatives

In today’s environmentally conscious world, sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s a business imperative. Customers, employees, and investors alike are demanding accountability, transparency, and real action on climate and environmental issues. For Ricoh, sustainability isn’t just part of the plan—it’s embedded in the company’s DNA.

For over four decades, Ricoh has been a pioneer in eco-friendly innovation, leading the way in how technology companies can balance progress with responsibility. Let’s take a closer look at how Ricoh is putting sustainability into action and helping create a greener, more sustainable future for all.

A Long-Term Vision for the Planet

Ricoh’s commitment to the environment is driven by a bold, clear goal: to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its entire value chain by 2050. This vision is supported by near-term science-based targets, including a 63% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from business operations by 2030 (compared to 2015 levels).

Ricoh is also a proud signatory of the RE100 initiative, committing to sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Sustainable Product Design

Ricoh integrates sustainability into the design and production of its products. This includes:

• Energy-Efficient Devices: Ricoh printers and multifunction devices are engineered for low power consumption, featuring energy-saving modes and fast warm-up technology.

• Recyclable Materials: Many Ricoh products are made from recycled plastics and designed for easy disassembly, making them easier to recycle or refurbish at end-of-life.

• Eco-Friendly Toner: The company’s toner cartridges are designed for high yield and lower melting points, reducing energy use during printing.

Circular Economy in Action

Ricoh was an early adopter of the circular economy model, focusing on reducing waste and extending the life of its products. Some of its initiatives include:

• Toner Cartridge Recycling: Ricoh operates collection and recycling programs in multiple countries, ensuring used cartridges are recovered, reprocessed, and reused.

• GreenLine Program: This initiative refurbishes used Ricoh devices to near-new condition, giving them a second life while saving raw materials and reducing emissions.

• Take-Back Systems: Customers can return used devices and parts, which Ricoh then either recycles or remanufactures into new products.

Greener Supply Chain and Logistics

Sustainability doesn’t stop at product design. Ricoh is making its supply chain greener through:

• Low-Emission Transport: Shifting to electric and fuel-efficient vehicles in logistics.

• Smart Packaging: Using less packaging material and more recyclable options for shipping.

• Supplier Partnerships: Working closely with suppliers to align on environmental standards and reduce the overall carbon footprint of operations.

Empowering Sustainable Workplaces

Ricoh also helps its customers become more sustainable through digital transformation. By promoting paperless workflows, cloud storage, and managed print services, Ricoh enables businesses to reduce paper usage, cut energy costs, and optimize resource consumption.

Their sustainability consulting services further guide organizations in measuring and reducing their environmental impact—helping them align with global environmental goals and certifications like ISO 14001.

Recognition and Accountability

Ricoh’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. The company consistently appears on global sustainability indices such as:

• Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI)

• FTSE4Good Index Series

• CDP’s A List for Climate Change and Water Security

These accolades reflect Ricoh’s transparency, ethical practices, and results-driven sustainability strategy.

Final Thoughts

Ricoh isn’t just talking about sustainability—it’s living it. Through innovation, accountability, and a relentless drive to do better for the planet, Ricoh continues to lead by example. As businesses everywhere look for ways to reduce their environmental impact, Ricoh offers both inspiration and practical solutions.

Sustainability is no longer optional—and thanks to companies like Ricoh, it’s also no longer out of reach.