OREANDA-NEWS. November 07, 2012. Ricoh Company, Ltd. announced that it has received the highest rating for "especially advanced efforts in consideration for the environment" from the DBJ Environmental Ratings as well as a special award (for the best of the top-rated companies) from the Development Bank of Japan Inc. (President and CEO: Toru Hashimoto; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "DBJ").

DBJ Environmental Ratings Loan Program is the world's first system of financing based on environmentally responsible ratings. DBJ has developed a screening system (rating system) to measure companies' environmental management and applies three different interest rates to companies based on their scores. Ricoh has obtained financing under this system.

Our management philosophy, which is based on the founding principles "Love your neighbor; love your country; love your work (The Spirit of Three Loves)," believes in harmonizing with the Earth and society. Ricoh established the Environmental Promotion Section in 1976 and has been engaged in environmental conservation activities. Since 1998, Ricoh has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable environmental management that aims to simultaneously achieve environmental conservation and profits.

To help achieve a sustainable global environment and society, Ricoh has established Mid- and Long-Term Environmental Impact Reduction Goals for 2020 and 2050 in three areas: energy conservation and prevention of global warming, resource conservation and recycling, and pollution prevention*.

Ricoh received high marks from the DBJ primarily for three reasons:

(1) Ricoh sets environmental impact reduction targets for each product throughout its lifecycle using a originally developed LCA calculation tool**. Ricoh seeks to consistently reduce its environmental impact.

(2) Across its businesses, Ricoh understands and assesses which processes have a significant impact on the ecological system. Based on this assessment, Ricoh takes concrete initiatives to contribute to biodiversity conservation.

(3) Ricoh has originally developed the Supplier Code of Conduct and a self-assessment system*** for its CSR procurement. Under the system Ricoh is building its supply chain, considering CSR as well as environmental conservation .

Ricoh has set very ambitious environmental impact reduction goals in three fields—energy conservation and prevention of global warming, resource conservation and recycling, and pollution prevention—and has announced its commitment to these goals. Ricoh's environmental action plan, set in every three years, incorporates the goals, and Ricoh promotes day-to-day environmental activities in accordance with this plan. DBJ said that Ricoh is leading the entire Japanese industry in environmental impact reduction through these remarkable initiatives.

Ricoh aims to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society, which is a prerequisite for the growth and development of companies. Placing environmental conservation as one of its management priorities, Ricoh will accelerate its sustainable environmental management further.

*A target in the field of pollution prevention is included only in the 2020 goals.

**LCA calculation tool
Ricoh sets environmental impact reduction targets for products throughout their lifecycles and uses the PDCA cycle to achieve the targets. Ricoh calls this LCA-based design. The LCA calculation tool is used to create the LCA-based design efficiently and effectively.

***Self-assessment system
The self-assessment system is a system for monitoring the level of compliance with the Supplier Code of Conduct. Based on the self-assessments by suppliers, the Ricoh Group identifies activities that need to be improved and communicates them to the suppliers.