Ricoh Wins Awards for Climate Protection
On November 5 in Marrakech, Morroco, Jan Pronk and Ricoh Company, Ltd. received "Climate is Business" awards from two leading European and U.S business organizations for their efforts in protecting global climate.
The European and U.S. Business Councils for Sustainable Energy, which are in the forefront of promoting technologies to solve global warming, present their award annually to the political figure and company that have played the most constructive role in the climate protection process. The winners receive a glass trophy containing a blue "e", standing for the five "e"s of "energy, emissions, environment, efficiency and economy".
Tatsuo Tani, general manager, Ricoh's Corporate Environment Division, received the prize from John Palmisano, board member of the European Business Council and manging director of the US Company Evolution Markets. Ricoh has received this year's award for its role in improving energy efficiency and energy management.
Ricoh was also one of the first companies in Japan to support the call by the business initiative "e-mission 55" for the Kyoto Protocol to enter into force in 2002. Ricoh's initiative encouraged other companies in Japan to follow suit. The business councils hope that this will pave the way for more positive engagement of the Japanese government during what is intended to be this week's crucial final round of the Kyoto negotiating process.
All the speakers highlighted the necessity of solving the technical issues of the Bonn Agreement during the Marrakech climate conference. Ministers, who begin three days of work in Marrakech on Wednesday, should ensure their governments ratify the Kyoto Protocol in time for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2002.
Note:
e5, the European Business Council for a Sustainable Energy Future, has over 100 member companies from the renewable, energy efficiency, public transport and telecommunications sectors including: Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Bahn, COGEN Europe, Calorgas UK and the Dutch power company Essent.
The U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Energy, created in 1992, includes among the following in its list members: Enron, Honeywell, American Standard and the U.S. national trade associations for the wind, solar, insulation and natural gas industries.
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