Ricoh Ranks Second in Nikkei Survey of Environmental Awareness in Management
Ricoh has ranked second in the fifth annual survey conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc. on the level of environmental awareness in company management, the results of which were published on December 3. Although Ricoh had hitherto ranked first in the survey, the Company once again was given high marks as the manufacturing sector's leader in environmental preservation activities. The top company overall this year was IBM Japan Ltd.
Ricoh received a perfect score in four of the eight items considered in the survey, namely management structure, information disclosure, environmental education, and social contribution and risk of pollution. In a radar chart showing the eight items, Ricoh drew an almost equilateral octagon. The Company has been aggressive in tackling both the actual reduction of the environmental burden and management structure and organization, with initiatives including action on greenhouse gases and steps to control land and marine pollution, measures to make products environmentally friendly, and a commitment to information disclosure. This commitment was reflected in the high evaluation in this survey. Ricoh has been constantly looking ahead to the management risks posed by such changes as the new recycling law and the Kyoto Protocol, and has been taking practical steps that have produced positive results.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc. has been conducting this survey since 1997, in cooperation with the Nikkei Research Center. The objectives of the survey are to evaluate how companies manage environmental issues, such as reducing greenhouse gases and waste, and simultaneously improving management efficiency. This year, the survey was conducted based on responses to a questionnaire from early September to late October. The survey covered 2,040 companies, including all listed manufacturers, even those listed on the over-the-counter market, and leading privately held manufacturers (including construction and energy companies). Some 820 companies responded and the results of the responses were tabulated.
Ricoh Elemex ranked 72nd (72nd the previous year) and Tohoku Ricoh ranked 89th (85th the previous year), respectively.
Meanwhile, the results of a survey of companies with an advanced image in terms of the environment were also released, with Ricoh ranking a close second to Toyota Motor Corp., the top company. Sony Corp. ranked third. The survey asked companies to name a company, other than their own, with a management that they consider to have advanced environmental awareness. The results showed that 361 companies selected Toyota, with 347 companies choosing Ricoh. These two companies clearly outdistanced the remaining firms on the list.
|
