Ricoh's Environmental Principles and "No Regrets" Policy

Based on its management philosophy, Ricoh established its Environmental Principles in 1992 and revised them in 1998, 2004, and 2008. The Principles clearly show the basic policy and action guidelines that the Group should follow for environmental conservation and represent the Group's commitment to sustainable environmental management, which makes environmental conservation and the creation of economic value compatible. In the initial version of the Principles, we clearly stated our commitment to environmental conservation for the global environment as one of our priority corporate activities and promised to make efforts towards environmental conservation from the aspects of both business operations and products. In the subsequent revisions made to reflect the globalization of environmental problems and the progress of our Group's environmental activities, we added our ideas on sustainable environmental management, which makes environmental conservation and business management compatible, and described our commitment to the creation of a sustainable society. The ideas described in the present version (revised in 2008) can be summarized into three pledges, which are described on the right.

(1)

We regard environmental conservation as a mission that we must fulfill as a global corporate citizen. We will set ambitious targets for global environmental conservation and implement them in addition to complying with legal requirements as part of our normal duty.

(2)

We will reduce the environmental impact of our products throughout their lifecycles, including the manufacture of materials and parts and the use and disposal of products.

(3)

We will work to develop innovative environmental technologies for wide use in society and will conduct improvement activities with the participation of all employees.

The Ricoh Group always conducts business based on the three pledges, which are incorporated in its Mid- and Long-Term Environmental Impact Reduction Goals. In 1992, when Ricoh's Environmental Principles were formulated, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) was being held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity were adopted. In the same period, Ricoh included environmental conservation as a priority management target based on its "no regrets" policy. This policy was proposed by then President Masamitsu Sakurai of Ricoh (present chairman of the company) in 1998, one year after the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 3) was held in Kyoto. Through the "no regrets" policy, the Ricoh Group announced to the public its ideas on environmental conservation-"CO₂ emissions reduction activities will lead to cost reductions and help customers lead more fulfilling lives. The Ricoh Group will foster its environmental conservation activities in such a manner as to make the growth of its business and environmental conservation compatible. Even if CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions are proved not to be the cause of global warming in the future, we do not regret what we have done for the environment." At that time, there was still no scientific consensus with regard to the factors causing climate change and there were many who were skeptical about the impact of increases in greenhouse gases on global warming. However, Ricoh decided to reduce CO₂ emissions and include environmental conservation as one of its important business activities. It is natural for there to be arguments about global warming, which is a scientific issue, but if we wait until everything is proven beyond doubt, it may be too late to take action. If there are problems to be tackled now, we must make efforts to solve them to create new value. We never regret what we have done, regardless of what conclusion may be reached regarding the factors causing global warming. This is Ricoh's "no regrets" policy.