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News Release

Ricoh Opens Institute of Sustainability and Business

Tokyo, March 25, 2010---Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo) announces the establishment of the “Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business,” an in-house organization, on April 1, 2010. The Institute will serve dual functions, a “think-tank function” to research the impact the economy and society will have on future trends and business management, and an “advisory function” whereby, based on the fruits of its research, the Institute will give advice to and raise issues with Ricoh senior management.

The global community is undergoing unprecedented and dynamic economic and societal change, and any growth and development will have to take place against a background of momentous issues such as global warming. The expectations that business should be the core component in achieving a sustainable economy and society, continue to grow.

With the establishment of this Institute, Ricoh will gain an accurate understanding of the structural changes taking place in society against a backdrop of growing change in the business environment, at the same time conducting penetrating independent analyses in light of Ricoh’s own business conditions. While seeking a new growth model for the direction of corporate activities towards solving global issues such as global warming and the role of business in global competition, the Institute will influence Ricoh’s medium-to-long term business strategy.

Through this linkage of research and corporate activities, Ricoh aims to enhance its competitiveness as a company and at the same time earn the trust of the international community. Moreover, Ricoh intends to widely disseminate the results of its in-depth research for the benefit of society at large and the advancement of management studies.

Ricoh believes that the expansion of such corporate activities will lead to the realization of a prosperous and sustainable society.

The Institute will function beyond the conventional organizational framework, operating independently of other internal organizations from a long-term standpoint. In its search for advisors and top researchers the Institute will call upon business executives and intellectuals from outside the company with advanced insight.

1. Name : Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business
2. President : Nobuo Inaba (executive advisor to Ricoh, former executive director of the Bank of Japan)
3. Advisors : Kunio Nakamura (Chairman of the Board, Panasonic Corporation)
Shoei Utsuda (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.)
Hiroyuki Itami (Professor, Tokyo University of Science)
4. Location :
From April 1 to the end of May, 2010:
On the premises of Ricoh Headquarters,
8-31-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
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From June 2010 onwards:
Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building,
1-6-5 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
5. Established : April 1, 2010
6. Research Fields : Four areas - [Economy], [Environment, Resources and Energy], [Social Structure] and [Industry and Businesses]
7. Personnel : 20 persons (initial projection)
Related Subject Corporate