The Ricoh eco-board is the first of its kind in Europe in having dual natural sources of power so that it illuminates only when sufficient power is collected, demonstrating by example the company’s long term commitment to sustainable business.
“Our ethos is to go beyond simply meeting regulatory requirements relating to sustainability by proactively promoting environmentally responsible practices in our own business and for our customers. The launch of the eco-board takes us one step further by reminding wider public audiences to act in a sustainable way and think beyond the obvious when it comes to protecting natural resources,” said Phil Keoghan, CEO of Ricoh UK. “At Ricoh, we have been committed to reducing our company’s carbon footprint for decades, already achieving zero waste to landfill at major production sites back in 2001. “We are also focused on encouraging our supply chain to adopt sustainable business models that can help protect the environment whilst improving productivity and profits.”
The Ricoh eco-board is located on the M4 motorway which runs from London to London Heathrow airport, the gateway to Europe. The concept for the board was transformed into reality by integrated outdoor services provider Rainmaker, and the site was agreed as part of a five year contract with media owner Outdoor Plus.
It is powered by 96 solar panels and 5 individual wind turbines and forms a key part of Ricoh’s overall commitment to raising environmental awareness in the region. People journeying into the heart of London will pass the eco-board which carries Ricoh’s Managed Document Services message – the company’s sustainable approach to streamlining business processes and document workflows.
Long list of environmental credentials
Ricoh established an Environmental Protection Office in 1976, and has been striving to minimise the effect of its activities on the environment ever since.
In 2005, it was the first company in the industry to introduce biomass plastic into the manufacture of products. While in 2009, Ricoh developed colour toner using a unique polyester polymerization process which fuses at a lower temperature than its predecessor, resulting in energy efficiencies. It also yields more toner per tube resulting in less waste.
It operates a zero-waste policy at all of its manufacturing plants and is investing in carbon reduction technologies to reduce the environmental impact of its operations rather than merely offsetting its carbon footprint.
The company operates a dedicated ‘Green Centre’, where old machines are re-commissioned and recycled in line with WEEE Directive guidelines and accredited with ISO14001:2004 for environmental management.
Ricoh has also been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard that requires an organisation to measure, manage and reduce its carbon footprint and, for the seventh consecutive year, has also been named as one of the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World" by the World Economic Forum in Davos.
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