Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Action Month coincides with Ricoh’s global commitment to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals that will see it cut carbon emissions by 63% by 2030 and become carbon-neutral by 2050. Ricoh was recently selected as a member of the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2023, with a score within the top 5% in its industry.
Ricoh Southern Africa has launched a series of nationwide ocean and river clean-up activities as part of the company’s Earth Month and Ocean Month campaigns, and in solidarity with the United Nation’s SDGs initiative.
‘Every June is Global SDGs Action Month for Ricoh, a significant occasion that contributes towards achieving SDGs by addressing environmental concerns and promoting sustainability,’ said Jacques van Wyk, CEO, Ricoh Southern Africa.
‘This year we’ve embarked on a series of clean-up events, joining forces with non-profit organisations The Ocean Clean-Up and Alexandra Water Warriors in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg to create awareness, and reiterate the importance of recycling and reducing pollution on both land and ocean to ensure we protect and preserve our environment,’ said Van Wyk. ‘This aligns directly with our sustainability goals and values.’
The projects kicked off in Cape Town in May with a beach clean-up at Blouberg. Ricoh staff have been invited to a clean-up on Durban beachfront, while Ricoh’s head office staff have been tasked with joining Alexandra Water Warriors for a community clean up at Jukskei Park.
‘We prioritise sustainability by implementing recycling initiatives and promoting the segregation of plastic, paper, cans and glass as an integral part of our daily operations in the office,’ explained Van Wyk. ‘To further contribute to environmental conservation, our printers are constructed using recycled materials, and we ensure that empty toner cartridges are appropriately recycled and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.’
Ricoh is committed to focusing its volunteering activities in support of local communities, which feeds into the company’s overarching ESG theme of ‘Inclusion in the Workplace’, an intentionally broad concept to supporting a range of local activities such as placement programmes for disadvantaged groups, Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) and STEM education programmes, fundraising, volunteering partnerships with NGOs, and support for digital reskilling, CV writing, and interview skills.
RICOH SOUTH AFRICA
http://www.ricoh.co.za
