Ricoh enhances GHG emission reduction through a Scope 3 reduction scenario

13 Jul 2023

Visualization and reduction of global GHG emission in Category 4: Upstream transportation and distribution

TOKYO, July 13, 2023 – Ricoh Company, Ltd. has formulated its Scope 3 supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction scenario, underpinning enhancement of GHG emission reduction efforts during its 21st Mid-Term Management Strategy, beginning April 2023. The scenario will allow Ricoh to further achieve its goals and includes GHG emission reduction volume and actions for each category under Scope 3, Category 1: Purchased goods and services, Category 4: Upstream transportation and distribution, and Category 11: Use of Sold Products.

In 2017, Ricoh announced its commitment to virtually eliminate GHG emissions across its value chain and switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2050, obtaining approval from the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in 2020 that Ricoh’s goals align with the SBTi’s 1.5°C criteria. Ricoh has been making steady progress based on its roadmap, including a 63% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030 vs FY2015. The Scope 3 GHG emissions reduction rate of 2030 vs FY2015 is set at 40%, with the Scope 3 reduction goal covering 83%^*1 of overall GHG emissions.

Ricoh has been enhancing Category 1: Purchased goods and services, and Category 11: Use of sold products, over the years, mainly through new product development. However, in Category 4: Upstream transportation and distribution, GHG emission volume was not fully visualized based on the actual transportation status. A new tool has been implemented to overcome this issue, allowing Ricoh also to enhance reduction efforts for Category 4.

Key efforts by Category

Category 1: Purchased goods and services

Ricoh has been working on utilizing recycled materials and reducing the size and weight of our products. Its latest A3 multifunction printer^*2 launched in February 2023 in Japan achieved an industry-leading^*3 50 % usage rate of recycled plastics^*4, accounting for nearly one-third of FY2023 new resource reduction totals.

Ricoh will continue to enhance reduction measures, including expanding the recycled material ratio in its products.

Category 4: Upstream transportation and distribution

Ricoh will shift the majority of its transportation GHG emission calculation to the ton-kilometer method, a calculation based on the weight and distance of transported cargo and means of transport, from the conventional transportation-cost-based method. Global expansion of the ton-kilometer method through the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework^*5 approved BigMile^*6 visualization solution will enable Ricoh to reflect more accurate transport status to GHG emissions.

Initially implemented in EMEA in FY2020, the solution’s scope from FY2023 has expanded to monitor transportation GHG footprint within North and Latin America regions and between the regions of product origins and destinations, which accounts for nearly 70%^*7 of Category 4 total GHG emissions.

Category 11: Use of sold products

Ricoh has been working to develop products compliant with the International Energy Star Program, an international energy-saving environmental label, and boast industry-leading energy-saving performance. Its latest A3 multifunction printer^*2 launched in February 2023 in Japan achieved industry-leading^*8 Typical Electricity Consumption (TEC2018)^*9 through Ricoh proprietary color Quick Start-Up (QSU) technology. Ricoh will continue its pursuit of energy-saving performance.

Mikako Suzuki, Corporate Officer of Ricoh in charge of ESG and Risk Management, says: “I am pleased to share Ricoh’s Scope 3 GHG emission reduction scenario with our stakeholders, another milestone in our continuous pursuit to realize a zero-carbon society. Through the enhancement of Scope 3 GHG emission reduction efforts, I am excited to reinforce how we will achieve our goals and assure customers of our unwavering commitment to supporting them in reducing their own carbon footprint and emission levels.”

^*1 FY2022 actual
^*2 Launched in February 2023 in Japan RICOH IM C6010 /C5510 /C4510 /C3510 /C3010 /C2510 /C2010
^*3 March 2023 Research-based North America Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPAT) Registry
^*4 Percentage of plastic recovered material used to total plastic volume
^*5 GLEC (Global Logistics Emissions Council） framework: The global method of calculating and reporting logistics emissions.
^*6 Headquartered in the Netherlands, BigMile is a digital workstation specialist focused on reducing the environmental impact of supply chains and logistics. https://bigmile.eu/
^*7 Partially include GHG emission calculation using the transportation-cost-based method
^*8 Ricoh research as of February 6, 2023, based on The Energy Conservation Center, Japan web content on comparison between International Energy Star Program products (digital full-color MFP with from 25 to 60 pages per minute copy, fax, and scanning functions)
https://www.ricoh.co.jp/products/list/ricoh-im-c6010-c5510-c4510-c3510-c3010-c2510/point1#04 (Japanese)
^*9 Value based on established measurement method by International Energy Star Program