MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh has been named a gold winner for Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year in Best in Biz Awards, the only independent business awards program judged each year by prominent editors and reporters from top-tier publications in North America.
The award for Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year is the latest recognition for Ricoh's ambitious sustainability efforts, including the global organization's commitment to using a minimum of 30 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. In 2017, Ricoh USA, Inc. was named ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year as its number of ENERGY STAR certified products increased by 27.2 percent. In addition, Ricoh has programs that extend its sustainable practices beyond its traditional business, including:
- The Ricoh Family Group Eco Excellence Program to educate dealer partners
- The Ricoh Global Eco Action Month to educate employees
- Awarding the Ricoh Sustainability Development Award to a high school student who develops innovations that strengthen environmental sustainability
Each year, Best in Biz Awards' entrants span the spectrum, from some of the most innovative local start-ups to the most recognizable global brands. The seventh annual program was particularly hotly contested, with more than 650 entries from an impressive array of public and private companies of all sizes and from a variety of industries and geographic regions in the U.S. and Canada. Best in Biz Awards 2017 honors were presented in 65 categories, including Company of the Year, Fastest-Growing Company, Most Innovative Company, Best Place to Work, Support Department, Executive of the Year, Most Innovative Product, Best New Product, App, Event and Website of the Year.
"Environmental sustainability is a major focus for us at Ricoh, so every benchmark, every milestone, every honor is incredibly encouraging," said Glenn Laverty, Senior Vice President of Ricoh Americas Marketing and President & CEO of Ricoh Canada. "This particular recognition reinforces that our commitment to sustainability is producing real, noticeable results. At Ricoh, it is important for us to not only uphold exceptional corporate social responsibility ideals but to also demonstrate to our customers how we can all work smarter with eco-friendly products and sustainability know-how. This is a global focus for us as we continue to empower digital workplaces within our own organization and around the world."
Since 2011, winners of Best in Biz Awards have been determined based on scoring from independent judging panels composed of prominent editors and reporters from some of the most respected newspapers, TV outlets, and business, consumer, technology and trade publications in North America. Best in Biz Awards' uniqueness stems, in part, from this distinct composition of its judging panels, allowing it to best leverage the judges' unparalleled expertise, experience and objectivity to determine award winners. The 2017 judging panel included: Accounting Today, AdWeek, Associated Press, Atlanta Tribune, Business News Daily, Consumer Affairs, Entrepreneur, eWeek, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Healthcare Innovation News, Inc., Investment Advisor Magazine, Laptop, MediaPost, Pittsburgh Business Times, Security Products Magazine, Wired, WLRN and Yahoo Tech.
"Amazing variety in the finalists in Best in Biz Awards this year," said Christopher Null, Wired, returning to judge the awards for the sixth year. "It was incredibly difficult to pick a winner!"