Ricoh named to World's Most Ethical Companies list by Ethisphere for fifth year in a row

TOKYO, March 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh today announced it has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies in 2013. The list was revealed Tuesday, March 5, in New York at the World's Most Ethical Companies Honoree Dinner held in conjunction with the 2013 Global Ethics Summit.

This is the fifth year in a row that Ricoh has been honored for promoting high ethical standards by Ethisphere, a leading international organization dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, governance, anti-corruption and sustainability. The organization says its honor "highlights companies that outperform industry peers when it comes to ethical behavior. The 2013 World's Most Ethical companies are those that truly embrace ethical business practice and demonstrate industry leadership, forcing peers to follow suit or fall behind."

This is the seventh year Ethisphere has published the World's Most Ethical rankings, which were culled from a record number of nominations and applications.

"Every one of us at Ricoh has committed to acting with integrity and honesty at all times, and we take responsibility for our actions," said Hiroshi Kobayashi, corporate executive vice president, Ricoh Company, Ltd. "Our investors, customers and partners understand the central role integrity plays at Ricoh. Being named to Ethisphere's 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies list shows how seriously we take corporate citizenship, and we're honored to be included."

Through in-depth research and a multistep analysis, Ethisphere reviewed nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. The methodology for the World's Most Ethical Companies includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.

"A strong ethical foundation is a competitive advantage, and Ricoh recognizes the important role corporate responsibility plays in improving its bottom line," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "As more and more organizations strive for this honor each year, Ricoh's inclusion as a World's Most Ethical Company for 2013 demonstrates its industry-leading commitment to ethics and dedication to integrity." 

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies at http://ethisphere.com/wme. The World's Most Ethical Companies list will also be featured in the 2013 Quarter 1 issue of Ethisphere Magazine.

| About Ethisphere Institute |

The research-based Ethisphere^® Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World's Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures that include: Ethics Inside^® Certification, Compliance Leader Verification™ and Anti-Corruption Program Verification. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

| About Ricoh |

Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in more than 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2012, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,903 billion yen (approx. 23 billion USD).

The majority of the company's revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives.

Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com/about

© 2013 Ricoh Company, Ltd. All rights reserved.
All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:

Aubrie Artiano
Managing Editor
Ethisphere
[email protected] 

John Greco
Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2023
[email protected]

Jill Searl
Brodeur Partners
(603) 559-5824
[email protected]

SOURCE Ricoh