The U.S. Securities and Exchange?Commission (SEC) adopted
the?final?rule?pursuant
to?Section?1502?of?Dodd?Frank?Wall?Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act, called Conflict Minerals
provision, on August 22nd, 2012. The rule requires listed
companies, etc., to disclose and report to the SEC about
the use of conflict minerals (*1) originating from the
Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries in
their products.
The Ricoh Group views the Conflict Minerals Issue (*2) as
an important CSR issue, and is constantly working to
improve transparency in the supply chain together with its
business partners, also ensuring responsible mineral
sourcing practices. Ricoh, as a member company of the
"Responsible Minerals Trade Working Group",
launched in May 2012 by the Japan Electronics and
Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), is
participating in a Working Group for the entire global
supply chain. Activities of the working group include
compliance with the rule, all part of Ricoh's
commitment as a good global citizen.
(*1) columbite-tantalite, cassiterite, gold, wolframite or
their derivatives. Primary derivatives are tantalum, tin
and tungsten
(*2) the issue that certain minerals mining or trading
finances armed groups and fosters conflicts, or closely
related to human rights abuses, labor issues or
environmental destruction, etc.
Ricoh Company, Ltd. is one of the world's leading office equipment manufacturers. Net sales break down by family of products and services as follows:
- office automation equipment (48.5%): photocopiers, fax machines and printing systems;
- IT equipment and network systems (31.6%): PCs, servers, software, etc. The group also offers installation and start-up, training, technical support, and maintenance services;
- commercial and industrial printing solutions and systems (9.5%): inkjet print heads, imaging systems, commercial and industrial printers;
- thermal paper and thermal transfer ribbons (3.4%): for label printing;
- other (7%): primarily optical equipment, semiconductor, electronic components, measurement systems, photographic equipment, integrated circuits, and electronic processing equipment.
Net sales break down geographically as follows: Japan (44.8%), Europe/Middle East/Africa (23.4%), Americas (23%) and other (8.8%).