Government, senior business, and academic leaders address sustainable industrialization at 12th annual Ricoh Eco Action Day Industry Roundtable

Singapore, 31 May 2018 – Today, Ricoh Asia Pacific (Ricoh), the Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company, brought together Government, senior business, and academic leaders to examine how the full potential of sustainable industrialisation and infrastructure development will contribute to Singapore’s greener future during the 12th edition of the annual Eco Action Day campaign.

Entitled “Industry Innovation in the Year of Climate Action,” this year’s Eco Action Day Industry Roundtable focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 9: to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation. Participants convened to discuss how companies can apply the principles of SDG 9 in a Singapore context.

The roundtable concluded the 2018 Eco Action Day campaign, in conjunction with the annual World Environment Day held every 5 June, which encourages corporations, schools, and individuals to pledge themselves to greener actions. Each pledge contributed to the Climate Action Pledges by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR).

The Roundtable follows last year’s focus on SDG 12 which tackled how companies in Singapore can apply circular economy principles and business models in practice.

Mr Kaz Goto, Managing Director of Ricoh Asia Pacific, said: “The challenges the world faces today range from climate change, globalization, and environmental degradation, to energy resource supply issues. The operating climate has changed over the years. At Ricoh, our operation continues to evolve as we align our commitment in excellence to improve the quality of living and drive sustainability.”

As of 31 May 2018, 314 organisations, 16 schools and 1220 individuals have pledged their eco actions for a sustainable Singapore. The pledges are approximately 30% more than 2017, highlighting the increase in national awareness and alertness to take environmental action. The final number of pledges will be reported after 5 June.

Gracing the annual Industry Roundtable was Guest-of-Honour Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, MEWR & Ministry of Health. She noted, “The response from businesses in making pledges in support of the Year of Climate Action has been truly heartening, and shows that the corporate world is as passionate as the public sector about creating a more sustainable Singapore.”

Focus on sustainable industry, infrastructure and innovation

The topic of innovation in infrastructure development and sustainable industrialization have become buzzwords to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the UN, companies have to go beyond previous and current models, individual areas of expertise, separate locations and institutional frontiers.

In doing so, the full potential of infrastructure development and sustainable industrialization can be unleashed to generate growth and employment, while preserving planetary boundaries.

Singapore as a model example

Singapore is often cited as a model example of how investment in industry, infrastructure and innovation has created one of the world’s safest, most efficient and prosperous cities. But the rapid growth of these sectors has impacted the environment greatly, from energy and resource consumption to waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Singapore is further ahead than most countries towards achieving SDG 9—but there's still work to do,” said Eco Action Day industry roundtable moderator Robin Hicks, Deputy Editor of Eco-Business. “Much depends on the government to ensure the right policy framework is in place to enable businesses to flourish, and on businesses to innovate to push their industries in the right direction.”

Hicks added: “Eco Action Day is about finding the ideas that will enable Singapore to create more sustainable, resilient and inclusive industries and infrastructure over the next 12 years.”

The panel consisted of J.D. Kasamoto, General Manager of Service and Environment Division of Ricoh Asia Pacific, Crystynna Ewe, APJ Regional Director Global Takeback of Dell, Maggie Lee, Corporate Partnership Strategist of WWF and Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, Chair of Circular Economy Taskforce of National University of Singapore.

The following points were raised during this year’s roundtable discussion:

JD Kasamoto, General Manager, Service & Environment Division, Ricoh Asia Pacific, led the Industry Innovation roundtable discussion at Eco Action Day 2018.

The Industry Innovation in the Year of Climate Action roundtable consisted of (from left to right) moderator and deputy editor of Eco-Business, Robin Hicks, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Crystynna Ewe, Regional Director, Asia Pacific & Japan, Global Takeback, Dell, JD Kasamoto, General Manager, Service & Environment Division, Ricoh Asia Pacific, Maggie Lee, Corporate Partnership Strategist, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore and Prof Seeram Ramakrishna, Vice President (Research Strategy), National University of Singapore (NUS).

The roundtable panellists, including Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, with Kaz Goto, Managing Director of Ricoh Asia Pacific at Ricoh Eco Action Day 2018.

Kaz Goto, Managing Director, Ricoh Asia Pacific presenting a token of appreciation to Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

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About Eco Action Day

Eco Action Day is a national public awareness campaign organized by Ricoh since 2007, in partnership with key NGO, government and private sector partners in Singapore. It is held on 5 June every year, to commemorate the United Nations Environment Programme’s World Environment Day, which seeks to raise global awareness on the need to take positive action for the environment. Every year, Ricoh, along with various supporting partners, engages its employees, customers, corporate neighbours and government organizations and the wider public to take steps to reduce their impact on the environment.

To date, more than 1,100 organisations, including multinational corporations, government agencies, private companies and tertiary institutions have participated in Eco Action Day.

For further information, please visit www.ecoaction.sg

About Ricoh

Ricoh is empowering digital workplaces using innovative technologies and services enabling individuals to work smarter. For more than 80 years, Ricoh has been driving innovation and is a leading provider of document management solutions, IT services, commercial and industrial printing, digital cameras, and industrial systems.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2018, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,063 billion yen (approx. 19.4 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com

About World Environment Day

World Environment Day (WED) is the biggest annual event for positive environmental action and takes place every 5 June. Since it began in 1972, global citizens have organized many events as they celebrate, engaging millions across the globe through events on the ground in over 70 countries. Every year, participants, young and old, organise many events. These include neighbourhood clean-ups, action against wildlife crime, replanting forests, art exhibits, concerts, dance recitals, recycling drives, social media campaigns, all themed around caring for the planet.

WED has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations encourages positive action for the environment. Through WED, the UNEP enables everyone to realise not only the responsibility to care for the Earth, but also reminds one and all of their individual power to become agents of change. Every action counts, and when multiplied by a global chorus, becomes exponential in its impact.