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Communication:Environmental Communication with Stakeholders –Communication with Local Communities–

Supporting young scientists and technical innovation for sustainable development

  • Global/Ricoh Americas Corporation
Left to right: Jonah Zachariah Butler; Daniel Walsh, Marketplace VP for Greater Los Angeles, Ricoh US; Yoko Perez, Analyst, Environmental Sustainability and Product Compliance, RAC; Wenjia Li; Anoop Vemulapalli.Left to right: Jonah Zachariah Butler; Daniel Walsh, Marketplace VP for Greater Los Angeles, Ricoh US; Yoko Perez, Analyst, Environmental Sustainability and Product Compliance, RAC; Wenjia Li; Anoop Vemulapalli.

Ricoh Americas Corporation (RAC), the Group's regional headquarters for the Americas, is a dedicatedsponsorof the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), the world's largest pre-college science and technology competition. Since 2005, RAC has annually presented the Ricoh Sustainable Development Award, along with a total of $25,000 in scholarships, toexcellent research projects for potential contribution to Triple Bottom Line (economic, environmental and social) development that will help build a sustainable society. RAChas also provided imaging equipment and visual communication support for the fair.

At the 2014 Intel ISEF, the 10th Ricoh award was provided to three high school students who were selected out of more than 1,700 finalists representing 70 countries, regions and territories. The three recipients, Jonah Zachariah Butler and the team of Wenjia Liand Anoop Vemulapalli, were recognized for their outstanding technical innovations in "Employing in Situ Generated Peracetic Acid and Fungal Biosynthesis to Produce Biofuels" and "Enhanced Third-Generation Biofuel ProductionfromGenetically Modified Algae," respectively. The winners were honored at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA on May 16, 2014.

Since 2005 RAC has awarded over $350,000 in scholarships to 26 young scholars in the U.S. and abroad.

Three-In-One Program

  • Thailand/Ricoh (Thailand) Ltd.
Students from schools participating in the RTH environmental projects, with RTH President, JulianStudents from schools participating in the RTH environmental projects, with RTH President, Julian
Fryett (back row, center)

Ricoh (Thailand) Ltd. (RTH), a sales subsidiary, organized a “Three- In-One Program”* to support environmental activities in elementary schools. In the program, participating elementary schools selected their own themes and engaged in environmental communication activities under the chosen themes, with the involvement of local communities. The top-performing participants were awarded a grant for their activities. Environmentally concerned local citizens cooperated in the program by serving as judges.
Seven elementary schools in Bangkok and inland areas, bringing together over 9,800 students, participated in the program with a wide variety of activities. One of these activities was a waterway cleanup project where students and local citizens cleaned up waterways near the school using microbiological water purifying pellets that the students had created. Other projects included collecting and sorting recyclable waste and donating the proceeds from the sales to temples; an exhibition for local citizens of art works made from waste materials; and making organic fertilizer for use in the school. These projects were subject to periodic progress evaluation by the program judges. Based on the results of the final review in December 2009, Klongmakarmted School received the first prize for two activities: an exhibition of craft works made from waste paper and its community awareness raising activities. A total of 65,000 baht was awarded to the top four prize winners.