“Just like a sunbeam can’t separate itself from the sun, and a wave can’t separate itself from the ocean, we can’t separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love.”
– Marianne Williamson
Diversity and Inclusion at Ricoh goes hand in hand with its founding principles of the Ricoh Three Loves. Throughout Ricoh’s eighty-three year history, the Three Loves have acted as an overarching blueprint to our success in the way our employees work, collaborate and succeed.
Diversity and Inclusion resonates particularly strongly with the Ricoh principle of ‘Love Your Neighbour’. When we think about how closely we interact with our peers, customers and partners, being respectful and honouring our differences is fundamental to how we thrive as a community. In fact, it’s so important that in 2017 Ricoh announced its support for the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When it comes to Diversity and Inclusion, Ricoh focuses on SDG #5, SDG #10 and SDG #16 to ensure that our efforts as a global organization contributes positively to the UN’s 2030 targets.
So how is Diversity and Inclusion recognized at Ricoh Canada? Everyday our employees from all walks of life bring their unique working styles, experiences, and knowledge to collaborate under one working culture. Ricoh’s culture of flexibility promotes respect and dignity for diversity – and with that, it creates a diversity of ideas that move our organization’s innovations forward.
However, that’s not to say we are perfect. In a survey conducted by The Boston Consulting Group1 their findings highlight diversity disparities that are common to most organizations – including Ricoh. These include:
- 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.
- 35% of racially or ethnically diverse employees see obstacles in their advancement.
- 80% of LGBTW employees say they’re ready to disclose their sexual orientation but only 50% have.
At Ricoh, issues like these are addressed through our dedicated Diversity and Inclusion committee. The mission of the committee is to improve the disparities that employees may feel are not being addressed. This includes initiatives such as policies, training and identifying how biases can be removed.
Inclusion also enables us to recognize our peers in a positive manner. Small acts of respect through a willingness to learn about the differences that fuel our diversity can ultimately result in an even more engaged and cohesive workforce.
No matter where your organization is in its journey of Diversity and Inclusion, just remember – Love Your Neighbour.
Visit RicohChangeMakers.ca today.
Natalie Chung
Marketing & Brand Communications Manager
Ricoh Canada Inc
