Konica Minolta Achieves Gold EPEAT Ratings

November 8, 2016

epeat-logoEveryone sees articles or news headlines referring to environmental issues. In some cases, they have to do with new standards needed for an industry and, in other cases, concerns about the long-term effects that can impact the environment.

With all these conversations taking place, it makes me proud to work for a company like Konica Minolta that prides itself on creating new value in order to champion environmental protection and contribute solutions for many challenges facing our global society.

Nowhere is our commitment more supported than with the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), a voluntary standard for product ratings.

In fact, as of November 2016, Konica Minolta has the highest total of EPEAT points of any registered imaging equipment company in the world, with 21 optional EPEAT points on six products.  EPEAT requires that products meet criteria in eight environmental performance categories, from design and production to energy use and recycling. Such requirements as packaging, lifecycle and materials used during construction are factored in.

EPEAT is a free benchmark for ratings that makes it easy for a buyer to choose the best technology for their business, knowing that strict environmental criteria across the entire product lifecycle have been met. Managed by the Green Electronics Council, EPEAT tracks more than 4,000 products from more than 60 manufacturers across 43 countries.

Products that meet all required criteria in the category are rated bronze, silver or gold. We have 62 active products on the EPEAT registry, all having achieved gold or silver status. To achieve gold status, a product must meet the requirements for both bronze and silver, plus meet at least 75 percent of the optional criteria. Optional points are given by meeting up to 26 additional criteria. We manufacture 24 of the 54 products on the EPEAT registry with 20 optional points or higher. You can see all of our EPEAT certified products online.

This certification is important to us in the public sector because the federal government has mandates surrounding the purchase and use of electronics. These mandates create both higher supply and demand for green products, leading to better and cleaner options for buyers.  Federal purchasers in the government sector must buy and use 95 percent of their technology from EPEAT-listed suppliers. This makes EPEAT an influential tool for decision makers. And, it makes Konica Minolta an influential supplier because of our high rating and adherence to standards.

EPEAT standards allow government purchasers to know exactly which technology meets not only these federal standards, but also their own internal sustainability directives. Because it is a global organization, EPEAT also allows enterprise companies to standardize their procurement policies around shared specifications. Therefore, a company with a world-wide presence can take comfort in knowing that products meeting EPEAT standards can be purchased and installed on a global level.

EPEAT also offers standardized contract language, which gives purchasers the ability to require suppliers to document their registered products. Purchasers can then share these contracts with the Green Electronics Council to qualify for annual recognition. The data can also be used to calculate the purchaser’s financial and environmental benefits by using EPEAT registrants.

Under our brand proposition “Giving Shape to Ideas,” we are committed to remaining vital to society by driving corporate citizenship initiatives in business and contributing to improving social quality through the creation of new value. Our creation of Eco Vision 2050, our long-term environmental vision, guides us to achieve future objectives and fulfill our responsibility as a global corporation by contributing to a sustainable earth and society.

Konica Minolta’s aggressive stance in relation to electronic product environmental assessment puts us on another level. And, it makes our partnership story that much more compelling, as we have seen in our ability to close business with not only federal government purchasers but also state government and education institutions. Our partnership story is built on trust.

We all want a cleaner and healthier environment to live in and enjoy and Konica Minolta continues to take significant strides in contributing to that goal.

Todd Foote
Vice President, Government Sales and Marketing

Todd Foote is responsible for the company’s government sales and marketing program, including initiatives that support our distribution channels in driving sales and service with in this market. He leads a team of sales and contracts personnel in developing and implementing national strategies to support local sales efforts within the public sector markets. Todd has more than 25 years of government sales and marketing experience. He is a fan of the Baltimore Ravens and Maryland Terps basketball, and also enjoys the outdoors, especially if there is fresh water to throw out a line once in a while.