About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, with a portfolio of well-known brands such as Knorr, Dove, Axe, and Vaseline. Operating in nearly 100 countries, Unilever employs around 174,000 staff, serving the global community’s nutrition, hygiene, and personal care needs.
Long-Term Collaboration with Ricoh
Since 2004, Ricoh has been Unilever’s partner for Managed Print Services (MPS). However, in 2016, the scope of this partnership expanded from just five countries in Europe to 48 countries worldwide. The goal: to create a flexible, cost-effective print solution that supports Unilever’s Green IT strategy.
Ricoh Solution: Next Generation Print Project
Ricoh delivers services and solutions aligned with Unilever’s needs through the Next Generation Print initiative. This project aims to implement a flexible, cost-effective document management system that supports Unilever’s global Green IT strategy.
The main focus areas of this project include:
- Optimization of print infrastructure outside the European region
- Compliance with the latest Energy Star standards
- Implementation of a Global Print Policy to ensure cost transparency and environmental impact
- Reduction of paper waste and electricity consumption
- New features and enhanced functions in printing devices
- IC card-based personal authentication system for user security
- Standardization of printing devices through a Global Product Basket approach
🗨️ “We are pleased to extend our focus and success with Ricoh to regions beyond Europe. We are now working together to streamline our device fleet through a new transformational MPS service, which we call MPS 2.0. This project will help improve our environmental performance and reduce both direct and indirect costs.”
— Katy Cory, Global IT Service Manager, Unilever
Uncovering Hidden Costs
Through a two-tiered MPS approach, Ricoh customizes its services based on the scale and specific needs of each Unilever site. A comprehensive assessment is conducted on all document output—covering security aspects and potential bottlenecks. The result? Ricoh successfully identifies hidden costs, streamlines device usage, and reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Transparent Environmental Reporting
Ricoh leverages the @Remote Enterprise-Pro platform to deliver detailed reports on energy usage, print volumes, CO₂ emissions, and toner recycling processes—across site, country, and regional levels. This data is directly integrated into Unilever’s global Green IT metrics, supporting the achievement of their sustainability goals.
A Key Partner in Office Solutions
Since the beginning of the partnership, Ricoh has served as the primary provider of office print solutions for Unilever. Its customer-centric approach, flexibility in managing MPS, and broad service support across Europe have made Ricoh a strategic and trusted partner.
🗨️ “Unilever continues to manage documents strategically and innovatively. With Ricoh, they gain transparency, efficiency, and reductions in both cost and environmental impact. As Ricoh’s support extends to more countries, Unilever can stay focused on driving its business objectives.””
— Maurice Beelen, General Manager, Ricoh Global Services Europe
The partnership between Ricoh and Unilever proves that digital transformation in print systems not only enhances efficiency but also supports the environmental and sustainability vision of a global enterprise. Through adaptive technology and comprehensive support, Ricoh has become a key catalyst in driving operational efficiency and long-term cost savings for Unilever.
