It’s big for business. Most of them now have a ‘sustainable vision’. When the whole ‘we have to be green’ thing began it was hard to get many large corporations to take it seriously. Now shouting about your green credentials has become something of a badge of honour for many since they realised it pays to be green.

Ricoh, Xerox, Sharp, Kyocera and HP, they all have a green agenda and that multi function printer in the corner of your office may be a direct result of that push to be more carbon neutral than the next guy.  It’s proving good for those companies, but it’s also quite profitable for the businesses that are using their products.

Ricoh says that it “aims to be part of the solutions to social issues and to help create a sustainable society. To this end, we strive to fulfil our mission of generating innovation and creating new value.” The company that produces some of the most hi-tech copiers in the world also engages in supporting education in India with its products, driving worldwide initiative for recycling old photocopiers and toner cartridges as well as funding forest ecosystem conservation projects.

HP regularly update on how they are reducing their carbon footprint, innovating in computer and printer technology while helping businesses to prosper and increase sustainability. The company put 135 million in 2013 into social investment, using technology to take healthcare and medical expertise to those in most need. They also run a successful grants program for people with ideas that create long-term benefits for local communities.

From their factories to their products, Sharp have made a big thing about their green credentials. Their ‘Green Product Guidelines’ inform the “life cycle of every single product” they produce. As a major world manufacturer, Sharp is well aware of the impact a company their size can have on the environment, which is why they have invested heavily in new plants such as the Green Front Sakai Manufacturing complex in Osaka.

Kyocera corporate philosophy of Reuse, Recycle and Reduce has been a fundamental tenet of the company, locally, nationally and internationally, long before it became fashionable. The philosophy centres on the responsibility all businesses face in ensuring their activities have as little negative impact on the environment as possible and in fact a positive impact wherever this is achievable.

And finally, Xerox has been at the forefront of sustainability for a while longer than some of its competitors. The name is synonymous with the photocopier but the company has a wide range of interests and is at the front of innovation in the global market. Like Sharp they are involved in the conservation of forests and a more sustainable paper production policy, as well as working with partners to reduce the impact of toxic waste from production processes.

There’s no doubt that being green is the way to go. It adds credibility and kudos to your business if you can demonstrate that you are doing your best to help save the planet. Being more sustainable brings other advantages too, saving on long term costs and improving working processes so that you are more productive.

Technology from the likes of Sharp, Ricoh, Xerox and HP can help you achieve those high aims but it is also a question of making the right day to day choices and getting involved in the community of waste reduction and far reaching programs of sustainability.