To provide a platform for employee representation in meetings and discussions with European management.
Ricoh European Form A platform for communication
The Ricoh European Forum (REF) is where Ricoh employee representatives from across Europe can meet and discuss Pan European topics with European top management.
New developments happen on a daily basis and are often connected to developments on a larger regional scale. So, communication and engagement between staff and management help promote awareness and achieve company objectives.
The REF plays an integral role within the Ricoh Europe organization.
A brief history of the Forum, founded in response to EU legislation
Facilitating Pan European Communication Since 1996
The first Ricoh European Forum agreement was signed on September 2, 1996 in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, as a Ricoh Europe implementation of European legislation initiated on September 22, 1994. Since 1996 many REF plenary sessions have been held at various locations throughout Europe.
Most recent meeting locations:
2010 - Schiphol, The Netherlands
2009 - Amstelveen, The Netherlands
2008 - Schiphol, The Netherlands
2007 - Lisbon, Portugal
Over 30 delegates represent Ricoh entities across Europe, meeting each year with the Ricoh Europe Board
Diversity Through Local Representation
For Ricoh European Forum (REF) matters, over 30 delegates represent the various Ricoh European entities. Once a year they meet for the formal Ricoh European Forum plenary session.
Throughout the year the REF is represented by a Steering Committee that meets four times a year to discuss Pan European issues. In these meetings employee delegates, HR management and European top management are present.
In 2009 and 2010 the following employee delegates took part in Steering Committee meetings:
Nicholas Beecroft (France)
Sandra Tischendorf (Germany)
Alain Admant (France)
Daniel Vrijdag (Belgium)
Gregory Pichergru (France)
Dennis Williams (UK)
Sabine Nikolaus (Germany)
Gerard van de Sande (Netherlands)
Wytze VanderGaast (Ricoh International)
John Asher (UK)
Providing Pan European awareness and information for all delegates
Informing Delegates, Creating Understanding
Information is crucial to create awareness and understanding. To ensure all Ricoh European Forum (REF) delegates are aware of Pan European developments inside and outside the Ricoh Europe organisation, it is essential to keep REF delegates informed throughout the year.
The REF communications committee is the liaison between the REF steering committee and the REF delegates. The committee gathers information from the European meetings and presents them in a short and readable format. It also collects various stories from across Europe that illustrate the diversity and creativity of the European Ricoh employees.
Our two main tools of communication are the Ricoh Europe website and the REF quarterly newsletter, ‘REF Grapevine'.
