Ricoh SA is again sponsoring the Pumas Wheelchair Basketball team to compete in the SuperSport Wheelchair Basketball Series, 2015.
Ricoh SA has sponsored the Pumas Wheelchair Basketball team since May 2008 when it signed an agreement to provide kit, branding, advertising and membership fees.
“This year our sponsorship includes helping the team bring in fresh players from as far abroad as Morocco,” says Esti Kilian, national head of Marketing Services at Ricoh SA.
In 2012 the Pumas broke a 12-year championship-losing streak in a nail-biting finale to win against the KZN Wings Wheelchair Basketball team in the SuperSport Wheelchair Basketball Series. They have won every year since.
“The players have a lot of international club experience where the competitive standard is extremely high,” says Etienne Buys, Ricoh Pumas representative. “They have high shooting averages but this year the new players will need to focus on working together as a team. They have already made a good start, winning three of four games, and we are confident they will gather momentum over the next few weeks.”
“The team has been exceptionally committed and dedicated as it tackles the new season,” says Buys. “They have already won three out of four games, beating the Eagles 50-39, the Wings 65-39, team Mongoose 81-40 and losing only against the Blade Runners 57-70.”
Buys works with the team to identify its strong and weak points as well as those of rivals and prepare for each game accordingly.
Ricoh undertakes numerous corporate social investment (CSI) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. In the past it has supported:
* The Love of Christ Ministries (TLC);
* Rhino relocation program assistance for veterinary wildlife services;
* Support of 17 Squadron, a South African Air Force (SAAF) squadron dedicated to humanitarian and peace support missions;
* Wildlife conservation fundraising;
* #pedal4change imagine change Challenge to raise funds for charity; and
* Save the White-winged Flufftail birding campaign championed by Ricoh SA employee, Jacques van Wyk.
“Ricoh’s founder, Kiyoshi Ichimura, said that with outstanding corporate success comes great responsibility,” says Kilian. “Because of his vision we established the Ricoh Social Charter in 2003 that integrates the company’s core values with the 10 principles defined in the UN Global Compact.” The 10 principles are shared between human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.