Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. has announced its free Universal Print App is now available in the Konica Minolta MarketPlace. The Universal Print solution frees IT admins from managing on-premise printing assets and print servers. Konica Minolta's bizhub i-Series MFP support Universal Print as a Universal Print native printer. By integrating its MFPs and the Microsoft 365 environment, clients can reduce print-related costs and benefit from this seamless and productive printing experience.

Konica Minolta first announced it would offer solutions to utilize Universal Print from Microsoft in 2020. Universal Print is a modern print solution organizations can use to manage their print infrastructure through cloud services from Microsoft. It runs entirely on Microsoft Azure, and when deployed with Universal Print–compatible printers, it does not require any on-premise infrastructure. It can be deployed with non-compatible printers by using Universal Print connector software. Universal Print is a Microsoft 365 subscription-based service.

"The transition to remote work has increased businesses' need for cloud-based print architecture, and Universal Print technology from Microsoft allows us to enhance our cloud printing services while also reducing costs and increasing productivity for our clients," said Dino Pagliarello, senior vice president of product management and planning, Konica Minolta. "We are pleased to now offer even easier access through our Konica Minolta MarketPlace App, ensuring all our Microsoft 365 users can take advantage of having a simple and secure printing environment."

Konica Minolta bizhub i-Series MFPs give IT admins more control over printer access rights by seamlessly and securely connecting to the Microsoft 365 environment. Everyday users who are authenticated and authorized by Azure Active Directory can access and execute print jobs from a Konica Minolta MFP that is shared on the Microsoft Azure environment by registering their i-Series printer as a shared printer on the Azure portal and downloading the Konica Minolta MarketPlace Universal Print app to the MFP.

To add more value to Universal Print, Konica Minolta's MFPs provide hybrid print solutions and unified technology of on-premise and cloud printing. These include print management, secure printing and print-from-anywhere, including home office, to make remote work efficient. Combined with Universal Print, the solutions allow for a smooth digital transformation from on-premise to cloud that keeps pace with each client's maturity level.

Konica Minolta's bizhub i-Series MFPs support direct printing through Universal Print and the new Universal Print App found in the Konica Minolta MarketPlace.

In other news, Konica Minolta has announced it has received CIANJ/Commerce Magazine's (CIANJ) Environmental Leadership Award, which celebrates New Jersey companies' stewardship and leadership of the environment. The award recognizes companies that are proactive in promoting environmental sensitivity in their operations or those that work to provide a means of lowering their carbon footprints. CIANJ assembled a panel of independent judges who reviewed entries from companies around the state that made environmental accomplishments over the last year. Winners were celebrated at a breakfast reception on April 22 at the Glen Ridge Country Club.

Committed to being a leader in environmental sustainability, Konica Minolta partners with the 17 goals of the United Nations for Sustainable Development to support people, the planet and prosperity around the world with a plan for measurable action on a global basis. The current agenda targets 2030 to reach these goals, which are integrated and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental.

In 2021, Konica Minolta joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership, which encourages organizations to use green power to reduce the environmental impact of electricity use. The company's corporate headquarters, based in Ramsey, New Jersey, runs on 100% green energy sourced from a combination of wind, hydro and solar energy. The solar energy system consists of carport canopies supporting solar panels that produce about 10% to 15% of the campus' energy needs.

In 2022, for the second consecutive year, Konica Minolta partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation in an effort to revitalize U.S. national forests. In alliance with the U.S. Forest Service and other local planting partners, 10,000 trees were planted in forests affected by wildfires or other natural disasters, representing 50 acres of trees replanted. The effort will have a significant impact over the next 40 years, sequestering 1,922 metric tons of net carbon dioxide and removing nine tons of air pollution. The trees provide habitat for a wide range of wildlife and ensure a healthy ecosystem for future resiliency.

"At Konica Minolta, we constantly look for partnerships that allow us to further fulfill our mission to create value for society while contributing to a sustainable future," said Allison Kern, CSR and internal communications managerk, Konica Minolta. "By choosing green power, the company is helping to lead the transition to a clean energy future. And The Arbor Day Foundation's commitment to embracing sustainable practices and solutions aligns with our global 2050 vision, and allows us to help to revitalize areas of California greatly affected by wildfire."

Konica Minolta is consistently recognized as a global leader in sustainability. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for nine consecutive years, and has spent four years on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. The company was also recently awarded a global leadership position on the Climate A List by CDP the sixth time. CDP is an international not-for-profit organization engaged in activities to realize a sustainable economy.