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KYOCERA Honored As "RECYCLER OF THE YEAR" By City Of San Diego, Continues Reign As City's Most-Awarded Company For Environmental Programs
Highest Environmental Award Marks Kyocera's Eleventh Consecutive Accolade with 18 Awards Total
San Diego, Calif.- June 9, 2011 - Kyocera Communications, Inc. (KCI), San Diego-based provider of Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless phones in the Americas, has been named "2011 Recycler of the Year" by the City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department (ESD). It is the eleventh consecutive year that KCI, which was formed in 2000, has been awarded by the City for its recycling and environmental practices. Kyocera, which operates multiple divisions in San Diego, now has earned 18 such awards from the City - more than any other business in San Diego, according to the ESD.
"We continue to commend Kyocera for its focus on environmental stewardship and support of employees' efforts to develop programs that benefit our city's future generations," said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. "Kyocera's efforts are protecting our city's resources and reducing the waste that ends up in our landfills, helping to keep San Diego as 'America's Finest City."
In line with Kyocera's philosophical commitment to environmental protection and "harmonious coexistence," the local operations have demonstrated that taking steps to minimize environmental impacts from business operations by recycling and reducing waste can be both good for the environment and good for business. In 2010 KCI recycled more than 43,590 pounds of paper, plastic, electronic and other waste materials otherwise destined for landfills. The company also used more than 1.4 million gallons of reclaimed water, primarily for irrigation, reducing its dependence on fresh water.
"Social responsibility and concern for the environment have been key components of Kyocera's management philosophy since the company was founded 52 years ago," said, Yasuhiro Ohishi, president of KCI. "For Kyocera, innovation isn't just about technology and we are constantly looking for new ways to conserve natural resources. For example, our mobile phones are sold in packaging that's 90 percent recycled and they come with User Guides loaded right onto the phones instead of printed on paper."
Kyocera's wireless phone unit focuses on the following recycling efforts locally:
- Cell Phones: Cell Phones: Collection bins are placed in KCI’s facilities, along with a link on KCI’s external Web site telling consumers where they can recycle phones at no cost and even direct any proceeds to their choice of several charitable organizations.
- Cardboard: Cardboard is collected from delivered items and is sent to a recycler. In 2010, employees recycled 10,365 pounds of cardboard.
- Paper: White and colored paper is collected in offices, copy rooms and labs, while confidential and proprietary documents are collected and securely shredded. The operation recycled 2,414 pounds of mixed paper in 2010.
- Electronic Scrap: In 2010, employees collected and recycled 5,814 pounds of miscellaneous electronic scrap from labs and offices.
About Kyocera Communications, Inc.
Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI) is the headquarters for Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless products and accessories in the Americas. The company's devices are driving the convergence of telecommunications, broadband and multimedia. KCI was formed in April 2009 through the combination of Kyocera Wireless Corp. and Kyocera Sanyo Telecommunications Inc., two wholly owned subsidiaries of Kyocera International Inc. The former was created when Kyocera purchased QUALCOMM Incorporated's consumer wireless phone business in 2000, while the latter was formed when Kyocera purchased the wireless phone business of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. in 2008. Based in San Diego, KCI leverages Japan's history of creating advanced consumer technologies around humanism and respect for the environment and blending them with a Western entrepreneurialism and style, resulting in a unique design language and a natural, user-friendly interface. For more information, please visit www.kyocera-wireless.com or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kyoceramobilephones.
Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) (TOKYO:6971) (http://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as "advanced ceramics"). By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, copiers, printers, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2011, the company's net sales totaled 1.27 trillion yen (approx. USD15.3 billion). The company is ranked #604 on Forbes magazine's 2011 "Global 2000" listing of the world's largest publicly traded companies.
©2011 Kyocera. All rights reserved. Kyocera is a registered trademark of Kyocera Corporation. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
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