Toray Industries, Inc. Receives 2008 Humanitarian Award
North Kingstown, R.I.—Toray Industries, Inc. has been awarded the United Nations Association of New York’s (UNA-NY) 2008 Humanitarian Award for its efforts to address the impact of global climate change. The award was presented at a gala dinner held in late October at the United Nations that focused attention on the importance of environmental sustainability.
Mr. Sadayuki Sakakibara, President and CEO of Toray Industries, accepted the award for the company, whose material and technology advancements help save energy and resources. Also in attendance were Richard Schloesser, President and COO of Toray Plastics (America), Inc., Mitch Adamek, Senior Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, PepsiCo, and Paul Zmigrosky, Group Vice President, Frito-Lay North America Strategic Sourcing, World Wide Ingredients & Commodities, PepsiCo. The UNA-NY’s 2008 Humanitarian Award was also presented to Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations, and Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, president of Iceland.
“Toray Plastics (America) is proud to be part of a global enterprise that takes very seriously the challenge and responsibility of protecting the environment. Receiving the UNA-NY’s 2008 Humanitarian Award is a great honor for Toray,” said Richard Schloesser, President and COO of Toray Plastics (America), Inc. “Our commitment to being a responsible steward of the planet makes good sense, environmentally, socially, and economically, for the community in which we work, as well as the global community.”
Toray Industries offers the global community a variety of environment-friendly technologies, including reverse-osmosis membranes, which are being used to create 14 million tons of clean water everyday for 60 million people, and carbon fiber composite materials used for building aircraft that is 20 percent lighter than conventional aircraft and will use less fuel and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For its part, Toray Plastics (America), Inc., has been diligent for years in the research and development of thin high-barrier packaging films that support source reduction and reduce transportation costs and is actively researching and developing bio-films, all of which contribute to environmental sustainability and help to better serve such socially responsible corporate citizens as its customer Frito-Lay North America.
In his acceptance speech, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon acknowledged the growing role of corporations, like Toray Industries, in addressing climate change. Mr. Sakakibara said that global warming is a serious problem for the planet and that everyone, especially the business community, has a responsibility to take bold actions to protect against it. He pledged that the company would continue to focus its R&D on ensuring the sustainable growth of society and the health of the planet.
