TOTO Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Urban Greenways Gift To Atlanta's School Children

Company Helps Provide Students with Safer, More Walkable Routes to School by Planting 250 Trees Along City Sidewalks

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Nov 14, 2014, 03:00 ET

MORROW, Ga., Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TOTO, the largest plumbing manufacturer in the world with $5.1 billion dollars in annual sales, announced today that it is celebrating 25 years of unparalleled growth and success in North America by giving back to make children's lives better, protect the environment, and help to keep the water supply pure. To accomplish this, the company has partnered with the City of Atlanta and Trees Atlanta to develop an Urban Greenways program to improve children's wellbeing by planting 250 trees along the streets they walk to school.

TOTO commences the company's 25th Anniversary Urban Greenways program with the planting of the first tree at Perkerson Elementary School. TOTO chose to plant trees to celebrate its 25th anniversary as they symbolize the company's commitment not only to the environment but also to improving people's lives.

During a ceremonial tree planting held at Atlanta's Perkerson Elementary School, Daijiro Nogata, Chief Executive Officer of TOTO USA; The Honorable Valencia Stovall, Georgia House of Representatives; Denise Quarles, Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Sustainability; and Greg Levine, Trees Atlanta Co-Executive Director and Chief Program Officer, planted the first tree with help from students at Perkerson.

"Over the past 25 years, our commitment to innovation, precision engineering, high design, and sustainability in products that meet people's real world needs has enabled our company to prosper," said Daijiro Nogata, CEO of TOTO USA. "Beginning with a single storefront office, we have grown to three major manufacturing facilities, two major assembly, warehousing, and distribution centers, and more than 1,100 employees." Nogata continued, "To celebrate this important milestone, we wanted to give back to the children and families of the greater Atlanta area, our corporate base of operations. We chose to plant trees as they symbolize our commitment not only to the environment but also to people's wellbeing."

During the ceremony, Georgia State Representative Valencia Stovall presented Nogata with a Georgia House of Representatives' Resolution congratulating the company on its 25^th anniversary and commending TOTO for its Urban Greenways program.

"It is impressive that TOTO USA, a large North American corporation, continues to care about not only its economic impact, but environmental as well," said Stovall. "The Urban Greenways project is such an example—by improving children's wellbeing through the planting of trees."

TOTO's 25^th Anniversary Urban Greenways Gift to School Children initiative begins with the planting of the first 50 trees along Brewer Boulevard, which leads to Perkerson Elementary School. These trees will advance the students' health (and that of the public) by:

providing cleaner air, which may help reduce respiratory illness;
reducing the production of ozone by lowering air temperature through shading and evapotranspiration;
reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere by storing carbon as they grow, which could help reduce the energy needed for urban heating and cooling;
filtering storm water for cleaner creeks and rivers; and
reducing noise along Atlanta's streets.

"The City of Atlanta truly benefits from TOTO's commitment to the environment in multiple facets; from its support of our energy and water reduction goals in the Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge—to today's gift; which will have a tremendous impact on community health and vitality. We congratulate TOTO on their 25th anniversary while celebrating their achievements and dedication to the greater Atlanta community," said Denise Quarles, Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Sustainability.

The day's events also featured interactive educational activities with two classes of Perkerson fifth graders, teaching them to identify different kind of trees. Trees Atlanta has been working with the students as part of a yearlong Urban Tree Trackers program. These young Tree Advocates in the making have been learning about native vs. invasive trees and plants, pollinators, the importance of the urban forest, and how to select the right tree for the right location.

"We are pleased to be in partnership with TOTO USA to celebrate their 25th anniversary by planting 250 trees in the City of Atlanta," said Greg Levine, Trees Atlanta Co-Executive Director and Chief Program Officer. "The Urban Greenways project will make Atlanta's school children tree advocates while improving their wellbeing. TOTO USA is giving a gift not only to current Atlanta school children but also for future generations of students."

As TOTO begins the next leg of its corporate journey, the company remains committed to innovating for the good of people, the planet and our water supply with People-First Innovation, global environmental initiatives, and conserving and keeping water clean. The company's products, technological innovations, operations, and policies demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainability that dates back to its incorporation in 1917 when environmental stewardship was one of the company's founding missions.

Respect for the environment and the commitment to improve people's lives is now and will always be embedded in the corporate culture at TOTO.

About TOTO:
TOTO USA is headquarters for the Americas Division of the TOTO Global Group, which was established in 1917 with the founding of TOTO, Ltd., in Kitakyushu, Japan. TOTO is the largest plumbing manufacturer in the world with $5.1 billion dollars in annual sales. To date, TOTO has produced more than 60 million plumbing fixtures. Today, this international company maintains 25,000 employees in 69 offices around the world and owns manufacturing facilities in Japan, Mexico, the USA, China and Europe with an affiliated network of more than 80 production facilities worldwide. With over 1,500 engineers on staff and three centers devoted solely to research and development, TOTO is the undisputed global leader in product innovation, precision engineering, high design, and sustainability in products that are designed to meet people's real world needs. Exemplified in the company's philosophy – People-First Innovation -- TOTO offers consumers elegant luxury products that save money and water without sacrificing an ounce of performance and the peace of mind that comes from knowing they purchased a brand that sets the standard for world-class performance, enduring quality, and reliability. Winner of numerous domestic and international awards and recognitions, TOTO is the only plumbing manufacturer honored as Water Efficiency Leader by the Environmental Protection Agency. TOTO continues to raise industry standards and consumer expectations as to what is possible in the bath space, as it connects people with water in ways that enrich the flow of their daily lives.

For more information, consumers may visit www.totousa.com or call 1.888.295.8134, Option 5. Follow TOTO on Twitter (@TOTOUSA) and become a TOTO fan on Facebook

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SOURCE TOTO