Heraeus Employees Emulate Company's Commitment to Social Responsibility

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- An unwavering commitment to quality and innovation has led Heraeus Kulzer, LLC to become the world's leader in dental esthetics. The resulting success has made it possible for the company to pursue an equal commitment for social responsibility, a commitment that is shared by the company's employees.

Two of the main beneficiaries of this commitment to social responsibility are the United Way and the National Children's Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF).  For the past several years, Heraeus has made generous cash donations to the United Way and the NCOHF, which helps to provide desperately needed dental services to underserved children suffering from pediatric oral disease.  But the generosity is not limited to corporate contributions.  Through a program it calls "Building a Better Tomorrow," Heraeus makes it convenient for employees to use bi-weekly payroll deductions to make donations to either or both of the two charities. In 2010, Heraeus employees donated a total of over $14,000 to the two organizations, and donations are on track to achieve the company's goal of exceeding that record in 2011.

Other recent charitable contributions made by Heraeus and its employees include:

• Partnering with numerous company employee volunteers and several local businesses in its hometown of South Bend, Indiana to coordinate the delivery of $146,000 in badly-needed dental treatment to over 130 disadvantaged residents during "Pankey Dental Access Days" in August.
• Projected donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of over $100,000 during the years 2009-2011 by Heraeus' Venus White line of teeth whitening systems.
• Donations of denture teeth by Heraeus' Pala Prosthetics Division to three different charities providing dental services to underprivileged individuals in the U.S. and abroad.
• A donation of over $12,000 by Heraeus' Precious Metal Refining Division to the Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology to help fund its work to train dental technicians and hence to ultimately improve the quality of dental care.

"We take great pride in the ability of our innovative products to help dental practices and laboratories transform lives by providing the best possible dental care, but we don't feel we can stop there," said Chris Holden, Heraeus president.  "We believe we have a responsibility to use our resources to impact the greater community by transforming lives from a social standpoint as well, which the loyalty of our customers and the dedication and generosity of our employees are helping to make a reality."

For more information on Heraeus or its products, call (800) 431-1785 or visit www.heraeusdentalusa.com.

About Heraeus

Heraeus, the precious metals and technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a global, private company with 160 years of tradition. Our fields of competence include precious metals, materials, and technologies, sensors, biomaterials, and medical products, as well as dental products, quartz glass, and specialty light sources. With product revenues of euro 4.1 billion and precious metal trading revenues of euro 17.9 billion, as well as more than 12,900 employees in over 120 subsidiaries worldwide, Heraeus holds a leading position in its global markets.  

SOURCE Heraeus