DISH and Reworx Recycling Program Surpasses 3 Million Pound Milestone; Partnership Saves Energy While Creating Jobs for People with Disabilities

Atlanta, GA, May 13, 2015 --(PR.com)-- In just two years, Reworx has recycled over 3 million pounds of obsolete electronics no longer used by DISH and its subscribers, keeping hazardous materials out of landfills and creating jobs for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The relationship between the satellite television provider and the recycler has provided an innovative way to avoid disposing of electronics that are obsolete.

The relationship also provides social benefits because Reworx is an arm of Nobis Works, a nonprofit organization that provides training and employment opportunities to people with differing abilities. Many of the 40 employees at Reworx have physical or mental disabilities, and a quarter of those jobs are directly attributable to the donations made by DISH.

“We created Reworx with a dual purpose: creating sustainable employment opportunities for our clients with any proceeds being reinvested into our mission and offering an environmentally responsible solution for companies and individuals needing to dispose of electronics,” said Connie Kirk, President and CEO of Nobis Works. “Because of our work with DISH, we have exceeded our goals and proven that a nonprofit can deliver high quality business services while fulfilling a social mission.” Since DISH and Reworx began working together in 2013, the environmental impacts of the partnership have been significant. The three million pounds of material that have been kept out of landfills is approximately the weight of 11,000 refrigerators and the equivalent of 175,000 bricks of potentially hazardous electronics material. By recycling the DISH equipment instead of discarding it, the companies have:
· Saved electricity equal to the power used by 2,636 US households annually
· Reduced greenhouse gases equivalent to taking 689 cars off the road for a year
· Decreased waste going to landfill equal to the trash generated by 718 US households annually

DISH selected Reworx to recycle its out-of-date electronics, in part because Reworx meets the highest standards of environmental sustainability and data security. The organization is one of only a handful of for-profit and nonprofit recyclers that hold all five of the highest certifications in the electronics recycling industry.

Nobis Works created Reworx in 2009, in the face of staggering unemployment, as a way to create long-term jobs for their clients with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Since that time, over 235 people have been employed in the enterprise and over 32 million pounds of electronics have been recycled, including desktop and laptop computers, servers, and appliances. When electronic equipment is donated to Reworx, employees first sort and inventory it. Items such as personal computers that can still be used are tracked to be refurbished and resold. Items that have no remaining use are deconstructed or shredded into pieces that are then sorted by material and sold as scrap to be recovered and reproduced into new material. All proceeds benefit the mission of Nobis Works.

About DISH
DISH Network Corp. (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiaries, provides approximately 13.978 million pay-TV subscribers, as of Dec. 31, 2014, with the highest-quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value. Subscribers enjoy a high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.

About Reworx
Reworx, the electronics recycling program of Nobis Works, was created in 2009 to provide sustainable recycling jobs for people with disabilities and other barriers, and to generate revenue to maintain and grow the mission of Nobis Work. The social enterprise employs approximately 40 people. Reworx was the first Georgia-based corporation to obtain the EPA-sanctioned R2 (Responsible Recycling) and ISO:14001 Environmental, Health and Safety Management Certifications. These certifications ensure that we use environmental, worker safety and public health practices on-site and provide downstream management of end-of-life (EOL) equipment and materials. Reworx also received the prestigious e-Stewards 2.0, ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certifications in 2014. Earning these five certifications places Reworx within an elite group in the industry, making us one of a handful of companies in the world to hold all five certifications. In terms of data security, Reworx’s operations meet or exceed HIPAA, Department of Defense and NIST standards. To learn about Reworx, go to www.reworxrecycling.org. To shop refurbished computers, go to www.buyrefurbishedcomputers.org.

Nobis Works is a not-for-profit community rehabilitation program headquartered in Marietta, Ga. Since 1977, Nobis Works has provided job training, placement and on-the-job supports for more than 25,000 youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment. By partnering with businesses and government agencies throughout Metro Atlanta and 16 states, Nobis Works helps individuals with all types of disabilities enter or return to employment, and enjoy productive and independent lives while contributing to the greater business community. To learn more, go to www.nobisworks.org.

*Environmental statistics derived from the Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator developed by the University of TN in cooperation with the US EPA.