KONE launches a digital game to educate children on elevator and escalator safety

KONE Corporation, press release, May 15, 2015

KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, launches a digital game to educate children on elevator and escalator safety. The game, featuring KONE's safety mascots Max and Bob, is a part of the company's initiative to promote the safe use of elevators and escalators. It is launched in conjunction with KONE's annual Safety Week.

Millions of people use elevators and escalators in their everyday lives. Children in particular are excited about gadgets and curious about moving objects, and therefore, are generally more prone to accidents than adults. With this game, KONE aims to communicate with children in a fun and educational way that simple, everyday considerations can make a big difference in avoiding accidents.

The adventure-filled game starts when Max the mouse accidentally flies away with a balloon, causing Bob the elephant, steered by the player, to go on a journey to follow his friend by exploring a tall building with the help of elevators and escalators. The game is intended for children aged 4 to 10 years, and can be played on personal computers, including tablets. It is a part of KONE's educational package, and the characters Max and Bob also appear in a children's workbook and an animated film.

Safety is an integral part of KONE's strategy and a cornerstone of its business. The company's ultimate goal with regard to safety is zero accidents - to employees, end users, and partners. The digital game contributes to KONE's initiative to educate equipment users to act responsibly and safely when using elevators and escalators. In order to educate children and parents alike on safety practices, KONE organizes events and visits schools and kindergartens around the world.

KONE manufactures equipment that meets and even exceeds safety standards. In addition, KONE contributes to developing codes and standards that aim to further improve equipment safety and promotes safety through its involvement in industry trade associations. Nevertheless, safety is a joint effort. Building owners and maintenance service providers also have a responsibility to make sure the equipment is professionally maintained and kept in good condition. Furthermore, elevator and escalator users need to pay attention to their own behavior when using the equipment.

As part of its safety work KONE organizes an annual Global Safety Week for its employees, customers and end users. This year, the event is held from May 11 to 15. Its purpose is to strengthen KONE's safety culture and support the company's goal of zero accidents.

Find more information about the game here: www.kone.com/childrenssafety

For further information, please contact:
Hanna Rutanen, Communications Manager, KONE Corporation, tel. +358 204 75 4508, media@kone.com

About KONE
KONE is one of the global leaders in the elevator and escalator industry. KONE's objective is to offer the best People Flow® experience by developing and delivering solutions that enable people to move smoothly, safely, comfortably and without waiting in buildings in an increasingly urbanizing environment. KONE provides industry-leading elevators, escalators, automatic building doors and integrated solutions to enhance the People Flow in and between buildings. KONE's services cover the entire lifetime of a building, from the design phase to maintenance, repairs and modernization solutions. In 2014, KONE had annual net sales of EUR 7.3 billion, and at the end of the year over 47,000 employees. KONE class B shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd. in Finland.
www.kone.com