SanDisk 2014 Annual Report Download - page 81

technology and advanced wafer manufacturing processes which influence cost, performance and
quality of the flash memory. We further compete based upon the features and performance of our
flash storage solutions, the system technology in our solutions and the branding of our solutions.
•Flash Memory Card and USB Drive Manufacturers and Resellers. We compete with manufacturers
and resellers of flash memory card and USB drives, which purchase or have a captive supply of flash
memory components and assemble memory products. We compete based upon product features
and performance, the breadth and availability of our product offerings, quality and reliability,
marketing programs, brand recognition and price. Our primary competitors currently include,
among others, Kingston Technology Company, Inc., or Kingston, Lexar Media, Inc., or Lexar, a
subsidiary of Micron, PNY Technologies, Inc., or PNY, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Transcend
Information, Inc., or Transcend, and Verbatim Americas, LLC, or Verbatim. We also sell flash
products, in the form of private label cards, wafers or components, to certain companies who sell
products that may ultimately compete with our branded products in the retail or commercial
channels.
•Client Storage Solution Manufacturers. In the market for client SSDs, we face competition from
NAND flash memory manufacturers including Intel, Micron, Samsung and Toshiba. We also face
competition from other suppliers of client SSDs and hard drives such as Kingston, Philips &
Lite-On Digital Solutions Corporation, or Lite-On, Seagate Technology plc, or Seagate, and
Western Digital Corporation, or WDC. We compete based upon the performance, quality and
reliability of our product offerings, price and relationships with computer manufacturers.
•Enterprise Storage Solution Manufacturers. We compete in the enterprise storage solutions market
where we face competition from NAND flash memory manufacturers including Intel, Micron,
Samsung and Toshiba, and from other providers of enterprise SSDs and hard drives such as
Lite-On, Seagate and WDC. We compete based upon the performance, quality and reliability of our
product offerings, price and relationships with storage OEMs and enterprise customers.
•Digital Media Players and Drives. In the standalone digital audio/video player market, we face strong
competition from Apple. We also face competition from Coby Electronics Corporation, GPX, a
brand of Digital Products International, Inc., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Mach Speed
Technologies, LLC and Sony, among others. We also face competition for our wireless media and
flash drives from companies such as ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., or ADATA, Seagate and WDC.
We compete based upon the breadth and availability of our product offerings, quality and reliability,
marketing programs, brand recognition and price.
Corporate Responsibility
We believe that corporate social responsibility is an essential factor for our overall corporate success.
This includes adopting ethical and sustainable business practices to direct how we do business while
keeping the interests of our stakeholders and the environment in focus.
We strive to uphold the following principles:
• treat all employees with dignity and respect;
• set up processes and procedures intended to (i) comply with applicable laws and regulations as well
as our internal guidelines and (ii) uphold ethical standards;
• establish policies and procedures intended to promote the idea that the quality of our products and
services, consistency of production and employee well-being are predicated on a safe and healthy
work environment; and
• establish policies and procedures intended to promote environmental responsibility as an integral
part of our culture.
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Annual Report