DENVER, Apr 17, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) --DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), announced today that it was recognized for the fifth consecutive year by WorldBlu as one of the world's most democratic companies.

"DaVita is honored to once again be recognized as the only health care and FORTUNE 500® company on WorldBlu'sTM List of Most Democratic Workplaces," said Kent Thiry, chairman and CEO of DaVita. "At DaVita, we are proud to be a community first and a company second."

The WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces(TM) 2012 is composed of 48 organizations from a breadth of industries including technology, manufacturing, health care, retail, services and energy, with a combined annual revenue of more than $17 billion.

Operating democratically is ingrained in DaVita's history. In 1999, DaVita teammates (employees) voted on the company's core values and its name. "DaVita," which means "giving life" in Italian, won by a landslide vote. Since that time, DaVita teammates have voted on a wide variety of measures impacting business-critical decisions, from environmental goals to the company profit-sharing program.

Thiry says DaVita's commitment to operating democratically is critical to both business and community-building goals.

"There's a saying - 'No one washes a rental car.' And what it means is that when people don't feel ownership in something, they value it less and have less of a connection to the organization," said Thiry. "That's why we call ourselves 'citizens' of the DaVita Village, not merely residents. Citizens understand they have certain rights and responsibilities. And the principles of democracy help reinforce this citizenship and shared ownership in powerful ways."

DaVita is a registered trademark of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of Dec. 31, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,809 dialysis facilities in the United States, serving approximately 142,000 patients. The company also operated 11 outpatient dialysis centers located in three countries outside the United States. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visithttp://www.davita.com.

SOURCE: DaVita

DaVita
Lauren Moughon, 303-405-2094
or
Mobile: 206-724-3826
Lauren.Moughon@DaVita.com