The Natural Step and Dow Announce Strategic Alignment

Midland, MI - The Natural Step and The Dow Chemical Company recently announced an agreement that will help both organizations advance their sustainability missions and goals.

The agreement, which includes a multi-year financial commitment, will enable The Natural Step to expand its international presence with specific projects related to learning for sustainability, and accelerate eco-municipality efforts with communities around the world to help them chart more sustainable futures.

As a leading science and technology company, Dow has integrated The Natural Step Framework into its sustainability efforts to drive innovation, which results in solutions for customers and breakthroughs to world challenges.

“We have integrated The Natural Step Framework in the implementation of our 2015 Sustainability Goals,” said Neil Hawkins, Dow’s vice president of Sustainability and EH&S. “It makes sense to solidify our collaboration as we both continue to drive real change in the way people and communities live.”

The Natural Step is a proven framework that fosters understanding of the basic science of sustainability - what makes life possible, how our biosphere functions and how we fit into the earth’s natural systems. By understanding the science of sustainability and linking it to real-world applications, cities, organizations and people can make more strategic decisions that result in effective implementation.

“This strategic collaboration between Dow and The Natural Step will allow us to focus on bringing more partners to the table,” said David Cook, Executive Ambassador for the Natural Step. “We are keen to work with a company that is at the forefront of science, and therefore has the strategic potential to be at the forefront of sustainability innovation. This is a collaboration that will be good for people and the planet.”

About The Natural Step

The Natural Step International is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to sustainable development with a focus on education, advisory work and research. It has helped thousands of corporations, municipalities, academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations realize new opportunities, reduced costs, and dramatically reduced ecological and social impacts. The Natural Step previously worked with Rohm & Haas, as well as other parts of the chemical industry in Europe and North America.

The Natural Step, with its origins in Sweden, has teams in all regions of the world and is also part of an international partnership, the Real Change Research Programme, focused upon sustainability solutions. More information about The Natural Step can be found at www.thenaturalstep.org .

About Dow

Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in approximately 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. In 2008, Dow had annual sales of $57.4 billion and employed approximately 46,000 people worldwide. The Company has 150 manufacturing sites in 35 countries and produces approximately 3,300 products. On April 1, 2009, Dow acquired Rohm and Haas Company, a global specialty materials company with sales of $10 billion in 2008, 98 manufacturing sites in 30 countries and approximately 15,000 employees worldwide. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.