Fortis honoured for excellence in climate change strategy

Fortis among 50 companies included in Climate Leadership Index

Brussels/Utrecht, 20 September 2006 - Fortis was honoured as ‘Best in Class’ for its approach to climate change in a report published today by the Carbon Disclosure Project. This initiative’s international survey looks at how the world’s biggest companies are dealing with global climate change. Fortis was included in the Climate Leadership Index, a prestigious honour roll for 50 global corporations (FT500) addressing this challenging issue. This distinction confirms that Fortis’s initiatives are bearing fruit.

General Manager Corporate Social Responsibility, Eric Bouwmeester, is pleased with the honour: “Climate change can be seen as one of the most important challenges facing businesses and the world at large. Fortis has put climate change at the centre of its corporate social responsibility strategy. At the same time, it is acknowledged as one of the leading banks in carbon emission trading. It is very satisfying that the initiatives we take regarding our direct and indirect carbon footprint have been rewarded with the inclusion in the Climate Leadership Index.”

The Climate Leadership Index is a list of 50 companies that lead the Carbon Disclosure
Project’s survey for their reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their strategy for climate change, emissions management and positioning with respect to ‘next generation’ opportunities.

Candidates in ten industries were compared with their sector peers based on their approach to climate change. Fortis ranked among the top in the ‘banking and diversified financial services’ sector. Companies in this sector stood out from the rest thanks to their strategic awareness of the risks and opportunities presented by a low-CO2 environment and the quality and effectiveness of their programmes for reducing GHG emissions.

The Carbon Disclosure Project, a group of 225 institutional investors representing USD 31.5 trillion in managed assets, aims to use the Climate Leadership Index to highlight ‘Best in Class’ corporate approaches that help reduce GHG emissions and lower the risks of international climate change.

Fortis is an international financial services provider engaged in banking and insurance. We offer our personal, business and institutional customers a comprehensive package of products and services through our own channels, in collaboration with intermediaries and through other distribution partners. With a market capitalisation of EUR 39.5 billion (31/08/2006), Fortis ranks among the twenty largest financial institutions in Europe. Our sound solvency position, our presence in 50 countries and our dedicated, professional workforce of 58,000 enable us to combine global strength with local flexibility and provide our clients with optimum support. More information is available on www.fortis.com

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