ABN AMRO overall winner of FT Sustainable Banking Award

ABN AMRO India Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year

ABN AMRO won the Financial Times (FT) Sustainable Bank of the Year award for achieving world-class standards in sustainable banking. In addition to this overall award, ABN AMRO India has won the global Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year award.

ABN AMRO Managing Board Chairman Rijkman Groenink comments: "We are proud to receive these awards. We won against strong competition and can take this success with us into the future of our banking activities. We have always been certain that our sustainability commitment would add value to the organisation and it is deeply gratifying to have this recognised by the FT and their panel of judges. I would especially like to thank all ABN AMRO staff worldwide who have incorporated sustainability into their daily work for making these awards possible."

ABN AMRO formalised its drive for sustainable development about ten years ago, in recognition of the fact that a wide range of global issues shapes our societal and business environment. These include climate change, energy and fresh water constraints, poverty, environmental degradation and respect for human rights. These are issues that raise many challenges and opportunities, not just for society at large, but also for our organisation, employees, clients, shareholders, suppliers and the environment.

Sustainable development is a defining feature of ABN AMRO and the bank tries to adapt to the global changes in a leading and proactive manner. We recognise that we have a strategic role to play in addressing these issues, and we therefore take social, ethical and environmental factors into consideration when providing financial services. In addition, the bank recently announced its intention to become carbon neutral by the end of next year.

Next to the overall award, ABN AMRO India received the global Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year award for its leadership role in India. Among the bank's achievements in India are launching the country's first sustainable development fund, managing the largest project financing transaction while applying the Equator Principles and being the first foreign bank in India to commence microfinance activities.

ABN AMRO India also receives public recognition in India through its involvement in and support of initiatives such as the Microfinance Process Excellence Awards and the Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary Awards, the first awards for environmental conservation in India to be instituted by a bank. ABN AMRO is also proud to sponsor the UNEP FI Roundtable Mainstreaming Sustainability in Indian Banking and the TERI Delhi Sustainable Development Summits (DSDS).

The FT Sustainable Banking Awards were awarded for the first time in 2006, when Banco ABN AMRO Real in Brazil received the global Emerging Markets Sustainable Bank of the Year award.