Importance of Protecting the Environment

So many of our markets are already suffering from extreme weather conditions such as flood damage, severe drought, blizzards and heat waves. The cost of damage caused by such disasters that are more than twice the $ 200 million in the year 20,081. Climate change makes natural disasters become more frequent and dangerous.

We recognize our responsibility in reducing carbon dioxide emissions generated by our operations and have exceeded our targets for the year 2008. But the more things we can do to take care of business and other risks that we all face. We work together with employees, customers and other stakeholders to increase awareness, encourage action and reduce their impact on the environment. We set ambitious targets for carbon footprint pressure and our paper waste. We also finance businesses and projects that can reduce emissions and help people to adapt to climate change.

This section of our actions reported in 2008 in order to push energy and reduce many other resources used in our operations and to involve the stakeholders in environmental issues. Sustainable Financing section reported loan activity and other commercial activities relating to the environment.

In the year 2008, we began implementing our environmental strategy has been revised with ambitious targets for the year 2011. We launched a work plan for key areas such as energy consumption in our buildings and the State Environmental Committee (Country Environment Committees) to cover most of our markets in order to encourage action and involvement related to the environment.

We also launched a number of interactive tools that involve fun and encouraging for the staff, the involvement is necessary to achieve our environmental ambitions. Social networking sites we are, Greenstorming, managed to attract 17,000 staff.

By working together outside the Bank, including membership in organizations such as The Climate Group and Corporate Leader's Group on Climate Change, we continue to emphasize the importance of immediate action by governments, corporations and individuals. The Greatest Race on Earth involve more than half million people who vowed to make changes in their lives that aims to help protect the environment.