22 September 2011
Sustainability - Standard Life plc joins top 10% of companies in the world

Standard Life plc is pleased to announce it has earned a place in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the first time, joining the ranks of the top 10% of sustainable companies in world. This reflects a strong and steady increase in Standard Life's sustainability credentials over the past few years.

Membership of the DJSI World Index is widely recognised as being an impartial and definitive measure of sustainability. Membership shows a good performance across a wide range of sustainability measures. However, Standard Life's score was particularly strong in the areas of stakeholder engagement, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, brand management, labour practice and for its environmental management system.

Last year Standard Life entered the Dow Jones Sustainability European Index for the first time. Several new initiatives over the last 12 months - to strengthen relationships with customers, further reduce Standard Life's environmental impact and to invest in the community - have now earned it a place among the best in the world, alongside companies such as Roche, BMW, Pearsons and Swiss Re.

Graeme McEwan, Group Director of Communications at Standard Life, comments:

"Sustainability is vital to Standard Life and something we take very seriously. So we are proud of this achievement - we're one of only 16 companies in our sector, from across the world, to have made it into the 2011 World Index."

"One of our most improved areas was around customer relationship management. In the past year we have set up a website, standardlifelistens.co.uk, to provide a forum to exchange views and help our customers learn more about Standard Life. Listening and responding to customers is at the heart of our business strategy and our brand, so it's great to achieve an improved score in this area."

Having a trusted, differentiated and preferred brand is also vital to Standard Life. It is a strategic business imperative and the way the brand is being managed has also contributed to a strong sustainability score.

McEwan explains: "We support customers by regular analysis of their needs, the choices they make and how our products are working for them. Through this insight we are able to develop relevant and innovative products, and ensure we communicate their benefits in a way that our customers easily understand. This is something we are now doing across our group."

The work of the Standard Life Charitable Trust (SLCT) - an independent charity established by Standard Life - also helped to increase Standard Life's sustainability score. The vision of the trust is to benefit society by building capability and supporting independence. It is focused on supporting people most in need of developing skills to manage their finances. The Trust is currently working on three key projects with:

• Royal British Legion to develop and deliver a new strategy that aims to improve financial capability within the Armed Forces, by supporting the development of a long-term programme of education and training for personnel.
• Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, to fund three telephone advisers who can offer advice and support via Shelter's helpline to anyone who is at risk of losing their home, many of whom because they are experiencing severe financial problems. The helpline is a vital part of the services Shelter offers.
• Grand Central Savings, a Scottish Charity that offers financial services to people who are socially and financially excluded, by providing access to banking facilities and offering advice and assistance to people who cannot access or benefit from mainstream banking. The Trust is helping to fund a proportion of Grand Central Saving's ongoing costs and overheads, as well as helping the charity make an essential investment in staff and IT to cope with the growing demand for its services.

Ends

Nicki Lundy, Senior Media Relations Manager
Standard Life
Tel: 0131 245 2737
Mob: 07515 298302
Email: nicki_lundy@standardlife.com

Notes to Editors

• Standard Life is a long term savings, investment and pensions company, with a headquarters in Edinburgh and around 6 million customers across the globe.
• The revised Dow Jones Sustainability World Index goes live on Monday 19 September.
• Standard Life's approach to sustainability is outlined on its website.
• The Standard Life Charitable Trust was established in 2009 and is a separate organisation from Standard Life Plc, with its own constitution and Board of Trustees. It is funded by the Unclaimed Assets Trust (UAT), which was set up to hold any cash or shares which went unclaimed following Standard Life's demutualisation.
• The week starting 19 September is environment week at Standard Life, which aims to educate and raise the awareness of all employees about environmental issues, both in the work place and at home. Each day will focus on a different issue and will provide practical tips on reducing energy consumption, paper consumption, wastes and business travel. Employees across the group will be encouraged to make a pledge to reduce their environmental impact by signing up to do four green actions, such as recycling their waste, turning off lights when they leave a room and printing double-sided.
• In September Standard Life will be hosting a series of sustainability road shows for employees, where everyone can share their views and get more involved in the company's sustainability initiatives.

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