Akzo Nobel joins United Nations' Global Compact initiative

Akzo Nobel joins United Nations' Global Compact initiative Arnhem, the Netherlands, September 28, 2004 - In a move to further strengthen its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Akzo Nobel has joined the United Nations' Global Compact, an initiative designed to promote responsible global development and good corporate citizenship worldwide. The Company is also strengthening its non-financial reporting regime. Launched in July 2000 by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Global Compact challenges business leaders to embrace and enact a set of core principles covering human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and measures against bribery. Under the Compact, businesses are brought together with U.N. bodies, international labor groups, non-governmental organizations and other interested parties in a partnership to build a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. "By signing on to the U.N. Global Compact we pledge our support to the core principles laid down in the Compact," said Hans Wijers, Akzo Nobel's CEO, who is also Chairman of the Company's CSR Council. "We have embraced the Corporate Social Responsibility process to bring structure and transparency into activities we have been carrying out for a long time. This next step will allow us to participate in a more focused way in finding solutions to the challenges of globalization." Akzo Nobel is joining forces with companies from all regions of the world whose aim is to advance responsible corporate citizenship. Many international labor and civil society organizations have also signed up to the Global Compact. The initiative relies on voluntary codes of public accountability and transparency on the part of business, labor and civil society. All signatories to the Global Compact commit themselves to reporting annually to Kofi Annan's office on progress in the ten Compact Principles of social responsibility. New performance indicators for non-financial reporting Akzo Nobel is also further strengthening its non-financial reporting by adopting nine new key performance indicators. Three new parameters have been created in the area of health and safety in the workplace, including the safety conditions of employees from outside the company working on company premises. In addition, Akzo Nobel will report on achievements in safety including the number of serious accidents. Five of the new parameters cover environmental performance. These include three relating to energy consumption, which respond to worldwide concerns about the efficient use of energy resources and global warming and climate change. From 2005 onwards, the performance of these parameters will be reported in the Annual Report. "Akzo Nobel is making another step forward on reporting about non-financial performance," said André Veneman, Director of CSR and HSE. "The new indicators, typically from the field of health, safety and environment, are important both to our businesses and to society as a whole. For example, we acknowledge that safe working conditions are as important for our contractors as for our own employees. By focusing on our energy efficiency, we respond to societal concerns about climate change. Now that the new parameters will form the basis for performance measurement in these areas at all Akzo Nobel sites, they will involve all employees worldwide. We are determined to continuously improve our performance, which includes involvement of all employees, since we know that this ultimately depends on the support and engagement of people at every level in the Company." Information on Akzo Nobel's Corporate Social Responsibility is available on the Company's corporate website at www.akzonobel.com/socialresponsibility/ . - - - Not for publication - for more information Akzo Nobel N.V. Corporate Media Relations, tel. +31 26 366 4343 Contact: Christine Wunderlich Note for the editor Akzo Nobel, based in the Netherlands, serves customers throughout the world with healthcare products, coatings and chemicals. Consolidated sales for 2003 totaled EUR 13 billion. The Company currently employs almost 64,000 people in more than 80 countries. The financial results for the third quarter will be published on October 19, 2004. Internet: www.akzonobel.com ; www.akzonobel.com/socialresponsibility/ Safe Harbor Statement* This press release may contain statements which address such key issues as Akzo Nobel's growth strategy, future financial results, market positions, product development, pharmaceutical products in the pipeline, and product approvals. Such statements should be carefully considered and it should be understood that many factors could cause forecasted and actual results to differ from these statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, price fluctuations, currency fluctuations, developments in raw material and personnel costs, pensions, physical and environmental risks, legal issues, and legislative, fiscal, and other regulatory measures. Stated competitive positions are based on management estimates supported by information provided by specialized external agencies. For a more complete discussion of the risk factors affecting our business please refer to our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. A copy of which can be found on the Company's website. * Pursuant to the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/09/28/20040928BIT20120/wkr0001.pdf Pressmeddelandet som pdf