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(1)ABN AMRO Press Room: ABN AMRO almost doubles micr.... http://www.abnamro.com/pressroom/releases/2007.... Search Advanced Search. Home Contact Site map. Press Room. Client Segments Careers Press Room Investor Relations About ABN AMRO Worldwide Presence Corporate Governance. Press Room Press Releases Archive Media Kit Share Information Webcasts & Presentations Contact Press Relations. Amsterdam, 30 March 2007. ABN AMRO Bank N.V.. ABN AMRO almost doubles microfinance clients. Press Relations (HQ 9140) P.O. Box 283 1000 EA Amsterdam The Netherlands. ABN AMRO announces today in its Sustainability Report that it autonomously almost doubled its number of microfinance clients. With an increase from 186,300 clients in 2005 to 351,500 last year ABN AMRO has enlarged its footprint in this important division of sustainable banking. Other achievements are an increase in community investment, in socio-environmental financing and in sustainable procurement.. Contact Press Relations. ABN AMRO further maintained its leading position in the listing of Carbon and Clean Energy Businesses on the London Equity Markets and in the trade of allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol. Microfinance enables many people to work their way out of poverty. However, a significant challenge remains extending the reach and distribution capacity of microfinance activities. ABN AMRO's local operations drive microfinance forward. In the US, Brazil and India, the three countries where we currently have microfinance activities, we use different models customised to local needs and commercial operations. In Brazil, we have expanded our loan portfolio from EUR 0.2 mln in 2005 to some EUR 5.8 mln in 2006. This means it has evolved from a pilot to a sizeable operation in nine cities across Brazil. Half of our customers in Brazil are under age 30, while 62% of all customers are women. Personal and group loans account respectively for about 80% and 20% of the loans. The repeat customer rate remains at 60%. For the coming years, our strategy is to expand into low-income areas that offer productive activities. By the end of 2006, 78 microcredit agents were working out of 14 service facilities. In India we apply a different model. Here we provide specialised financial intermediaries with credit who then lend the money to economically disadvantaged borrowers. This approach combines the bank's financial strength with the vast rural network of the intermediaries. In 2006 our Indian microfinance portfolio had grown to EUR 26.2 million through partnerships with 26 intermediaries across six states. Our Indian microfinance business achieved break-even within one year of start-up and continues to operate profitably.. ABN AMRO also carries products and services that meet the challenges of the climate change. On the London stock exchanges we maintained our leading position in the listing of Carbon and Clean Energy businesses. Next to that, ABN AMRO plays an important role in carbon markets. With more than 820 million allowances traded, we more than tripled the volume compared to 2005. With dedicated staff in Amsterdam / London, Hong Kong and Sao Paolo, we are also a global player in the market for carbon credit trades under the Kyoto Protocol Scheme. Other achievements in 2006: 1. We have stepped up our community investment with 12% since 2005 and with more than 85% since 2004 2. In 2006 we launched again private investor products in clean energy 3. We financed the world's first bio-methanol unit 4. We financed the certification standards for Chicago's first residential Leadership in Energy and Environment Design 5. In Brazil we drastically increased our socio-environmental financing while we remained the only bank in Brazil with an IFC sustainability line 6. Within our Sustainable Procurement Policy we increased our Supplier Codes of Conduct with 36% compared to 2005 7. ABN AMRO Asset Management introduced several new Socially Responsible Investment Funds Indexes and Awards in 2006: Dow Jones Sustainability Index - 150 World Dow Jones Sustainability Index - STOXX. 1 sur 2. Top 3 (DJSI does not disclose explicit rankings in 2006) Leader. WorldReginfo - b8e1352b-ad6d-4a40-ac4e-134e5f07175e. In the US we also work with intermediaries to support start-up and micro businesses. Because of the nature of the US economy, developing a small business to move someone out of poverty requires more than the provision of a few hundred dollars. Microloans in low-income communities are usually between USD 1000 and USD 10,000 – larger than the loans in developing countries. The Intermediaries provide services that banks cannot supply, such as technical and one-on-one support in targeted neighbourhoods, micro-loans to lift individuals out of poverty and low-interest loans.. 6/06/07 12:26.

(2) ABN AMRO Press Room: ABN AMRO almost doubles micr.... http://www.abnamro.com/pressroom/releases/2007.... FTSE4Good Europe 50 and FTSE4Good World 100 Included Innovest Strategic Value Advisors AAA Oekom research C+/Prime Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations Included The World Environment Center (WEC) Gold Medal for international corporate achievement in Sustainable Development Dutch Association of Environmental Accountancy Award for the best Accountancy (VMA) and the Royal Netherlands Sustainable Reporter Institute of Registered Accountants (NIVRA) Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards Banco Real named 'Emerging Markets Bank of the Year' Transparency Research by Dutch Ministry of Most transparent in Economic Affairs sustainability reporting. Please see the Sustainability Report and Annual Report at www.abnamro.com/reports for more details. ABN AMRO press relations: +31 20 62 88 900. 2 sur 2. WorldReginfo - b8e1352b-ad6d-4a40-ac4e-134e5f07175e. Disclaimer | Privacy Statement | Security Copyright © 1998-2006 ABN AMRO Bank N.V. All rights reserved.. 6/06/07 12:26.

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