CSR Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO - May 20, 2009 - Plenary speakers from Alcatel-Lucent and Aramex International will share strategies at the BSR Conference 2009, "Reset Economy. Reset World.," on what it takes now to deliver business value and embrace long-term sustainability trends.

Ben Verwaayen, CEO of Alcatel-Lucent, and Fadi Ghandour, Founder and CEO of Aramex International, will provide plenary addresses at the Conference, which takes place at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco October 20 to 23, 2009.

• Ben Verwaayen: As CEO of Alcatel-Lucent, Verwaayen is committed to building "significant and sustainable value" for his company's shareholders, customers, and employees. In a recent keynote address, he expressed confidence in the power of sustainability to carry us through uncertain times. "We are not going to rebuild what has been in the past, but build what is sustainable for the future," he said. Prior to joining Alcatel-Lucent in 2008, Verwaayen held leadership positions at BT Group, Lucent Technologies, KPN, and ITT.
  
• Fadi Ghandour: For the past 27 years, Ghandour has held the positions of Founder and CEO of Aramex International, a logistics and transportation company based in the Middle East that was the first Arab firm to go public on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Since its beginnings, Aramex has been well known in the Middle East for its focus on sustainability, and as the company has grown, Ghandour has aligned his firm's corporate responsibility efforts with global standards. In 2006, Aramex was the first company in the region to publish an annual sustainability report, and last year, the company joined the United Nations Global Compact. In addition to his role at Aramex, Ghandour is a Founding Partner with Maktoob.com, the world's largest online Arab community, and he founded Ruwwad Development, a regional corporate social responsibility initiative.

  Recently named one of the top 12 influential executive gatherings for 2009 by Forbes.com, the BSR Conference has been revamped this year to feature an exciting program allowing participants more opportunities for interaction and exchange, as well as practical, hands-on learning experiences.

  To register and get updates on speakers, sessions, and more, visit www.bsr.org/conference.

  About BSR
  A leader in corporate responsibility since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) works with its global network of more than 250 member companies to develop sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. With six offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR leverages its expertise in environment, human rights, economic development, and governance and accountability to guide global companies toward creating a just and sustainable world. Visit www.bsr.org3 for more information.

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