BOSTON "“ Citing the company's leadership on climate change, Citi has been approved by the Ceres board of directors as a Ceres network company.

Citi Inc. is the world's largest financial services company, which provides global consumer services, corporate investment banking, global wealth management and alternative investment services. Citi is among several leading financial service companies, including Bank of America, State Street, and Wachovia, that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges. Citi is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including more than 20 Fortune 500 companies.

"We are pleased and excited to join the Ceres network. Ceres is a well-respected NGO known for its expertise on climate change and stakeholder engagement," said Pamela Flaherty, President and Chief Executive Office of the Citi Foundation and Director, Citizenship at Citi,

"We look forward to partnering with them to further develop our initiatives in this space."In May 2007, Citi announced its latest expansion of the company’s sustainability program with a $50 billion commitment over the next 10 years to address global climate change through investments, financings and related activities to support the commercialization and growth of alternative energy and clean technology among the clients and markets it serves, as well as within its own businesses and operations.

"Citi's commitment to tackle the challenges posed by climate change is exciting," said Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres. "Citi is well positioned to reduce both its own operational greenhouse gas footprint and those of its clients. Ceres looks forward to working with Citi to develop solutions to the climate threat and further integrate sustainability into the company's business strategies, products and services."

In January 2008 Ceres released a report, Corporate Governance and Climate Change: the Banking Sector, which analyzes climate change governance practices of the world's largest banks. Of the 40 banks scored in the report, Citi was ranked highest among US banks. The report found that a growing number of banks are beginning to factor the risks of climate change into their businesses, but that more aggressive actions are needed from banks, such as explicitly incorporating carbon costs and climate risk into their lending and investment decision-making.

In response to this growing concern around the carbon impact of investments, Citi joined JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley last month in releasing the Carbon Principles, a new set of guidelines for advisors and lenders to U.S. power companies. The principles were in response to the financial risks power companies face from emerging carbon-reducing regulations.

"The Carbon Principles are a great start and are heading in the right direction by putting carbon intensive industries on notice that they need to factor carbon costs and climate risks into their business development plans," Lubber said, "We are looking forward to seeing Citi and the other bank signatories take these principles a step further by disclosing specifics on actual implementation, including carbon pricing."

Companies that join the Ceres company network commit to making continuous strides in improving their sustainability performance and reporting practices by engaging with investors, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.

About Ceres

Founded in 1989, Ceres is a leading network of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, comprised of more than 60 institutional investors who collectively manage over $5 trillion in assets. For more information, visit www.ceres.org.

About Citi

The leading global financial services company, Citi has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brand names include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, Banamex, and Nikko. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

Note: Inclusion of a company in the Ceres network of companies reflects the determination by Ceres that the senior executives and board of directors of the designated company have demonstrated a genuine continuing commitment to apply and support Ceres-approved corporate environmental and social objectives/principles and to acknowledge and promote its publicly available sustainability/corporate responsibility missions and values. Inclusion of a company in the Ceres network of companies is not intended, however, to constitute the endorsement or support by Ceres of the company's business products, services and/or strategies.

Ceres

Ceres

Our Mission: Ceres is transforming the economy to build a just and sustainable future for people and the planet. 

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies, and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews. 

More from Ceres