Desjardins Teams Up with the Centre for Sustainable Development

MONTREAL, May 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Desjardins Group is proud to announce that it will be a major partner of the Centre for Sustainable Development in Montréal. In addition to providing $250,000 in financial support, Desjardins will put its network to good use by hosting an event this fall in the Grande Place at Complexe Desjardins to rally citizens and raise funds.

The Centre for Sustainable Development is a non-profit organization working to build an eco-friendly 65,000 square feet building in Montréal which aims to achieve Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Upon completion, nine organizations, including Équiterre, will set up their offices in this new building, which has a goal of becoming a focal point for sustainable development.

For Desjardins Group, which is particularly sensitive to climate change issues, supporting the Centre for Sustainable Development is a natural fit with the Change the World, One Step at a Time campaign, carried out in collaboration with Équiterre. Energy efficiency and residual waste management are part of the areas of intervention of this campaign, which was launched in 2007.

Pauline D'Amboise, Secretary General and Vice-President of Cooperative Support at Desjardins Group, is very pleased with this partnership and stressed the innovative side of this project, adding that it will certainly contribute to the development of green and sustainable buildings. Moreover, since the Centre for Sustainable Development is initiated and managed by its future tenants, D'Amboise believes this project is very much in line with Desjardins Group's values. "This is a concrete demonstration of solidarity and collective empowerment," she added.

Sidney Ribaux, president of the Centre for Sustainable Development and co-founder of Équiterre, said: "We need visionary leaders to move sustainable development forward in Québec. Through this partnership, Desjardins shows that it's not afraid to make the first move and offer concrete support to major projects. They're setting a good example."

As one of the largest owners of private real estate in Québec, Desjardins has an increasing number of green buildings, such as the Windsor Building, Carrefour Desjardins and Complexe Desjardins in Montréal and the Desjardins Group head office in Lévis.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of $157 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario, and its subsidiaries across Canada, it offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.8 million members and clients. Desjardins specializes in Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance, in Property and Casualty Insurance, in Personal Services, in Business and Institutional Services. As one of the largest employers in the country, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 42,200 employees and the commitment of over 6,200 elected officers. For more information, visit www.desjardins.com.

For further information: (for journalists only): Francine BlackBurn, Advisor, Media Relations, Desjardins Group, [phone] or 1-866-866-7000, ext. 7275, [email protected]