The Desjardins Environment Fund is again rewarded at the 2010 Lipper Fund
Awards Gala

LÉVIS, QC, Feb. 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Desjardins Group is proud to announce that, for the third consecutive year, the Desjardins Environment Fund has won a prize at the 2010 Lipper Fund Awards gala event, held in Toronto on February 18. Awarded to funds in 21 countries throughout the world, the Lipper Fund Awards aim at rewarding investment funds that distinguish themselves by delivering consistently strong yield performance.

This year, the Desjardins Environment Fund was awarded first prize in the Canadian equity fund category for its 3- and 5-year yields, as at December 31, 2009.

The portfolio of the Desjardins Environment Fund is managed by Jean-Philippe Choquette, of Fiera Capital Inc., a Montréal-based portfolio management company with approximately $21.3 billion in assets under management. This award once again highlights Mr. Choquette's disciplined approach and superior management skills.

The Desjardins Environment Fund falls into the socially responsible investment (SRI) category, and this competitive and innovative fund will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2010. "The Desjardins Environment Fund and the SocieTerra Portfolios strengthen the Desjardins commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development, values we share with our members. We are pleased we can help them invest in a way that respects their values while offering them high-performing products and advisory services adapted to their needs," explains Rénald Letarte, Vice-President of Marketing and Management of Specialized Savings Products with Desjardins.

About Lipper Inc.

Lipper, a Thomson Reuters company, provides independent insight on global collective investments including mutual funds, retirement funds, hedge funds, fund fees and expenses to the asset management and media communities. Lipper is the world's leading fund research and analysis organization, covering 205,000 share classes and over 113,200 funds in 60 registered for sale (RFS) universes. It provides the free Lipper Leader ratings for mutual funds registered for sale in 27 countries. Additional information is available at lipperweb.com.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada, and the sixth largest in the world, with overall assets of $163 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario, as well as its subsidiaries, several of which are active throughout Canada, Desjardins offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.8 million individual and business members and clients. Desjardins Group is also home to a wealth of expertise in property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, wealth management, services for businesses of all sizes, securities brokerage, venture capital, asset management and secure leading-edge virtual access methods, all part of an integrated offer that is the only one of its kind in Canada. One of the largest employers in the country, Desjardins is backed by the knowledge and skills of its 42,000 employees and the commitment of its 6,300 elected officers. To find out more, consult www.desjardins.com.

For further information: (for journalists only): Caroline Phémius, Advisor, Media Relations, Desjardins Group, [phone], 1-866-866-7000, ext. 7646, [email protected]