Dow’s Public Report 2000 Update: The Power of Integration

"A powerful catalyst is driving Dow’s triple bottom [spheres] line business model toward sustainable progress," said Dow CEO William S. Stavropoulos. "It’s our corporate integration — nothing less than the complete blending of the central elements of the Dow enterprise into a unified, truly interconnected whole. We are doing this by hardwiring financial, environmental and social responsibility and performance directly into our global businesses."

Last year, Dow invited stakeholders to "look in" as the Company reported on its efforts in the areas of economic, environmental and social responsibility in its first comprehensive Public Report 1999. This year, Dow is providing a short update on its1999 performance in its Public Report Update 2000.

Triple Bottom Line Progress
By any measure, Dow’s 1999 financial performance was outstanding. Despite the trough level pricing experienced by the chemical industry in 1999, Dow’s earnings well exceeded the company’s cost of capital. In addition, Dow’s 1999 financial achievements include a 47 percent stock price increase and a significant reduction of structural costs. This success is attributed to Dow’s commitment to long-range planning and execution, exemplified by the 10 percent improvement in Dow productivity every year since 1993, and the largest portfolio restructuring in company history that allows for a reinvestment in new businesses and greater capacities.

On the environmental front, Dow is driving toward a vision of zero — as in no accidents, no injuries and no harm to the
environment. The Company is moving toward this vision by enhancing its global commitment to Responsible CareŽ and making significant progress on its aggressive Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) Goals for 2005 as well.

Dow’s commitment to social responsibility expanded in 1999 by completing a series of Global Community Perception Surveys and by forming a partnership with Business For Social Responsibility — a U.S.-based nongovernment organization that specializes in areas ranging from workforce diversity to ethics to supplier relationships.

Making Good on Our Promise
The Dow Public Report 1999 unveiled a set of [planting a tree] self-imposed actions outlined in a "To Do" list. One year later, Dow proudly announces the accomplishment of two of these tasks. First, Dow completed the Global Community Perception Surveys, the results of which will help the Company better serve the communities in which it operates around the world. Second, Dow has designed and put in place a set of Sustainable Development Guiding Principles that directly build upon the chemical industry’s Responsible CareŽ Guiding Principles. These eight principles will pave the way for future economic, environmental and social excellence.

As the Dow Public Report Update 2000 indicates, 1999 was an outstanding year on all fronts. Dow encourages all interested parties to share in its success and monitor its continuing commitment to the triple bottom line –– financial, environmental and social responsibility.

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