The Hartford Recognized For Climate Change Disclosure

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the fifth consecutive year, The Hartford has been recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its approach to the disclosure of climate change. The CDP, which represents 655 institutional investors with $78 trillion in assets, is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information.

“The Hartford is honored to be included in the CDP’s Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for the fifth year in a row”

“The Hartford is honored to be included in the CDP’s Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for the fifth year in a row," said Alan Kreczko, executive vice president, general counsel and chair of The Hartford's Environment Committee. “Recognition like this energizes us to find additional ways to contribute to a more sustainable future. We are continually evaluating the risks and opportunities presented by climate change, assessing the company’s approach and integrating environmental practices into our businesses, whether it is the management of our facilities, the way we conduct operations or the products offered by our businesses.”

The index, compiled by PwC on behalf of CDP, provides an evaluation tool for institutional investors and other stakeholders. In 2012 it comprises 53 companies from the S&P 500 based on analysis of the responses to CDP’s questionnaire which focused on greenhouse gas emissions, emissions reduction targets and the risks and opportunities associated with climate change.

“Companies that make the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index have demonstrated strong internal data management practices for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and energy use,” said Paul Simpson, chief executive officer of CDP. “They are also giving clear consideration to the business issues related to climate change and their exposure to climate-related risks and opportunities. This is vital to realizing greater efficiencies, protecting the business from risk and capitalizing on opportunities.”

The S&P 500 report, including names of companies featured in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index, can be found at www.cdproject.net.

The Hartford is committed to understanding, managing and mitigating the risks associated with global climate change and views environmental stewardship as a priority. The company established an Environment Committee in 2007, which is chaired by the company’s general counsel and overseen by the executive leadership team. Since the establishment of the committee, The Hartford has continued to see results. For example, in 2010, the company met its first target of reducing GHG emissions by 15 percent using 2007 as a base year. In 2011, it reduced its GHG emissions by an additional 7 percent.

Other key highlights about The Hartford’s sustainability efforts include:

The company offers auto policyholders a premium discount when insuring hybrid and electric vehicles;
The Hartford has insured renewable energy risks, including solar, wind and geothermal, for more than 20 years;
The Hartford installed electric vehicle charging stations on all of its Connecticut campuses for use by its employees;
In 2011, The Hartford purchased Green-e certified renewable energy certificates, which represented over 6 percent of its overall 2011 electricity demand; and
The Hartford engages its employees on environmental stewardship in innovative ways through a group of early career professional volunteers, the Hartford Environmental Action (HEAT) Team.

To learn more or to view The Hartford’s full CDP submission, visit the environment page on The Hartford’s website.

About The Hartford

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) is a leading provider of insurance and wealth management services for millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. The Hartford is consistently recognized for its superior service, its sustainability efforts and as one of the world's most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com. Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheHartford. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheHartford.

About CDP

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP harnesses the power of market forces, including 655 institutional investors with assets of US$78 trillion, to collect information from companies on their greenhouse gas emissions and assessment of climate change and water risk and opportunity. CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate change and water data and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions. Please visit www.cdproject.net to find out more.

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Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.