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Paris, March 31st 2008

First board meeting of the French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) .communities

The Board of Directors of the French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) danone.communities held its first meeting today in Paris. Besides (CEO of Groupe Danone, Chairman of the Board of the FCPR danone.communities), (Nobel Peace Prize and Vice-Chairman of the Board of the FCPR of danone.communities) and Emmanuel Faber (Vice-President of Groupe Danone), the directors are Gary Hirshberg, Georges Pauget, Jacques Bungert, Jay Naidoo, Jean- Michel Severino, Maria Nowak, Xóchilt Gálvez and Zinedine Zidane. The engagement of these directors and their individual contributions to danone.communities reflect their histories, personal commitment and career paths. At the same time, their knowledge or their interest in the issues facing countries in the developing world, their experience of communities and community action, and the broad range of geographical areas they represent make them a driving force for the project’s success. In particular, all share the same conviction that there is a real place for social enterprises in today’s economy. Muhammad Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, the world’s first micro-credit institution. Grameen Bank has nearly 1,400 branches in Bangladesh and is present in over 50,000 villages. Since its founding in 1983, it has distributed USD 4.69 million in loans with reimbursement rates of 99%. In 2006 Muhammad Yunus teamed up with Danone to found Grameen Danone Foods, a business based on the social enterprise model. He was awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a founder and unflagging promoter of the concept of social business. Gary Hirshberg embodies a successful militant business model. In 1983 he founded Stonyfield Farm, an organic dairy products company that has built its reputation on environmental responsibility. Among Stonyfield’s many initiatives are a commitment to reinvest 10% of sales in projects to protect the planet; installation of vending machines in schools to combat obesity by distributing healthy food; and using yogurt lids as a vehicle for raising public awareness of causes such as climate change. Georges Pauget is CEO of Crédit Agricole; two of its subsidiaries manage the danone.communities’ French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) and French Mutual Fund (SICAV). The bank shares Groupe Danone’s commitment to proximity and solidarity, promoting these values through a variety of concrete initiatives. In particular, Crédit Agricole works with groups that help the neediest reintegrate economic and social life, organizations that promote agricultural and rural development in the southern hemisphere and children’s aid associations. Jacques Bungert began his career with Groupe Danone. In 1990 he founded Prodeo, a communication agency that joined the Young & Rubicam group in 1999. Currently Co-Chairman of Young & Rubicam , he is committed together with Zinedine Zidane in the worldwide partnership with Groupe Danone to support children’s causes. Jay Naidoo , South African trade union pioneer, served as Minister for Reconstruction & Development and later Minister for Telecommunications in the first government of President Nelson Mandela. Today he is president of J&J Group, a private investment company, as well as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, a major source of finance for economic and social development in South and Southern Africa. Jay Naidoo is also chairman of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), which works with external partners such as UNICEF to reduce malnutrition through food fortification. Jean-Michel Severino is one of the world’s leading experts on developing economies. He headed the development team at the French Ministry for Cooperation and served as Vice-President for Asia at the World Bank. Since 2001, he has been head of the French Development Agency, a financial institution that collaborates with public and private entities as well as with networks of local associations, deploying a wide range of economic and social initiatives in over 60 countries in Africa and around the world. Maria Nowak , who has built a reputation as “the banker for the those in need” has been the leading advocate of micro-credit since the 1980s, lending her active support to an increasing number of projects in Central Europe and Africa. Author of a book on the subject [“On ne prête (pas) qu’aux riches”] she drew inspiration from the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh to develop the concept of solidarity in lending. She founded ADIE, the Association for the Right to Economic Initiative, in France in 1989; since then, ADIE has helped create 44,170 businesses, generating 53,000 jobs through over 51,000 loans. Xóchilt Gálvez , a member of Mexico’s Náhuatl nation, is a businesswoman committed to supporting communities in need. In 2000 she was named head of the country’s National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples by President Vicente Fox. Since 2006 she has focused her efforts on Fundación Porvenir -- Foundation for the Future -- which aids malnourished children in indigenous areas of Mexico. Xóchilt Gálvez is Managing Director of High Tech Services, a consulting firm she founded in 1992. Zinedine Zidane now devotes his time and name to causes dedicated to the welfare of children. As official sponsor, he promotes the European Leucodystrophies Association (ELA) and has joined Groupe Danone in a worldwide partnership to support children’s causes. Since 2001 he has been a UN Goodwill Ambassador for development, taking part in a Match against Poverty whose proceeds finance initiatives in this area. In 2006 he joined Franck Riboud and Muhammad Yunus to inaugurate the first Grameen Danone Foods factory.

danone.communities - where finance meets sustainable development The French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) danone.communities was created to promote social innovation by supporting the development of social enterprises in line with Danone’s mission. Social enterprises focus on maximizing the social and environmental value they create, which in turn promotes economic development in poor countries. Grameen Danone Foods is the danone.communities’ first project. Founded jointly by Groupe Danone and Grameen Bank and sponsored by Muhammad Yunus and Franck Riboud, the Bangladesh-based company employs 50 people at its Bogra plant, which within one year of its launch already produces 10,000 servings of Shoktidoi yogurt a day. A door-to-door distribution system has created jobs for 300 women in the rural area around the factory, and 400 farmers supply milk for its production line at a guaranteed price. In 2008, the French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) danone.communities will provide financing to enable Grameen Danone to raise production capacity at Bogra and build a second factory near Dhaka. Other initiatives are also being studied in Asia and Africa. These will involve partnerships based on the original business model, combining Groupe Danone’s expertise with that of local entities or NGOs. The danone.communities project also aims to build a large community of a new kind of investors. All partners share a commitment to linking finance and sustainable development, the belief that the priority for projects is their social impact, and the conviction that such projects must be profitable for this impact to be lasting.

Reaching out the largest possible number of investors - the French Mutual Fund (SICAV) danone.communities The French Mutual Fund (SICAV) danone.communities was launched with a EUR 20 million investment from Groupe Danone and EUR 30 million from institutional investors. This innovative vehicle is managed by IDEAM, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, which handles distribution. A prospectus approved by the French market supervisor AMF is available from IDEAM and on the AMF website. At least 90% of the assets of the French Mutual Fund (SICAV) are invested in financial monetary instruments from within the euro zone, with a special focus on socially responsible issuers. Up to 10% are invested in social businesses such as Grameen Danone Foods through Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) danone.communities.

For more information: www.danonecommunities.com

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