Alcan named Most Admired Metals Company in the world by Fortune Magazine

MONTREAL, March 12 - Alcan has been named the industry champion for metals on Fortune Magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies" list in 2007, and was also ranked the top company in Canada. The Company ranked second out of the more than 1,000 largest global companies surveyed for its efforts in the community and the environment, and sixth for its globalness. 
 
"Alcan is pleased to be recognized as the world's most admired metals company, an honour that reflects the significant efforts of all of our 68,000 employees around the world," said Dick Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer, Alcan Inc.

The annual survey is a respected benchmark by which the world's most successful companies are ranked. Alcan was also voted America's most admired metals company by Fortune Magazine last week. Alcan was the only Canadian company featured on the list and also placed 5th out of all companies for its efforts in the area of social responsibility.

For both surveys, more than 16,000 senior executives and directors were interviewed, along with financial analysts, to identify the companies that enjoy the strongest reputations within and across their industries.

Alcan's overall score places it within the top 10 of all 1000 companies that participated in the "World's Most Admired" survey. The Company ranked first in its industry in each of the key nine evaluated areas: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, and quality of products/services, globalness, and community/environment.

"At Alcan, two of our highest priorities are the health and safety of our employees and the stewardship of our environment and the communities in which we operate. To be ranked number two out of the 1000 companies worldwide for our community and environmental efforts is further demonstration of the Company's commitment to long-term sustainable, profitable growth," said Mr. Evans.

In 2003, Alcan implemented EHS FIRST, a key component of Alcan's Integrated Management System (AIMS), as the framework and mindset through which the Company's commitment to putting environment, health and safety first is translated into recordable and measurable actions.

Between 1990 and 2005, Alcan's total GHG emission intensity was reduced by 25 percent. The Company recently committed to a further 10 percent reduction in direct C02 equivalent emissions intensity from 2006 to 2010.

Alcan recently was awarded the National Safety Council's (NSC) Robert W. Campbell Award, which acknowledges the very best businesses worldwide to integrate environment, health and safety management as a key business value. Alcan was also awarded the World Environment Center's (WEC) Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development for the Company's comprehensive integration of sustainability into its business decision-making and operations.

Alcan was recently included as one of only five Canadian companies on the annual Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list. Announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the list has featured Alcan for three consecutive years.

Alcan Inc. is a leading global materials company, delivering high quality products and services worldwide. With world-class technology and operations in bauxite mining, alumina processing, primary metal smelting, power generation, aluminum fabrication, engineered solutions as well as flexible and specialty packaging today's Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs. Alcan is represented by 68,000 employees, including its joint-ventures, in 61 countries and regions, and posted revenues of US$23.6 billion in 2006. The Company has featured on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index consecutively since 2003.