Proximus

In September 2003, the Proximus Foundation launched a call for project proposals among non profit organisations operating in the Belgian social sector. The organisations were given until mid November 2003 to submit their proposals to the foundation. Already by 15 November, some 400 applications were received, 278 of which met the required selection criteria. In its allocation of the total sum of €500,000 and in selecting the funded projects, the Proximus Foundation operates at three levels, allocating three different types of awards: the Proximus Employee Prize (one project with a maximum budget of € 50,000), the Jury Prizes (31 projects with a maximum budget of € 350,000) and the Customer Prizes (four projects with a maximum budget of €100,000).

The Jury met at the beginning of January and carried out its own independent selection, awarding 31 projects. Proximus employees were also given the opportunity to vote for one project out of 75 presented to them via the foundation's intranet. Finally, ten project descriptions accompanying Proximus customers' bills were sent out in March of this year. Once subscribers had made their decision, they could vote for their favorite initiative by sending an SMS message free of charge. These ten projects were also showcased on the foundation's website. Out of the ten, the top four according to the amount of SMSs received were given funding.

The 2004 Proximus Employee Prize was presented to the non-profit organisation, Les Trois Pommiers. The organisation, which will run a project to restore 30 accommodation centres for the homeless in Brussels, received the most votes via the Proximus intranet.

The four non-profit organisations selected by Proximus customers will carry out their respective projects in different regions - The Medisch Pedagogisch Instituut Ritmica in Hove, Champs Libres in Fayt lez Manage, les Amis des Perce-Neige in Jambes and the Fondation Arnaud Fraiteur in Brussels. Enclosed you will find a description of these four projects, together with the names of the 31 non-profit organisations selected by the Jury and a description of their projects.

Progress of all winning projects will be closely followed by the Proximus Foundation throughout the year with regular updates appearing on www.proximusfoundation.be

You are cordially invited by the Proximus Foundation to meet the various representatives from the winning non-profit associations at an award ceremony this coming Wednesday, 12 May at 5 p.m., at the Proximus buildings, 55 rue du Progrès, 1210 Brussels. The awards will be followed by a drinks reception. The evening will also see Proximus present its first corporate social responsibility (CSR) report entitled: "Proximus - rooted in society", also available for download.

As well as meeting the winners, you will be able to rub shoulders with the celebrity jury: Dominique Monami (Olympic tennis champion), Ingrid Berghmans (Olympic judo champion), Marlène de Wouters (a top presenter on Flemish TV) and Baudouin Michiels (President of the Management Committee of the Fonds Prince Albert and President of the Belgacom Foundation).

Baudouin Michiels, who also presides over the Proximus Foundation Jury will be accompanied by Proximus CEO, Philippe Van der Putten and colleagues who participated in the intranet voting. Together, they too will meet and congratulate the various winners.

Mr. Van der Putten considers it vital that companies such as Proximus exercise CSR, as he outlines in the report, Proximus - rooted in society: "For Proximus; exercising ones profession in a responsible manner means that we wish to succeed in our mission of developing the highest quality mobile phone network, products and customer service. We are also keen to ensure the quality of life of our employees and their families as well as taking the needs of the local community and society into account."

The Proximus Foundation strives to fulfill the company's role as a corporate citizen just as it works to comply with health and safety standards and environmental concerns. In order to ensure the success of all funded initiatives, the company has enlisted the assistance of specialists to act as the foundation's board of directors.