Insurance fleet becomes first Canadian company to adopt PHH GreenFleet
    program

    GUELPH, ON, Nov. 27 /CNW/ - The Co-operators Group Ltd., the leading
Canadian-owned, multi-product insurance company, today announced that it is
reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicle fleet. Greenhouse gas
emissions are the leading cause of human-induced global warming.
    The Co-operators is beginning its sustainability journey and, as one of
its first steps is seeking to reduce emissions from its fleet of more than 400
vehicles throughout Canada. Vehicles are a significant source of global
warming gases because they emit more than two kilograms of these gases for
every liter of gasoline they consume. The PHH GreenFleet program was developed
by PHH Arval and Environmental Defense to guide organizations through choosing
more efficient vehicles, upgrading vehicle maintenance programs and providing
additional training to drivers.
    Through PHH GreenFleet, The Co-operators expects to improve its fuel
economy and cut emissions. After rolling out PHH GreenFleet to its entire
fleet, the organization expects to improve fuel economy by over 20 per cent,
without increasing fleet costs. All fleet vehicles The Co-operators group of
companies acquires will now meet their new fuel economy requirements and help
achieve their goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
    "We are committed to protecting the health and welfare of our communities
and our planet - this includes recognizing and reducing the impact of our
vehicle emissions on the climate," said Kathy Bardswick, The Co-operators
president and CEO. "As an organization that insures more than a million
vehicles in Canada, we felt it was important that we assess our own fleet and
do what we can to minimize the impact our vehicles have on the environment.
Implementing PHH GreenFleet will help us do just that."
    None of the organizations belonging to The Co-operators group of
companies will order any new trucks, vans or eight-cylinder vehicles, and
every driver in its fleet program will have the option of selecting a hybrid
vehicle.
    "We are excited to have our first Canadian partner in the PHH GreenFleet
program," said Jim Halliday, senior vice president and general manager of PHH
Arval's Canadian operations. "The Co-operators is leading the way by
demonstrating a cost-effective method to minimize the impact of fleet vehicle
emissions."
    "There's an exciting buzz and a lot of momentum around improving the
environmental performance of vehicle fleets," said Environmental Defense
Project Manager Jason Mathers. "We applaud The Co-operators for taking a
comprehensive approach to measuring and reducing emissions that will produce
real, measurable results for their business and the environment."

    About The Co-operators

    With assets of $7 billion, Co-operators Group Ltd. is the leading
Canadian-owned, multi-product insurance company. The Co-operators is a
national group of companies owned by 37 Canadian co-operatives, credit unions
and like-minded organizations, which provide insurance, investment products
and property development. The co-operative organization is well known for its
community involvement and is listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada.

    About Environmental Defense

    A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense
represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense has
linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to
create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For
more information, visit www.environmentaldefense.org.

    About PHH Arval

    PHH Arval, a subsidiary of PHH Corporation (NYSE: PHH), is a leading
fleet management services provider in the United States and Canada. PHH Arval
provides outsourced fleet management solutions to corporate clients, including
nearly one-third of the Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies.
Through consultative expertise, flexible customer service, and award-winning
Internet technology, PHH Arval helps clients reduce costs and increase
productivity. For more information, visit www.phharval.com, or call 800 ONLY
PHH.

For further information: Contact: Leonard Sharman, The Co-operators,
1-877-795-7272 ext. 2707, leonard_sharman@cooperators.ca; Pilar Page, PHH
Arval, (410) 771-2733, pilar.page@phh.com; Julie Huddleston, Environmental
Defense, (202) 572-3369, jhuddleston@environmentaldefense.org