Jakarta, 24November 2014 – Around 70 employees from global bank Credit Suisse’s Indonesia and Singapore offices, led by itsCEO for Asia Pacific, Helman Sitohang, last week joined local NGO ars86care in the rebuilding and refurbishing of pre-schools in Grobogan and Demak regencies in Semarang city periphery, Central Java.

In addition to taking part in the refurbishment and maintenance work, the Credit Suisse volunteers also engaged with around 90 pre-school children aged three to six years old in creating art and craft from recycled materials, decorating the school, as well as tree planting.

Credit Suisse has partnered with ars86care since 2012 to provide funding and resources needed to improve infrastructure and classrooms facilities of kindergarten left in a state that challenged both children’s safety and teachers’ ability to perform their work. The bankfunded the renovation of pre-schools in Mranggen in 2012 and inKarangawen in 2013, as well as a new program rehabilitating three pre-schools in Semarang vicinity this year.

Credit Suisse’s support also includes a program to educate the school children on a range of issues, including sanitation, hygiene and environmentally friendly practices, helping to build important life skills within the schools and broader community.

“Ars86care program is not only about building infrastructure and facilities, but also the communityitself. The organisation works along a model where community members, through participative engagement in the early phases of the renovation work, acquire knowledge, build their capacity and finally develop a strong sense of ownership over the schools. Children are recognised as the main stakeholders in the project and their participation is sought at an early stage. Ultimately, the schools become the cement of the community, said Marini Widowati, Co-Founder ofars86care.

“It is heart-warming to witness the Credit Suisse volunteers interacting with the children, teachers and parents who are the beneficiaries of our school program.Seeing the children learning and playing happily at their newly renovated schoolfurther affirmed that our effortsare paying off," added Ms Widowati.

This is the third year Credit Suisse employees are actively supporting Ars86care’s programs. During this period, over 150 Credit Suisse employees from Indonesia and Singapore have visited and volunteered at the schools in Central Java.

Helman Sitohang, the first Indonesian national to be appointed as CEO for Credit Suisse Asia Pacific, said,”Credit Suisse’s partnership with Ars86Care is very much aligned with our corporate responsibility focus of supporting education initiatives in the communities we operate in. Ars86care Foundation’s mission is to promote and create high quality, child-friendly living spaces to achieve a better quality of life for the children, who are the future of Indonesia. I am particularly heartened to see our own staff actively supporting this partnership and their engagement really makes a difference to the bank’s community partnerships.”

“Volunteerism is a core part of Credit Suisse’s corporate responsibility. In 2013, more than 17,500 of our staff globally dedicated over 185,000 hours to voluntary work with their local community and charity organizations. By volunteering, we gain better insights into the needs of the communities in which we live and work. At the same time, these activities further enhance the interpersonal skills of our people and promote team spirit – ultimately strengthening our corporate culture,” added Mr. Sitohang.

For enquiries contact:

[Shanti +62217211819 or [email protected]]

ars86care foundation

Reza Amirul Juniarshah

Maverick untuk Credit Suisse

Email: [email protected]

Telp. +62 818 916415

Credit Suisse AG

Credit Suisse AG is one of the world's leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as 'Credit Suisse'). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse is able to offer clients its expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management from a single source. Credit Suisse provides specialist advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high net worth private clients worldwide, and also to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 45,500 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

Ars86care foundation

Ars86care foundation started with a group of Indonesian architects who were concerned about the environment and wanted to improve environment quality as legacy for their children. Ars86care is a registered foundation for children, the environment, and education, with three main programs, including Space to Build, Words to Share, and Value to Do. The mission of ars86care foundation is to promote and to create high quality, child-friendly living spaces in order to achieve a better quality of life for the children, who are the future of Indonesia. The group has worked with over 1,000 volunteers sinceit’s establishment in 2007.