As one of the world’s leading banks, with 135,000 employees in more than 50 countries, Barclays plays a significant role, from working with governments on major infrastructure projects to bringing mainstream banking to customers in emerging markets. This online Sustainability Review explains our progress on sustainability in 2007: the strong stories we have to tell, the areas where we still have work to do and our ambitions for the future.

Scope of the Review

The Review covers all our Business Units in the markets in which we operate. We provide details about the strategic approach we have adopted on sustainability across our businesses and then provide case studies and key performance indicators to highlight what this means in practice. The Review largely covers developments in 2007, however in some areas it has been necessary to provide information outside the reporting year, in order to set information in context. The Review is intended to provide a snapshot of our work in 2007 and benefits from the comments we have received from Corporate Citizenship, our external independent assurance provider. More information on our approach to sustainability and updates on our work will be available throughout the year on the other pages on our website, however the information in the Review will not change. We are determined to have a frank and ongoing dialogue with our many stakeholders, and this Review should be used together with the regularly updated information on our website to understand our commitment to embedding sustainability in our businesses.