Fifth Third Bank Releases First Report on Corporate Social Responsibility

CINCINNATI, May 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) has published its inaugural report on corporate social responsibility (CSR).  The report is available starting today and can be accessed as a website at www.53.com/csrreport.  Hard copies also are available in limited quantities.  

The report is titled, "Responsibility Begins Here," and outlines the Company's commitment to good corporate citizenship. Fifth Third Bank has a long history of community support, dating back to one of its early presidents, Jacob G. Schmidlapp, a well-known philanthropist. In 1948, Fifth Third Bank was the first financial institution to establish a charitable foundation.  The Bank has been publishing reports of its community commitment for over a decade.

In 2010, the Company framed all of its 2009 community support into a CSR report to make its commitment more widely known to the public. Its approach to CSR evolved from the fundamental principle that the Company is only as strong as the communities it serves.  

Fifth Third Bancorp Chairman, President & CEO Kevin T. Kabat said, "Helping to build strong communities is both a privilege and a responsibility for Fifth Third Bank.  We strive to be proactive members of the community by meeting our customers' financial needs so they can build a bright future for themselves and their families.  We also strive to be engaged in the activities they care about and invest our financial and human resources to impact positive change in every city, town and neighborhood where we operate."  

The report outlines the Bank's focus on five key initiatives to make communities stronger:  

• Financial Literacy--the Bank's signature programs which help ensure that both kids and adults have a strong foundation of financial knowledge necessary to build a successful life.  

• Youth Education--the Bank's commitment to operating and funding programs that give children a solid foundation from which to build a better tomorrow.  

• Community Development--an overview of the Bank's commitment to meeting its Community Reinvestment Act obligations, its community development corporation, and examples of its sponsorship and volunteer support of a wide range of community activities.  

• Diversity & Inclusion--the Company's vision of diversity and inclusion, multicultural and supplier diversity initiatives, and becoming an Employer of Choice.

• Environmental Stewardship--the Bank's Strategic Energy Plan, Project Green and the Bank's commitment to operating in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner.  

Fifth Third Bancorp's printed CSR Report is FSC-certified, which indicates its paper and print products have met the Forest Stewardship Council's highest available environmental standards.  

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $113 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 1,309 full-service Banking Centers, including 103 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,364 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 49% interest in Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2010, had $190 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $25 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB."

SOURCE Fifth Third Bancorp