Barbara Krumsiek President and CEO Calvert

Our sympathy and support go out to the many people who were so deeply impacted by Hurricane Katrina.  Katrina will go on record as one of the most destructive and costly disasters in the United States ever, wreaking some $200 billion in damages, killing more than 1000 people, and depriving hundreds of thousands more of homes, livelihoods, and possessions.  As our response to this disaster, Calvert provides a multi-faceted call to action in this special report. 

At the heart of this initiative are the Katrina Business Guidelines, which set forth our vision for the future of New Orleans and the Impacted Gulf Region.  We provide four specific guidelines to encourage companies to rebuild the region in a fair and sustainable manner, creating local jobs for local people.  The Katrina Business Guidelines call for companies to: 

• Rebuild on a Foundation of Fairness, Justice, and Opportunity
• Invest in Communities
• Build for Sustainability, and
• Manage Corporate Responsibility Risk.

We have also provided shareholders with specific actions they can take to raise awareness.  We believe investors have the power and responsibility to influence public policy and corporate behavior through our position as corporate shareholders.  Therefore, we encourage our shareholders to step to the plate and write Congress and companies in support of these business principles.

In addition to the principles and our call to action, we also have included articles from our social research and investments departments, as well as from the Calvert Foundation, that provide insights into Calvert's perspective on the disaster.

We believe if we can learn from Katrina, we can help create a 'model city' of the best of what America can be and provide a road map for us all to evolve to a more sustainable and just society.