The bank will turn off the lights at ten buildings in Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Varna and Ruse.

For fourth consecutive year UniCredit Bulbank will join the Earth Hour campaign. On 23 March, for one hour from 20:30 h. to 21:30 h. the bank will turn off the lights at 10 of its buildings in six cities across Bulgaria - Sofia, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Varna and Ruse.

UniCredit will participate in this year’s edition of Earth Hour by turning off the lights at nearly 50 of its representative buildings across Europe.

The participation in the Earth Hour initiative is part of UniCredit Bulbank’s National Green Programme, within the scope of which the bank implements eco projects each year.

At the end of last year the bank received the award for the Largest contribution by the voluntary work of employees from the Bulgarian Donors' Forum for the initiative “Green Day”, during which in October 2011 nearly 300 employees of UniCredit Bulbank and their families planted 1 300 willows and around 1 800 healing buckthorn plants in Vitosha Park.

In 2012, UniCredit Bulbank also organized a Green Day for cleaning Vitosha in support to the national campaign of bTV "Let's Clean Bulgaria in One Day".

At the start of the Green Programme in 2008, almost 400 thousand sq.m of forests were planted near Stara Zagora and over 30 km of main tourist paths in Vitosha were restored - from Aleko Chalet to the village of Bistritsa along the rivers Yanchovska and Bistrishka.

In 2009, the bank financed the recovery of an eco-path near the village of Borino, close to the rock phenomenon called the Devil's Bridge.

In 2010, UniCredit Bulbank, together with Bulgarian Charities Aid Foundation, organized a competition for an environmental project, which was won by the National Parks Association – thus the bank financed with 5 thousand leva the buying of photo-traps used for observing animal species and tracking their habitats in six parks.

Besides all that, last year the bank started a large-scale initiative for stopping paper account statements and replacing them with electronic ones. Furthermore, for its advertising materials the bank already is using recycled paper only.

UniCredit Bulbank has started an initiative for gradually placing bike stands in front of its banking branches to encourage its employees to use this kind of transport to their work place.

About Earth Hour:

Earth Hour first took place in 2007 in Sidney, Australia, after which it became a tradition and is held on every last Saturday of March. During Earth Hour millions of people all over the world join in the appeal for a more sustainable future by a symbolic turning off of the lights in their homes, as well as key buildings, administrative offices and monuments of culture.

* Lights will be turned off while also observing all security measures.

More information for clients:

UniCredit Bulbank, Call Centre

Phone: 0700 1 84 84

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch