Company: Alcan Inc.
Company Description: Alcan is a multinational, market-driven company and a global leader in aluminum and packaging, as well as aluminum recycling. With world-class operations in primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and flexible and specialty packaging, Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs for solutions and service. Alcan employs 54,000 people and has operating facilities in 42 countries.
Nomination Category: Company, Office & Product Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Overall Company

Nomination Title: Alcan: Raising the Bar for an Industry

Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Alcan is a multinational, market-driven leader in aluminum, packaging, and
recycling with revenues of $12.5 billion and 53,000 employees and world-class
operations in 41 countries.

With a $4 billion deal to acquire Pechiney, the world's fourth-largest aluminum
company, pending, Montreal-based Alcan is positioned for even greater success.

Alcan's superior performance is driven by years of strategic cost management
and smart growth.

But Alcan's success transcends revenue: this company is defined by its
competitive advantages. From energy generation to capital management, Alcan
enjoys numerous advantages that have helped its business, its employees, its
customers and its stockholders prosper.

-->Business Diversity:  Alcan's global presence provides a diverse
business mix in aluminum production, engineered products, and packaging
products made from many kinds of materials.
-->Disciplined Capital Management:  Because of its rigorous and
disciplined business plan and robust free cash flow, Alcan's balance sheet
provides ample flexibility for acquisitions and strategic expansion.
-->Energy:  Most of Alcan's aluminum production facilities use low-cost,
hydroelectric energy generated by the company's own power plants, helping
both the bottom line and the environment.
-->Aluminum Recycling:  As the world leader in aluminum can recycling,
Alcan has a constant, renewable source of aluminum. Good for the environment -
and for business - recycling reduces Alcan's energy use.

In applying these advantages, and concentrating on areas of business growth --
such as the automotive, engineered products, and packaging markets -- Alcan
has reduced its exposure to the commodity cycle. That focus has delivered
innovative solutions for Alcan customers ranging from the new all-aluminum Jaguar
sports sedan to a tamper-resistant pharmaceutical packaging.

Business results are one measure of success. As it has grown, Alcan has applied
the best practices of its family of companies across the board to raise the bar in
terms of corporate social responsibility, too.  For example, Alcan:
-->Reduced total greenhouse gas emissions in 2001 and 2002 by an average of
1.45 million tons, surpassing its original annual goal by more than one million
tons.
-->Was named company of the year by Canada's Corporate Knights for superior
business ethics and corporate governance and recognized by the Toronto
Stock Exchange as a model in financial disclosure/reporting.
-->Received the highest possible rating for corporate governance practices from
Governance Metrics International (GMI), an independent ratings agency.
-->Has introduced a revolutionary Environmental Health & Safety program that has
made Alcan a better employer, neighbor and business partner.
-->Has developed and deployed a simple solution to remove arsenic from the
poisoned wells in Bangladesh, recognized by Newsweek as a medical innovation.
-->Has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to fund new homes with by sponsoring
the Aluminum Cans Build Habitat for Humanity Homes program. Alcan matches
proceeds from recycled aluminum cans to support Habitat for Humanity.

In a challenging age for business, Alcan's endurance and long-term focus on
delivering value to all stakeholders, employees, communities and stockholders
have set it apart and raised the bar for its industry.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

Alcan Facts:
http://www.alcan.com/corporate/AlcanCom.nsf/graphics/documents/$file/alcan_facts_2003_eng_web.pdf

Alcan Sustainability Report:
http://www.alcan.com/corporate/AlcanCom.nsf/libweb/Corporate+sustainability

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:

Travis Engen has served as president and chief executive officer of Alcan Inc.
since 2001.  Under his leadership, Alcan has profitably grown through strategic
acquisitions in high-value areas and substantial synergies. Engen is the chair of
the World Economic Forum Water Initiative, a partnership of public and private
organizations with the aim of improving watershed management. Alcan has a 102
year history managing water basins, water flows and hydro-electricity operations.

Before coming to Alcan, Engen was chairman and chief executive of ITT
Industries. He joined the company in 1985 as president and general manager of
ITT Avionics. Engen has served on Alcan's Board of Directors since 1996.