The Principal Financial Group Embarks on Nationwide Search for Top Companies in Employee Benefits
February 2, 2004 (Des Moines, Iowa) -- With the job market opening up, companies with exceptional employee benefits programs stand the best chance of keeping and attracting the highest quality talent. Now those companies have the opportunity to achieve the recognition they deserve as the third annual search for The Principal 10 Best Companies begins Feb. 1, 2004.
The recognition program, sponsored by the Principal Financial Group®, is open to any company with a staff of five to 1,000 employees. Deadline for entries is May 1, 2004. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2004.
"The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security honors companies that understand the commitment it takes to select and provide benefits that contribute to employees' sense of financial security," says Renee Schaaf, vice president at the Principal Financial Group. "Companies who achieve this honor become standard bearers for their peers and gain recognition among their employees and potential recruits as employers of choice."
Together with Mathew Greenwald & Associates, a premier market research company, an independent panel of judges will review entries to The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security. Judges will select 10 companies based on several criteria including breadth and depth of financial benefits offered, level of commitment by the company to its employees' financial security and communications and educational efforts on benefit programs and financial security issues. The Principal®, a leader in the financial services industry, understands that financial security is a critical element in employers' success in recruiting, retaining and motivating employees.
Companies selected among The Principal 10 Best Companies will be held up as role models setting standards by which other businesses measure their benefits offerings. As such, the winning companies receive national and local recognition. They will also be showcased in a best practices guide for employee financial security and on The Principal Web site, www.principal.com. In addition, The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. will make a donation in the name of each company to a local charity of each organization's choice.
To enter, companies complete the entry form. Or, companies, financial planners or peer organizations can nominate a company that deserves recognition as one of The Principal 10 Best Companies. All nominated companies will be informed by mail of their nomination for recognition. Each will receive an entry form to complete. Companies are not required to be clients of The Principal® to enter. To enter, visit The Principal 10 Best Web site. You'll find the entry form and the nomination form.
About the Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal ®)1 is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance and mortgage banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. More employers choose the Principal Financial Group for their 401(k) plans than any other bank, mutual fund, or insurance company in the United States2. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $134.8 billion in assets under management3 and serves some 14.8 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.
EDITORS' NOTE: To obtain a copy of The Principal Best Practices Guide for Employee Financial Security or to arrange an interview with winners from the 2003 Principal 10 Best Companies, call Terri Shell at 515/283-8858.
1 "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
2 CFO Magazine, April/May 2002 based on total plans served in 2002 by insurance companies, banks and investment firms.
3 As of September 30, 2003.
