ST. LOUIS, MO -- (Marketwire) -- 07/30/09 -- Solae, LLC today announced that it has joined the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), a groundbreaking initiative founded by The Ethisphere Institute that promotes ethical business practices. Solae has aligned itself with other BELA members, some of the most well-known and highly respected brands in the world, to encourage openness, transparency, responsibility and accountability.

"At Solae, we have always held the highest ethical standards and commitment to our customers and business partners," said Cornel Fuerer, vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer -- Solae. "Becoming a part of BELA reinforces our historical commitment to business ethics and aligns with our core value of ethical behavior. We are excited about this opportunity to join other companies that also recognize the connection between ethical business behavior and strong operating performance and brand."

BELA seeks to establish a benchmark framework for ethical behavior in the corporate world by focusing on four core values:

--  Legal Compliance -- Following both the letter and spirit of the law to
    counter fraud, corruption, bribery and deceit.
--  Transparency -- Setting the cultural tone from the top by encouraging
    dialogue on ethical issues and disclosing information in a full, accurate
    and timely manner.
--  Conflict Identification -- Actively identifying and addressing
    potential conflicts of interest and appearances of impropriety.
--  Accountability -- Emphasizing quality, customer protection,
    environmental sustainability and integrity in the supply chain.
    

"We are thrilled that Solae has joined BELA as a strong advocate of these core principles," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute and founder of BELA. "We congratulate Solae on the decision to take action by demonstrating a commitment to supporting responsible business practices and look forward to its contributions to BELA's collaborative efforts to create a more ethical business environment for all."

Solae is now one of 30 companies that are current members of BELA, including some of the largest in the United States such as General Electric, Wal-Mart and PepsiCo. BELA is an international initiative.

The Business Ethics Leadership Alliance is a proactive initiative supporting leading American and international businesses focused on preparing the groundwork for improved business ethics across the global economy.