Bangkok--20 Jun--HSBC HSBC in Thailand in cooperation with the British Embassy, British Council, Office of Basic Education Commission, and Department of Environmental Quality Promotion invites all secondary schools in Thailand to participate in Schools Ecological Footprint Challenge 2008. Applicants with the qualified proposals to reduce environmental impacts in schools will receive the development fund for pursuing the project. The programme aims at encouraging participating schools to value natural resources and promoting a way of learning to bring about genuine and long-lasting sustainability. Interested schools can find out more information and download the application from www.britishcouncil.or.th/ecofootprint. The deadline for application is 30 June 2008. For more information, please call 02-657-5625. Media enquiries to Nattanee Kasemrattakul on 0-2614-4687 or Savittree Muadmuang on 0-2614-4606. Notes to editors: 1. HSBC in Thailand HSBC was established as the first commercial bank in Thailand in 1888. With access to global expertise and enriched local knowledge, HSBC in Thailand provides a full range of financial services including corporate and institutional banking, global markets, securities services, trade finance, payment and cash management services to corporate customers; personal financial services and credit cards to a growing retail customer base in Thailand. HSBC is globally recognised for its high service standards, ethical practices and full commitment to corporate social responsibilities to benefit the local economy. 2. HSBC Holdings plc or the HSBC Group Headquartered in London, the HSBC Group is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. The Group’s international network comprises around 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, serves over 128 million customers and has assets of US$2,534 billion as at 31 December 2007. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited is the founding and principal member of the HSBC Group.