El Naturalista Award Benefiting Children Begins Accepting Proposals

Pamplona, February 2, 2012— El Naturalista, internationally recognized for its eco-friendly manufacturing processes, calls for proposals for the first El Naturalista Award. The award, endowed with 40,000.00 Euros, will provide funds to projects dedicated to children’s education and care in any of the 40 countries of the Northern Hemisphere where the Spanish footwear company is present. This award seeks to both enhance humanitarian solidarity in Northern Hemisphere and complements the humanitarian and social projects that El Naturalista has been supporting in Latin America and Africa.

“This innovative award seeks to expand the spirit of human solidarity to countries which, in principle, have more resources but nevertheless also encounter situations of child neglect that society needs to acknowledge and solve,” said Mari Paz Diaz Rada, Director of El Naturalista’s Department of Corporate Social Responsibility. “At El Naturalista we are convinced that children are the future and thus we support initiatives that help to improve their situation.”

Project proposals/nominations from registered non-profit organizations will be accepted from January 30, 2012 to April 30, 2012. A panel of experts from academia and business will evaluate all submitted proposals. The award(s) will be announced in May 2012 and the award ceremony will take place in June 2012. Refer to El Naturalista Award for award criteria.

ABOUT EL NATURALSITA
Based in Pamplona, Spain, El Naturalista was born in 2002. The General Manager, Pablo de la Pe̱a, had a concept in mind while creating the company Рhe wanted to create a global shoe brand inspired by nature Рcomfortable and still fashionable. The final product that El Naturalista offers is young footwear, comfortable and in accordance with the values of nature as well as with its own brand values. El Naturalista is present in 45 countries all over the world with has stores in several countries, most recently opening a store in Paris in the symbolic neighborhood of St. Germain des Pr̩s.

Faithful to the spirit of human solidarity with which the brand was launched in 2003, El Naturalista, through its Atauchi Project, has collaborated in numerous social programs in southern countries (Peru, Haiti and Tanzania), and more recently in Japan after the March 2011 earthquake. During this time El Naturalista has donated more than 215,000.00 Euros and 9,000 pairs of shoes. With the 1st El Naturalista Award, our brand tries to expand our humanitarian commitment to the northern countries where our company is present.

Information about El Naturalista and its products can be found at www.elnaturalista.com. El Naturalista is distributed in the U.S. by the Ralph Libonati Co. Phone: (800) 437-2526, Email: info@ libonatico.com.