The Principal Financial Group Earns Nod from Working Mother for the Seventh Year

The Principal(R) received special recognition by the publication in 2008 for the addition of The Principal Child Development Center, an onsite early learning and childcare service provider exclusively available to employees of the company. The facility opened the summer of 2008 and is Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified, in recognition of nationally accepted benchmarks for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Also noted was the company's Working Caregiver Leave program, which allows employees to return to their job on a part-time schedule with full time benefits for 12 weeks while caring for a new baby. The program can also be used by employees caring for a loved one, including a spouse or aging parent. The leave allows additional time away from work after Family Medical Leave is exhausted or for those employees who aren't eligible for medical leave.

"We are delighted to once again be recognized by Working Mother for being a great place to work," said Ralph Eucher, senior vice president, Human Resources at The Principal. "The Principal recognizes that offering a strong work-life balance helps maintain a highly motivated and creative workforce. We view such programs as an investment in our people as they pursue personal fulfillment and professional development."

Methodology

The Principal Financial Group was selected for the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 500 questions. The application included detailed questions about workforce, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also checked the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: workforce profile, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs, and company culture. For this year's 100 Best, particular weight was given to family-friendly policies, flexibility, leave policies and benefits for part-timers.

A complete list of the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found at www.workingmother.com.

About Working Mother Media

Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Working Mother Media includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women's Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion culture change. For more information, please visit www.workingmother.com.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group(R) (The Principal(R))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 banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $308.0 billion in assets under management2 and serves some 19.0 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.

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 As of June 30, 2008

SOURCE: Principal Financial Group

Principal Financial Group Rhonda Clark-Leyda, 515-247-6634 clark-leyda.rhonda@principal.com or Joelle Kline, 515-246-4907 kline.joelle@principal.com