The Principal Financial Group Leads Nation's Employers, Employee Benefit Providers in Offering Workplace Wellness

Business Wire, May 11, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Principal Financial Group([R])tops the list of employers - and employee benefit providers - recognized for efforts to promote a healthy work environment and encourage workers to live healthier lifestyles. Of the more than three dozen companies honored in the third annual "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" awards, The Principal([R])is one of only eleven companies recognized with a Platinum award. This is the highest designation for established programs with measurable success and documented outcomes. The National Business Group on Health presents the awards.

"The Principal is proud to be included on a list of such innovative employers. We want our employees to have the opportunity to live their best life both at work and at home. The variety of health and wellness benefits we offer helps our employees to make their personal well-being a priority," said Jim DeVries, senior vice president of Human Resources at The Principal.

The Principal was noted for the comprehensive health benefits and amenities offered to its more than 13,000 U.S.-based employees. This includes free annual health screenings administered by Principal Wellness Company, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, an on-site pharmacy and numerous other health related programs.

The Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards acknowledge and reward those employers that have responded to the urgent need to improve their workers' health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action.

About the National Business Group on Health

The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit, membership organization of large employers, including 66 Fortune 100 companies, devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org.

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 and national network of financial professionals. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $270.1 billion in assets under management2and serves some 17.6 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 March 31, 2007