In nationwide online poll, minority-owned business owners vote Aflac as a top 50 company providing best multicultural business opportunities.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Jan 19, 2007 – Business opportunities and training initiatives offered through Aflac's supplier diversity program have earned the insurer a top 50 - spot among the best corporations in the nation contracting with minority entrepreneurs.  The Seventh Annual Div50 list produced by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's leading multicultural business-to-business online Web site, recognized Aflac as a leader among corporate and organizational buyers of diversity products and services providing the best and most business for women- and minority-owned companies.

Over 500,000 minority entrepreneurs in the country participated in an online survey on DiversityBusiness.com to rate the top companies. The voting business owners based their decisions on such factors as the volume, consistency and quality of business opportunities granted to women- and minority-owned companies.

“As a part of our overall diversity initiatives at Aflac, we continually strive to educate and provide business opportunities to minority-owned companies to help them grow their business,” said Brenda Mullins, second vice president, Human Resources and Diversity Officer at Aflac. “Being selected as a part of the Div50 list serves as affirmation that our supplier diversity program has made an impact.”  

Over the past three years, Aflac has significantly increased spending on its supplier diversity program to include advances in educational training for minority vendors offering courses on techniques for procuring contracts and the use of technology to expand business operations.  In May 2006, the company launched its AflacSB program, an online resource for small companies offering tips for attracting and retaining employees while growing their business.  More recently, Aflac unveiled plans to recognize Hispanic entrepreneurs in an alliance with the Latino Coalition. The Aflac Civic Award for Hispanic Business Leaders will honor Hispanic business owners for their community service.   

“Those organizations that buy the most products and services, most consistently, from diversity businesses, and that sustain the most mutually beneficial business relationships with their multicultural suppliers, should be recognized not only by the business owners but also by the general public,” said Kenton Clarke, CEO of DiversityBusiness.com.

The winning companies will be honored at a special awards ceremony at DiversityBusiness.com's Seventh Annual Multicultural Business Conference, taking place April 11 - 13, 2007 at the Mirage in Las Vegas.   A complete list of the winners is available at: www.diversitybusiness.com.

About Aflac
For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan.  Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for six consecutive years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for nine consecutive years. Aflac has also been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

About DiversityBusiness.com
Launched in 1999, DiversityBusiness.com has over 32,000 members and is the largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges and universities. The site has gained national recognition and has won numerous awards for its content and design. It is a membership-based exchange platform that facilitates contacts and communication, streamlines business processes and provides vital business news and information.

Media Contacts:                                                                 
Mechell Clark                             Yolonda King                                       
Aflac Incorporated                     Aflac Incorporated                                                                                
(706) 243-8004   Voice                (706) 243-8547 Voice                
(706) 320-2288 Fax                    (706) 320-2288 Fax                               

meclark@aflac.com                   yking@aflac.com