First U.S. Mutual Fund to Use Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World)

NEW YORK, December 18, 2008 — The Dreyfus Corporation, part of BNY Mellon Asset Management, today announced the introduction of the Dreyfus Global Sustainability Fund. It will be the first mutual fund offered in the United States that uses an investable universe that includes companies comprising the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World). The fund will seek capital growth by primarily investing in stocks of companies that have sustainable operating practices and/or produce sustainable products or services.

"The Bank of New York Mellon is committed to sustainability and the introduction of Dreyfus' first global sustainability fund is testament to our philosophy that you can do well by doing good," said Phil Maisano, Vice Chair and Chief Investment Officer for Dreyfus and Chief Investment Strategist for BNY Mellon Asset Management. "In terms of investment opportunities, we expect over the next several years a substantial governmental commitment to invest in the environment. The new Dreyfus Global Sustainability Fund is well positioned to capitalize on this growth area."

"The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes were the first global benchmarks to capture the performance of companies that exhibit the highest commitment to integrating corporate sustainability principles in their business operations or practices," said Michael A. Petronella, president, Dow Jones Indexes. "Both Dow Jones Indexes and SAM are enthusiastic in our efforts to provide the most objective and reliable family of sustainability indexes available. We do this by adhering to a transparent and rules-based approach and by applying quality sustainability criteria."

Sustainable Practices

Corporate sustainability is defined by the DJSI World as a business approach that seeks to create long-term shareholder value by taking advantage of opportunities and managing risks created by economic, environmental and social developments. Companies that maintain sustainable operating practices are those, for example, that use the best industry practices in their operations, provide leadership in an industry, offer the highest levels of transparency of operations and/or demand accountability of vendors, suppliers and customers. Companies that produce sustainable products or services are those, for example, that provide services to improve energy efficiency, produce products to meet the highest levels of efficiency and/or provide technologies to improve environmental performance.

Investment Criteria

In addition to having to pass the fund's sustainability criteria, any potential investment must also pass certain investment criteria applied by the fund's sub-advisor, Mellon Capital Management Corporation, an investment boutique within BNY Mellon Asset Management specializing in global and U.S. quantitative investment strategies.

The fund's portfolio managers use a proprietary model to rank stocks within geographic regions, countries and economic sectors based on several characteristics, including: value, or how a stock is priced relative to its perceived intrinsic value; growth, in this case the sustainability or growth of earnings; and financial profile, which measures the financial health of a company. Mellon Capital's investment process is designed to provide investors with investment exposure to region, country, sector and industry characteristics generally similar to the DJSI World.

Investing with Dreyfus

The fund is available primarily through financial advisers, broker-dealers and other third-party financial intermediaries. It invests in companies that not only meet traditional investment standards, but also conduct business in a manner that is believed to contribute to a better quality of life. The fund has a minimum initial investment requirement of $1,000 for regular accounts and $750 for individual retirement accounts.

Investors should consider the fees, charges, expenses and risks associated with an investment in Dreyfus Global Sustainability Fund carefully before investing. Investors should contact their financial advisors or call 1-800-621-5291 to obtain a prospectus which contains this and other information about the fund, and should read the prospectus carefully before investing.

The Dreyfus Corporation, established in 1951 and headquartered in New York City, is one of the nation's leading asset management and distribution companies, currently managing more than $300 billion in mutual funds and separately managed accounts. Dreyfus is part of BNY Mellon Asset Management, a leading global provider of investment management products and services that offers a broad range of equity, fixed-income, hedge and liquidity management products through individual asset management companies and multiple distribution channels.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 34 countries and serving more than 100 markets. The company is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high net-worth individuals, providing superior asset management and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, clearing services and treasury services through worldwide client-focused team. It has $22.4 trillion in assets under custody and administration, approximately $1.0 trillion in assets under management and services approximately $12 trillion in outstanding debt. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com.

Equity funds are subject generally to market, market sector, market liquidity, issuer and investment style risks, among other factors, to varying degrees, all of which are more fully described in the fund's prospectus.

Investing internationally involved special risks, including changes in currency exchange rates, political, economic and social instability, a lack of comprehensive company information, differing auditing and legal standards and less market liquidity.

The fund's concentration in companies that meet the sustainability criteria can limit the fund's investment opportunities and, potentially, its total return potential relative to funds with a broader investment universe.