Ethisphere Institute Honors Avaya as a Winner of Best Overall Government Contractor Ethics Program Designation for 2008

BASKING RIDGE, NJ--(Marketwire - April 2, 2008) - Avaya, Inc., a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, today announced the company has been listed as one of the recipients of the top rating, "Best Overall Government Contractor Ethics Program," for its ethics and compliance initiatives in the 2008 Government Contractor Ethics Program Ratings by the Ethisphere Institute. The rankings were recently published in Ethisphere Magazine.

Researchers from the Ethisphere Institute analyzed more than 1,000 federal government contractors as part of the 2008 ratings. The ratings take into account new Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules regarding U.S. government contractors' ethics programs, key Federal Sentencing Guidelines "hallmarks" for effective compliance programs and industry best practices. The Institute scored companies based on their ethics programs, which were reviewed through an online questionnaire, along with information voluntarily provided by the participants. Quality assurance of responses was verified through random audit and review.

Avaya ranked seventh among the top ten companies overall, garnering an "excellent" rating that earns the company a place in the "Ethisphere Hall of Fame." Avaya was also listed in second place among the ten best private company ethics programs.

"Avaya places significant value on operating with integrity and ethics, and we ensure all of our employees understand this is a top priority in every interaction and every transaction across our firm," said Jeff Hansen, vice president, Federal Sector, Avaya. "We see this as a form of customer assurance, enabling our customers to know they're doing business with a company that holds itself to the highest standards."

The Institute's rankings were based on an objective analysis of four categories:

--  Code of ethics and business conduct
--  Leadership and tone from the top
--  Internal control systems
--  Ethics training and communication programs
    

"Oftentimes, government contractors are portrayed in a negative light in the news because of a few bad apples' actions," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "While there are some contractors to whom ethics means little, we have found that there are many more who rightfully pride themselves on their ethical business practices." Mr. Brigham added: "In undertaking this exhaustive research and ranking we have found the opportunity to highlight companies that have taken proactive measures to implement the proper controls, culture and programs to communicate company values and prevent unethical behavior. They should be a shining example to others in the industry."

Ethisphere Magazine is a national publication dedicated to illuminating the important correlation between ethics and profit. For a complete listing of the Government Contractors ratings, go to www.ethisphere.com.

About Avaya

Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than one million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®, use Avaya solutions for IP telephony, unified communications, contact centers and communications-enabled business processes. Avaya Global Services provide comprehensive service and support for companies, small to large. For more information, visit the Avaya Web site at http://www.avaya.com.

About The Ethisphere Institute

The Ethisphere Institute, with the support of its keystone partners LexisNexis, the Practising Law Institute, Red Flag Group, the National Association of Corporate Directors, Trace International, the Global Reporting Initiative, Corpedia, and associated membership group, the Ethisphere Council, was founded in 2006. Dedicated to the research, creation, and sharing of best practices in business ethics, compliance, sustainability, and corporate governance and citizenship, the Council is comprised of over 200 institutions and corporations, including Deutsche Telekom, Time Warner, Avaya and Kraft. Ethisphere Magazine is the quarterly publication of the Institute, created to illuminate the important correlation between ethics and profits. The motto of the Institute is "Good. Smart. Business. Profit." and more information on membership can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: Deb Kline Avaya, Inc. 908.953.6179 klined@avaya.com Jennifer Avrhami Ethisphere Magazine 408.941.8497 Jennifer@mindspace.net