NEW YORK, October 15, 2001 - Vivendi Universal is being recognized as one of the '100 Best Companies for Working Mothers' in Working Mother Magazine's 16^th annual report.

'We are especially honored to receive this award this year at a time when the tragic events of September 11^th have brought our communities closer together and further reinforced the precious value we all place on our own families and our community ties. I believe that all of us have become far clearer about what is important in our lives and what values we hold dearest,' said Jean-Marie Messier, Vivendi Universal's Chairman and CEO. 'At Vivendi Universal, we recognize that our most valuable assets are our employees. We firmly believe in offering family- friendly policies and benefits that allow our employees to enjoy an optimal work/life balance and flexibility. Helping employees establish a balance between their career goals and personal lives is a win-win.'

Commenting on the award, John Borgia, Vivendi Universal's Senior Executive Vice President for Human Resources, said: 'We are honored to receive such an important award as it recognizes the responsibility and commitment our company feels toward building a close partnership with our employees and responding directly to their issues and concerns. In a difficult economic environment, we believe our policies will be beneficial both to our employees and our company, helping us attract and retain the finest talent while at the same time providing us with a definite competitive advantage in the marketplace.'

This year, Working Mother's application process specifically focused on how well companies are providing benefits to workers at lower income and job levels. According to Working Mother Editor Sharlene Breakey, the equitable distribution of flexibility and perks is an ongoing challenge for companies. 'We raised the standards this time, evaluating companies on how far benefits reach throughout the ranks of each organization.

And, as always, we took a hard look at the areas of (a) percentage of women in the workforce, (b) child care support, (c) flexibility, (d) leave for new parents, (e) work/life balance and (f) advancement of women,' Breakey said. 'The 2001 list of 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers represents the best of the best.'

Vivendi Universal - Company Description

Media and Communications and Environmental Services: The media and communications business is divided into five business segments: Music, Publishing, TV and Film, Telecoms and Internet. The Music business is conducted though Universal Music Group, which produces, markets and distributes recorded music throughout the world in all major genres. Universal Music Group also manufactures, sells and distributes video products in the United States and internationally, and licenses music copyrights in 63 countries worldwide. The Publishing business is a worldwide content leader in its core markets: education/literature, games, and healthcare information. It provides content across multiple platforms, including print, multimedia, in the wired Internet and to PDAs via WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) technology. The TV and Film business produces and distributes motion picture, television and home video/DVD products worldwide, operates and has ownership interests in a number of cable and pay-TV channels, engages in the licensing of merchandising and film property rights and operates theme parks and retail stores around the world. The Telecoms business provides a broad range of telecommunications services, including mobile and fixed telephony, Internet access and data services and transmission, principally in Europe. The Internet business manages the strategic Internet initiatives and new online ventures for Vivendi Universal. Utilizing advanced digital distribution technology, the Internet business develops e-commerce, e-services and thematic portals that offer access to the Internet via a variety of devices, including mobile phones, PDAs, interactive TV and computers. Vivendi Environnement is a 63-percent effectively owned subsidiary of Vivendi Universal, which operates the environmental services business, with operations around the globe. Vivendi Environnement provides environmental management services, including water treatment and system operation, waste management, energy services and transportation services, to a wide range of public authorities and industrial, commercial and residential customers.

The Company's corporate website is located at http://www.vivendiuniversal.com. The Company's financial website is located at http://finance.vivendiuniversal.com .

Conacts Media Relations:Paris Antoine Lefort 011-33-1-71-71-1180 Alain Delrieu 011-33-1-71-71-1086 New York Anita Larsen 212.572.1118 Mia Carbonell 212.572.7556