Exhibit 1.1

Stericycle, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

7,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each representing a 1/10th Interest in a

Share of 5.25% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(liquidation preference of $1,000 per share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: September 9, 2015

Stericycle, Inc.

(a Delaware corporation)

7,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each representing a 1/10th Interest in a

Share of 5.25% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(liquidation preference of $1,000 per share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

September 9, 2015

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                               INCORPORATED

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Ave

New York, New York 10179

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Stericycle, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“J.P. Morgan”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of depositary shares, each representing a 1/10th interest in a share of its 5.25% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share, with an liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company set forth in Schedule A hereto (the “Initial Securities”) and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 700,000 additional depositary shares, each representing a 1/10th interest in a share of its Preferred Stock, of the Company, to cover over-allotments (the “Option Securities”). The aforesaid Initial Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters,

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severally and not jointly, and all or any part of the Option Securities subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.” The Preferred Stock will be convertible into a variable number of shares of Common Stock (the “Conversion Shares”), par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that up to 2% of the Initial Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters (the “Reserved Securities”) shall be reserved for sale by Merrill Lynch to certain persons designated by the Company (the “Invitees”), as part of the distribution of the Securities by Merrill Lynch, subject to the terms of this Agreement, the applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and all other applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Company has solely determined, without any direct or indirect participation by the Underwriters, the Invitees who will purchase Reserved Securities (including the amount to be purchased by such persons) sold by Merrill Lynch. To the extent that such Reserved Securities are not orally confirmed for purchase by Invitees by 8:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the first business day after the date of this Agreement, such Reserved Securities may be offered to the public as part of the public offering contemplated hereby.

The Company has entered into that Securities Purchase Agreement, dated July 15, 2015 (the “Acquisition Agreement”), with the equity holders of Shred-it International ULC, an Alberta unlimited liability corporation, Shred-it JV LP, an Ontario limited partnership, Boost GP Corp., an Ontario corporation, and Boost Holdings LP, an Ontario limited partnership (collectively, “Shred-it”) providing for the acquisition of Shred-it by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries (the “Acquisition”).

The Securities will be issued pursuant to a deposit agreement (the “Deposit Agreement”), to be dated as of September 15, 2015 among the Company, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as depositary (the “Depositary”), and owners and beneficial owners from time to time of the Securities. Each Security will initially represent the right to receive a 1/10th interest in a share of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.

The terms of the Preferred Stock will be set forth in a certificate of designations (the “Certificate of Designations”) to be filed by the Company with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended.

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement”, as defined under Rule 405 (“ Rule 405 ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-206814) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities of the Company, including the Securities, under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), and is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the

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Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to the Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus supplement and the base prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus supplement and the base prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act immediately prior to the Applicable Time, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 9:00 P.M., New York City time, on September 9, 2015 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

“General Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus and the most recent preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g), or (iv) the Final Term Sheet (as defined below).

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “ bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in

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the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time.

The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

SECTION 1.     Representations and Warranties .

(a)     Representations and Warranties by the Company . The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter at the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i)     Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents . The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” under Rule 405 that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof, and the Securities have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act or pursuant to §8A of the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations.

(ii)     Accurate Disclosure . Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not

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misleading. At the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such incorporated documents were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any of the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and the information under the heading “Underwriting—Electronic Distribution,” each as set forth in the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii)     Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the Securities Act provided by Rule 163.

(iv)     Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163, and (D) at the Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer”, as defined in Rule 405.

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(v)     Company Not Ineligible Issuer . (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Securities and (C) at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(vi)     Independent Accountants . The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and Shred-it as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and are an independent registered public accounting firm with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(vii)     Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures . The financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; and said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(viii)     Shred-it Financial Statements . The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of Shred-it and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of Shred-it and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; and

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said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with IFRS the information required to be stated therein.

(ix)     No Material Adverse Change in Business . Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) pro forma for the Acquisition, there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect”); provided, that the foregoing representation, insofar as it relates to Shred-it, shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement), (C) there has been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (D) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class or series of its capital stock or, except pursuant to the Company’s share buyback program disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

(x)     Good Standing of the Company . The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and the Certificate of Designations (the “Transaction Documents”), and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xi)     Good Standing of Subsidiaries . Each subsidiary of the Company (on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition) has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or as would not be reasonably expected to result in a Material

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Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of or other equity interests in each subsidiary of the Company on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of or other equity interests in any subsidiary of the Company on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and such other subsidiaries that singly or in the aggregate do not constitute a “significant” subsidiary within the meaning of Regulation S-X. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xi), insofar as they relate to Shred-it, shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xii)     Capitalization . The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

(xiii)     Authorization of Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(xiv)     Authorization of Deposit Agreement . The Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

(xv)     Authorization of Certificate of Designations . The Certificate of Designations has been duly authorized by the Company. The Certificate of Designations sets forth the rights, preferences and priorities of the Preferred Stock, and the holders of the Preferred Stock will have the rights set forth in the Certificate of Designations upon filing with the Secretary of State for the State of Delaware.

(xvi)     Authorization and Description of Securities . The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. Upon deposit of the Preferred Stock in respect of the Securities in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, the Securities, when issued, will be validly

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issued and fully paid and assuming the due execution and delivery by the Depositary of depositary receipts evidencing the Securities, such depositary receipts will be duly and validly issued, and the persons in whose names the Securities are registered will be entitled to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement. The issuance of the Securities is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights of any security holder of the Company. The Securities conform to all statements relating thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder. The persons in whose names the Securities are registered will be entitled to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement.

(xvii)     Authorization of the Preferred Stock . The Preferred Stock, when issued by the Company, may be freely deposited by the Company with the Depositary against issuance of the Securities; the Preferred Stock has been duly authorized by the Company for issuance and deposit, and, when issued and deposited against issuance of the Securities, and upon the filing and effectiveness of the Certificate of Designations, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to all statements relating thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; upon payment of the purchase price for the Securities and deposit of the Preferred Stock against issuance of the Securities in accordance with this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, the Underwriters will receive good, valid and marketable title to the Securities, free and clear of any liens; no holder of the Preferred Stock will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the Preferred Stock is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

(xviii)     Authorization of the Conversion Shares . Upon issuance and deposit of the Preferred Stock against issuance of the Securities in accordance with this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the filing and effectiveness of the Certificate of Designations, the Preferred Stock will be convertible into the Conversion Shares in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Stock and the Certificate of Designations; a number of Conversion Shares (the “Maximum Number of Conversion Shares”) equal to the sum of the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable by the Company upon conversion of the Preferred Stock (including the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable by the Company upon conversion in connection with a fundamental change (as defined in the General Disclosure Package) (including the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable by the Company in respect of any fundamental change dividend make-whole amount and any accumulated dividend amount (in each case, as defined in the General Disclosure Package))) and the maximum number of shares of Common Stock deliverable by the Company in respect of any early conversion additional conversion amount and any additional conversion amount (each as defined in the General Disclosure Package) (assuming the Company elects to issue and deliver the maximum number of shares of Common Stock in connection with any such early conversion additional conversion amount and any such additional conversion amount), in each case, in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Stock and the Certificate of Designations, has been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action and such Conversion Shares, when issued upon such conversion or delivery (as the case may be) in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Stock and the Certificate of Designations will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform to all statements relating thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and will not be subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

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(xix)     Description of the Transaction Documents . The statements in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as they summarize provisions of the Transaction Documents, fairly summarize the applicable provisions of the Transaction Documents.

(xx)     Registration Rights . There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to this Agreement.

(xxi)     Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and deposit of the Preferred Stock with the Depositary against issuance of the Securities and the issuance of a number of Conversion Shares equal to the Maximum Number of Conversion Shares issuable by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designations, and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the (i) charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

(xxii)     Absence of Labor Dispute . No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, in either case which would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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(xxiii)     Absence of Proceedings . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries (on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition), which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets, the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets are the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxiii), insofar as they relate to Shred-it, shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xxiv)     Accuracy of Exhibits . There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xxv)     Absence of Further Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under the Transaction Documents, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder, the issuance and deposit of the Preferred Stock with the Depositary against issuance of the Securities and the issuance of a number of Conversion Shares equal to the Maximum Number of Conversion Shares issuable by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Designations and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange LLC, securities laws of any state or non-U.S. jurisdiction, the rules of FINRA or any law or regulation applicable to filing of the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and (B) such as have been obtained under the laws and regulations of jurisdictions outside the United States in which the Reserved Securities were offered.

(xxvi)     Possession of Licenses and Permits . The Company and its subsidiaries (on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition) possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents, franchises, clearances and other regulatory authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries (on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition) are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such

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Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition) has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxvi), insofar as they relate to Shred-it, shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xxvii)     Title to Property . The Company and its subsidiaries have (i) good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, and (ii) valid, subsisting and enforceable leases for all of the properties and assets, real or personal, leased by them, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions, encumbrances or charges of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxviii)     Possession of Intellectual Property . The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively and together with any applications or registrations for the foregoing, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxix)     Environmental Laws . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or as would not singly or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect or a Pro Forma Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, permit requirement, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment

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(including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes (including medical wastes), toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials, mold or radioactive or biological materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Laws against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws, and (E) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxix) shall be deemed to be made on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition; provided that, insofar as any of such representations relate to Shred-it, such representations shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xxx)     Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls . The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations) and systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

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(xxxi)     Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act . There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

(xxxii)     Payment of Taxes . All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and its subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxiii)     Insurance . The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, all such insurance is in full force and effect and the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(xxxiv)     Investment Company Act . The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

(xxxv)     Absence of Manipulation . Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.

(xxxvi)     Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or any

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other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-bribery laws and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any other applicable anti-bribery laws and have instituted and maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxxvi) shall be deemed to be made on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition; provided that, insofar as any of such representations relate to Shred-it, such representations shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xxxvii)     Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxxvii) shall be deemed to be made on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition; provided that, insofar as any of such representations relate to Shred-it, such representations shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xxxviii)     OFAC . None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The foregoing representations contained in this Section 1(a)(xxxviii) shall be deemed to be made on both an actual and a pro forma basis that gives effect to the Acquisition; provided that, insofar as any of such representations relate to Shred-it, such representations shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

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(xxxix)     Sales of Reserved Securities . In connection with any offer and sale of Reserved Securities outside the United States, each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any prospectus wrapper and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it was delivered to the Invitees, complied and will comply in all material respects with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions. The Company has not offered, or caused Merrill Lynch to offer, Reserved Securities to any person with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company or any of its affiliates to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with any such entity or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any of its affiliates, or their respective businesses or products.

(xl)     Lending Relationships . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (A) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any Underwriter or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (B) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to the Underwriter or affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xli)     Statistical and Market-Related Data . Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xlii)     Acquisition Agreements . The Acquisition Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, and to the knowledge of the Company, the Acquisition Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of the parties thereto, enforceable against such in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by the Enforceability Exceptions; provided that, insofar as any representation contained in this Section (xlii) relates to Shred-it, such representation shall be deemed to be made to the knowledge of the Company based solely on the Company’s review of Shred-it to the date hereof in connection with the Acquisition (it being understood that this representation is not based upon any particular inquiry or investigation undertaken solely in connection with this Agreement).

(xliii)     Pending Acquisitions . The Company expects that the respective transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement will be consummated in all material respects on the terms and by the date and as contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement and the description thereof set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(b)     Officer’s Certificates . Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2.     Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing .

(a)     Initial Securities . On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the several

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Underwriters, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per depositary share set forth in Schedule A, that number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional depositary shares.

(b)     Option Securities . In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 700,000 depositary shares to cover over-allotments, at the price per depositary share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per depositary share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional depositary shares.

(c)     The Closing Time . Payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as the Representatives and the Company shall mutually agree (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company.

Payment for the Securities shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Each of the Representatives, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

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SECTION 3.     Covenants of the Company . The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

(a)     Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests . The Company, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been used or filed, as the case may be, including any document incorporated by reference therein, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).

(b)     Continued Compliance with Securities Laws . The Company will comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, any document incorporated therein by reference, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations,

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the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(c)     Filing or Use of Amendments or Supplements . The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time and will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time, and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(d)     Delivery of Registration Statements . The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e)     Delivery of Prospectuses . The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(f)     Blue Sky Qualifications . The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify or register the Securities, any Conversion Shares issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock, any shares of Common Stock issued and paid as a dividend on the Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon redemption of the Preferred Stock for offering and sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate, and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities, such Conversion Shares and such shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

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(g)     Earnings Statement . The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

(h)     Use of Proceeds . The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(i)     Listing . The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Securities, a number of Conversion Shares equal to the Maximum Number of Conversion Shares, any shares of Common Stock issued and paid as a dividend on the Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon redemption of the Preferred Stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

(j)     Restriction on Sale of Securities . During a period of 60 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, including the Preferred Stock and the Conversion Shares, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (D) any Conversion Shares issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock, (E) any shares of Common Stock issued and paid as a dividend on the Preferred Stock, (F) any shares of Common Stock issued upon redemption of the Preferred Stock, and (G) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(k)     Final Term Sheet . The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”), in the form set forth in Schedule D hereto, reflecting the final terms of the Securities, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 within the time required by such rule.

(l)     Reporting Requirements . The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Securities as may be required under Rule 463 of the Securities Act.

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(m)     Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses . The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representatives will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representatives. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representatives as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(n)     No Manipulation of Price . The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(o)     Deposit of the Preferred Stock . The Company will, prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, deposit the Preferred Stock with the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and otherwise comply with the Deposit Agreement so that the Securities will be issued by the Depositary against receipt of such Preferred Stock and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor at the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

(p)     Reservation of the Conversion Shares . The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive or similar rights, a number of Conversion Shares equal to the Maximum Number of Conversion Shares.

(q)     Conversion Rate of the Preferred Stock . Between the date hereof and the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, the Company will not do or authorize any act or thing that would result in an adjustment of the fixed conversion rates (as defined in the General Disclosure Package) of the Preferred Stock.

SECTION 4.     Payment of Expenses .

(a)     Expenses . The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, and the filing of the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters and

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Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors as well as Shred-it’s accountants, (v) the qualification of the Securities, any Conversion Shares issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock, any shares of Common Stock issued and paid as a dividend on the Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon redemption of the Preferred Stock under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) all fees and expenses of the Depositary, any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, and travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA, of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities, the Conversion Shares, any shares of Common Stock issued and paid as a dividend on the Preferred Stock and any shares of Common Stock issued upon redemption of the Preferred Stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, (x) all costs and expenses of Merrill Lynch, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for Merrill Lynch, in connection with matters related to the Reserved Securities which are designated by the Company for sale to Invitees and (xi) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

(b)     Termination of Agreement . If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Sections 5, 9(a)(i) or (iii), or 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5.     Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein on the date hereof and as of the Closing Time or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a)     Effectiveness of Registration Statement . The Registration Statement has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).

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(b)     Opinion of Counsel for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions, dated the Closing Time, of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further effect as the counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(c)     Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters reasonably requested by the Representatives. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company, its subsidiaries and Shred-it and its subsidiaries, and certificates of public officials.

(d)     Officers’ Certificate . At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

(e)     Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate . At each of the time of execution of this Agreement and the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company a certificate, dated as of the date of this Agreement and the Closing Time, respectively, in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto, relating to the accuracy of certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f)     Accountant’s Comfort Letter for Company . At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, accountants to the Company, a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the Company’s financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g)     Accountant’s Comfort Letter for Shred-it and Cintas . At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, accountants to Shred-it and Cintas Corporation, a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other

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Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(h)     Bring-down Comfort Letter for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(i)     Bring-down Comfort Letter for Shred-it and Cintas . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, accountants to Shred-it and Cintas Corporation, a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(j)     Approval of Listing . At the Closing Time, the Securities and a number of Conversion Shares equal to the Maximum Number of Conversion Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(k)     Lock-up Agreements . At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.

(l)     Certificate of Designations . The Certificate of Designations shall have been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and shall have become effective.

(m)     Maintenance of Rating . Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company and its subsidiaries, by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(n)    At the Closing Time, the Company shall have taken all actions necessary to effect elimination from its charter of all matters set forth in the certificate of designation filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 4, 1999 with respect to the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company.

(o)     Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities . In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

(i)     Officers’ Certificate . A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii)     Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate . A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

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(ii)     Opinion of Counsel for Company . If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(v)     Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(vi)     Bring-down Comfort Letter for Company . If requested by the Representative, a letter from Ernst & Young LLP, accountants to the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(vii)     Bring-down Comfort Letter for Shred-it and Cintas . If requested by the Representative, a letter from Ernst & Young LLP, accountants to Shred-it and Cintas Corporation, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(j) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(p)     Additional Documents . At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(q)     Termination of Agreement . If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, or if the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

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SECTION 6.     Indemnification .

(a)     Indemnification of Underwriters . The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (each, an “Affiliate”)), selling agents, directors, officers and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

(i)    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii)    against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) hereof) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii)    against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b)     Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers . Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 6(a) hereof, as incurred, but only

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with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c)     Actions against Parties; Notification . Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d)     Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse . If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) or settlement of any claim in connection with any violation referred to in Section 6(e) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

(e)     Indemnification for Reserved Securities . In connection with the offer and sale of the Reserved Securities, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Merrill Lynch, its Affiliates and selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any of the foregoing within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Merrill Lynch Parties”), from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending, investigating or settling any such action or claim), as incurred, (i) arising out of the violation of any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Reserved Securities have been offered, (ii) arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any prospectus wrapper or other material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Invitees in connection with the offering of the Reserved Securities or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

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(iii) caused by the failure of any Invitee to pay for and accept delivery of Reserved Securities which have been orally confirmed for purchase by any Invitee by 8:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the first business day after the date of this Agreement or (iv) related to, or arising out of or in connection with, the offering of the Reserved Securities; provided that no indemnification shall be available under this section for any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense which shall have been finally judicially determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Merrill Lynch Parties.

SECTION 7.     Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions, or in connection with any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(e) hereof, which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission or any violation of the nature referred to in Section 6(e) hereof.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

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No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents, directors and officers shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8.     Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive . All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors, any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9.     Termination of Agreement .

(a)     Termination . The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Entity, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(b)     Liabilities . If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10.     Default by One or More of the Underwriters . If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are

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obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(i)    if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii)    if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11.     Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (facsimile: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (facsimile: (212) 230-8730); Goldman, Sachs & Co., 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, attention Registration Department and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (facsimile: 212-270-1063); notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Stericycle, Inc., 28161 North Keith Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 attention of John P. Schetz, Executive Vice President and General Counsel (facsimile: (866) 677-1371).

SECTION 12.     No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship . The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the

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obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13.     Parties . This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons, selling agents, affiliates and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons, selling agents, affiliates and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14.     Trial by Jury . The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 15.     GOVERNING LAW . THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 16.     Consent to Jurisdiction . Each of the parties hereto agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

SECTION 17.     TIME . TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 18.     Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

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SECTION 19.     Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 20.     Partial Unenforceability . The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 21.     Research Analyst Independence . The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company, its subsidiaries and/or the offering of the Securities that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

SECTION 22.     General Provisions . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall not become effective until the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 6 and the contribution provisions of Section 7, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 6 and 7 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

SECTION 23.     Compliance with USA Patriot Act . In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                               INCORPORATED

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

[ Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement ]

SCHEDULE A

The initial public offering price per depositary share for the Securities shall be $100.00.

The purchase price per depositary share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $97.00, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $3.00 per depositary share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.

SCHEDULE B-1

Pricing Terms

1.    The Company is selling 7,000,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/10th interest in a share of Preferred Stock.

2.    The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 700,000 depositary shares, each representing a 1/10th interest in a share of Preferred Stock, to cover over-allotments.

3.    The initial public offering price per depositary share for the Securities shall be $100.00.

SCHEDULE B-2

Free Writing Prospectuses

Final Term Sheet dated September 9, 2015 (Schedule D)

SCHEDULE C

List of Persons and Entities Subject to Lock-up

Charles A. Alutto

Mark C. Miller

Jack W. Schuler

Lynn D. Bleil

Thomas D. Brown

Thomas F. Chen

Rod F. Dammeyer

William K. Hall

John Patience

Mike S. Zafirovski

Daniel V. Ginnetti

Brent Arnold

Michael J. Collins

John P. Schetz

SCHEDULE D

Final Term Sheet

A-1

Exhibit A

FORM OF OPINION OF SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)

A-2

Exhibit B

B-1

Exhibit C

FORM OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE

TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(e)

C-1