The UN Global Compact Turkey brought together leading business representatives for the Aegean Region Meeting in Izmir, hosted by ESİAD and in collaboration with KalDer Izmir and TAİDER. The panel, titled “Leaders’ Sustainability Agenda,” discussed the areas where the business world needs to take bold steps, focusing on global developments, regulations, and best practices demonstrating companies’ capacity to create systemic transformation.
At the UN Global Compact Turkey Aegean Region Meeting, the sustainability agenda and the role of companies were discussed, focusing on topics that shape the future of business, such as European Union (EU) regulations, human rights, equality, just transition, and the 2030 perspective. At the meeting, hosted by ESİAD and in collaboration with KalDer İzmir and TAİDER, participants were informed that applications for the Business and Human Rights Experience Sharing Group for the Aegean Region were now open.
Leaders’ Sustainability Agenda: Strategies Shaping the Future
In the event’s opening session, titled “Leaders’ Sustainability Agenda: Strategies Shaping the Future,” UN Global Compact Turkey Chairman Ahmet Dördüncü, ESİAD Chairman Sibel Zorlu, TAİDER Chairman Gülfem Yorgancılar, and KalDer İzmir Vice Chairman Dr. Özlem Ecemiş discussed the areas in which the business world should take bold steps in the coming period with a 2030 perspective and the role of social sustainability in leadership’s vision. Moderated by UN Global Compact Turkey Secretary General Melda Çele, the panel discussed the impact of the 2030 pandemic on the areas in which the business world needs to take bold steps in the coming period.
The panel discussed how EU regulations, global developments, and developments in Turkey are shaping companies’ sustainability agendas, and shared best practices that provide insights into companies’ transformation capacities. Ahmet Dördüncü, speaking at the panel, emphasized that today’s business leaders are taking on a broader leadership responsibility, given the changing requirements, obligations, and societal expectations. He stated:
From the climate crisis to a just transition, from equality to human rights, business leaders in every field now bear responsibility not only for their own companies but also for the future of society. In this era of deepening inequalities, increasing human rights violations, and increasing access to even the most basic services, those responsible and influential cannot afford to shirk their responsibilities. More than 90% of the targets within the Sustainable Development Goals align with human rights obligations. This means that every step taken towards the SDGs also represents progress in human rights. In short, sustainable development and human rights are not mutually exclusive; they are two sides of the same coin. The biggest challenge for leaders today is to make data-driven, fair, inclusive, and courageous decisions in this multi-crisis environment, with an eye on the future.
ESİAD Board Chair Sibel Zorlu stated that the mark companies leave on society and nature, as well as their balance sheets, have become a part of their success, saying, “From the climate crisis to the fragility of supply chains, from social injustice to financial volatility, all developments give us the same message: There is no progress without transformation.”
Gülfem Yorgancılar, Chair of the Board of Directors of TAIDER, said, “Sustainability in family businesses occurs when one generation passes on not only the company but also the sense of responsibility, values, and culture to the next. In other words, it’s much deeper than simply ‘keeping the business going’; it’s a cultural transfer that secures the future.”
Dr. Özlem Ecemiş, Vice President of the Board of Directors of the KalDer Izmir Branch, emphasized that sustainability should not only be an environmental or financial goal in the journey of corporate excellence, but also a leadership style that manages social impact. She said, “Quality is no longer just an indicator of processes but also of the conscience of institutions.”
A Business and Human Rights Experience Sharing Group Begins in the Aegean Region
Following the panel, Sevda Alkan, Social Sustainability Manager at UN Global Compact Turkey, presented on companies’ responsibilities in the field of human rights. She also provided information about the Business and Human Rights Experience Sharing Group, which allows companies to share their experiences in this area, learn from best practices, and develop joint collaborations. She also announced that applications are now open for the Aegean Region. The experience sharing group, open to applications from members of UN Global Compact Turkey, ESİAD, TAİDER, and KalDer Izmir, will provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the practices and challenges faced by other companies, develop solutions, and gain knowledge and insight into their human rights journeys through meetings facilitated by expert facilitators.
The program concluded after the networking session, which brought participants together to develop new collaborations and evaluate partnership opportunities.