Author: Serkan Tilgen

Türkiye will host COP31!

We extend our sincere congratulations to Türkiye on being selected to host COP31 next year.

EYDK Chair and GSG Impact Trustee Şafak Müderrisgil and EYDK General Secretary Tuğçe Söğüt met with Prof. Halil Hasar, Director at Climate Change Presidency of Türkiye, to exchange early insights and explore potential areas of collaboration in the lead-up to COP31.

During the meeting, valuable perspectives were exchanged on how EYDK can contribute to key agendas such as climate finance, impact investing and multi-stakeholder partnerships. Prof. Halil Hasar’s visionary approach provided an inspiring framework for the preparation phase ahead.

EYDK remains committed to contributing constructively as Türkiye advances its climate diplomacy efforts toward COP31. 🌍✨

Under the KGK–EYDK cooperation protocol, we are jointly strengthening the visibility of TSRS as a best practice both nationally and internationally. This was also one of the key topics at our latest Members’ Meeting.

During the session “Sustainability Reporting in Türkiye: Current Landscape” KGK Head of Sustainability Standards Department Gülşah Günay joined us to share valuable insights. She highlighted that Türkiye, by mandating sustainability reporting, has now positioned itself among the global frontrunners, and that the upcoming steps planned for the next phase will further reinforce Türkiye’s leadership in this area.

EYDK Chair and GSG Impact Trustee Şafak Müderrisgil also noted that GSG Impact is closely following Türkiye’s progress and that TSRS is increasingly being recognized.

Witnessing how this national transformation is resonating globally has been a significant source of motivation for the ecosystem as we look ahead to 2026.

🌿 Impact Campus Training Week began on 10 November 2025 under the theme “Innovation, Sustainability, and Inclusion in Higher Education.” Organized in collaboration with ETKİM MEB and ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, and supported by the EIT Higher Education Initiative, this 5 days program brought together more than 50 participants from universities across Eastern Europe.

Tuğçe Söğüt, EYDK Secretary General, took part as a speaker in the session titled “Green Transition Competences” held on the second day of the international training program.

In her presentation, she drew a comprehensive framework from global climate agreements to the rise of the impact economy, highlighting impact investing as one of the core competences of the green transition.

She emphasized that increasing young people’s awareness of impact investing will empower them to become the leaders of a sustainable future — because the future starts with “impact”. 💫

Learn more: https://eit-hei.eu/projects/tech2x/

🌱Creating Impact While Managing Risks

EYDK Chair and GSG Impact Trustee Şafak Müderrisgil, joined the “AON Türkiye 30th Anniversary Risk Summit”, hosted by AON Türkiye — a member of EYDK, as a speaker in the session titled “Impact Investing and Risk Management on the Path to Sustainability.”

The session was moderated by Serdar Turan, Chief Editor of Harvard Business Review Türkiye.

Her remarks emphasized the importance of impact measurement and management in risk management, highlighting that anticipating risks and adapting operations accordingly are key to sustainable success. 

We thank AON Türkiye for organizing this insightful event that contributes to the growth of the impact investing ecosystem.

⚙️ Capital Markets are Evolving with Impact investing.

At the 9th Turkish Capital Markets Summit, during the panel titled “The Contribution of Impact Investing to Sustainability Goals” held on 5 November 2025, EYDK Chair and GSG Impact Trustee Şafak Müderrisgil shared her insights on the growing role of impact investments within sustainable finance on 5 November 2025.

The panel was moderated by Hakan Güldağ, Chair of Nasıl Bir Ekonomi Medya A.Ş., and featured, alongside Şafak Müderrisgil,  Prof. Dr. Güler Aras, Founding Chair of ERTA,  İbrahim H. Öztop, CEO and Board Member of the TKYB.

The discussion emphasized the importance of a shared vision and impact-driven finance in effectively mobilizing capital towards achieving the SDGs.

We extend our thanks to the Turkish Capital Markets Association (TSPB) for hosting this valuable gathering.

On 14–15 October, hosted by Bahçeşehir University, with the partnership of Etkiyap and the valuable contribution of Etkiyap Chief Impact Officer Ceyda Özgün, our members embarked on an impact-focused learning journey.

The training is designed to enhance the skills of our members, representing various sectors, in measuring and managing environmental and social impacts; and to support the integration of the SDG Impact Standards into their organizational processes, making their business models more sustainable.

We extend our thanks to Ceyda Özgün for her contribution, to Etkiyap for the collaboration, and to Bahçeşehir University for hosting us!

As part of the Zonguldak–France Cooperation Workshop, an important panel was held highlighting the role of sports in social and economic transformation. Sport was addressed not only as a physical activity but also as a powerful impact tool that enhances social inclusion, supports youth employment, empowers women, and accelerates local development.

On 14 October, the panel titled “The Transformative Power of Sports: Tennis, Local Development and Social Impact”, was moderated by Tuğçe Söğüt, Secretary General of EYDK. During the session, Şafak Müderrisgil, Chair of EYDK and President of the Turkish Tennis Federation, underlined that tennis is not only a sport but also a catalyst for social inclusion and regional development through an impact investing perspective.

The session also discussed the planned Tennis Village and Academy in Zonguldak, envisioned not merely as a sports facility but as part of the region’s broader transformation. It was emphasized that by fostering public–private cooperation, impact-oriented models can be developed and sports can play a key role in strengthening social cohesion and generating lasting social impact.

To contribute to the advancement of impact investing in Türkiye’s banking sector, we organized an exclusive “Impact Investing Introductory Session” in collaboration with İşbank.

Tailored specifically for the bank’s executives, the program explored the conceptual foundations of impact investing, innovative financial models,  global trends, and the strategic role of the banking industry in channeling capital towards social and environmental value creation.

In their opening remarks, Hakan Aran, CEO of İşbank, Özgür Temel, CEO of Maxis, and Şafak Müderrisgil, Chair of EYDK and Trustee of GSG Impact, shared key insights on the transformative role of finance in driving positive change.

This was followed by a comprehensive presentation from Tuğçe Söğüt, Secretary General of EYDK, and Ceyda Özgün, Chief Impact Officer of Etkiyap, who discussed the evolution of the impact investing ecosystem globally and nationally — highlighting the transformation of the concept of “value” and examining in depth how institutions can measure, manage, and integrate impact into their decision-making processes.

One of the highlights of the program was the “Global Perspective: A New Era in Impact Investing” fireside chat, featuring Şafak Müderrisgil, EYDK Chair & GSG Impact Trustee, and Rt Hon Nick Hurd, Chair of GSG Impact and ITF.

We extend our gratitude to İşbank for hosting this session, to our distinguished speakers for their contributions, and to all executives for their active participation.