Tuğçe Söğüt, Secretary General of the Impact Investing Advisory Board, Türkiye, participated as a speaker at the “Impact Investment and Recognition of the Concept of Impact Investment in Türkiye” event hosted by The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) Ankara Young Entrepreneurs Council on February 29, 2024.

The event, hosted at the Ankara Chamber of Industry, commenced with opening remarks from Aykut Altıntaş, Chairman of the Green Transformation and Sustainability Working Group of TOBB Ankara Young Entrepreneurs Council and Hakan Tarhan, President of the Executive Board. The keynote address by EYDK Secretary General Tuğçe Söğüt focused on the pivotal role and significance of Impact Investing in Türkiye, highlighting both national and international developments within the ecosystem.

The event, continued with active participation of aspiring young entrepreneurs, encouraged discussions on the core principles of impact investing. Furthermore, it explored innovative initiatives and regulatory frameworks in Türkiye concerning impact measurement and management.

An important step was taken to strengthen cooperation between the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) and the Public Oversight, Accounting and Auditing Standards Authority (KGK).

During a courtesy visit by the EYDK Board Members to Dr Hasan ÖZÇELİK, the President of KGK, substantial advancements achieved by Türkiye in sustainability standards, mandatory sustainability reporting, and sustainability assurance contracts were deliberated, and opportunities for collaboration were explored.

As part of the visit following KGK’s endorsement of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Standards and their integration into Turkish legislation, a cooperation protocol was signed to increase awareness on impact measurement, management, and reporting at the national level and to promote the implementation of international standards in Türkiye.

The signed protocol aims to promote the adoption of national and international best practices and to elevate standards in impact measurement, management, and reporting at the national level.

The SDG Impact Standards Training, organised by EYDK with the training partnership of Etkiyap and given as a prerequisite for EYDK membership, hosted by Sabancı ARF, was given by Ceyda Özgün, Etkiyap Chief Impact Officer, and Melek De-Wint, Etkiyap Board Member.

The training was held for three days with the participation of representatives from the Republic of Türkiye Investment Office, Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye, Bahçeşehir University, Garanti BBVA, Impact Hub Istanbul, idacapital, Kale Group, Limak, MAXİS, MLPCare, Sabancı ARF, Sachi Consultancy, Türkiye Emlak Katılım Bankası, Participation Banks Association of Türkiye.

“EYDK Discovers Circular Economy and Waste Management”

Impact investment opportunities in Circular Economy and Waste Management were discussed at the EYDK seminar.   

The national board of impact investing, EYDK, which focuses on generating financial returns by creating positive social and environmental impact, brought the private sector and academia together to discuss opportunities offered by the transition to a circular economy and effective waste management. The seminar was organised online by the Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK) on October 24^th and started with the introduction of opportunities listed in the Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption area of the SDG Investments platform Turkiye, which was implemented with the strategic cooperation of EYDK and UNDP.

Press Bulletin 

The second event of the Sustainable Future Talks with Entrepreneurs series took place.

The second event of the Sustainable Future Talks with Entrepreneurs series, organised by the Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK), aiming to make the voice of impact-oriented initiatives heard and to listen to their journeys, was held at Bahçeşehir University Future Campus with the title of “Creating Impact Value Proposition” under the sponsorship of Etkiyap. At the event, developments in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, impact measurement and management, positive impact-oriented funds and SDG approaches in entrepreneurship were discussed.

Experts, fund managers and many innovative and solution-oriented entrepreneurs attended the event that was held on Wednesday, September 21 at 10:00 at Bahçeşehir University Future Campus. The event was held to highlight the impact potential of entrepreneurs and help them integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approaches to their initiatives. During the event, a platform was created where stakeholders could establish new collaborations and share their ideas within the framework of impact ecosystem, impact measurement and management, positive impact-oriented funds and SDG approaches in entrepreneurship.

Press release 

 New digital platform promotes investments
for people and planet in Turkey

Launched with UNDP support, “SDG Investments Turkey” shows investors how to ensure their funds contribute to sustainable development

Istanbul, 3 February 2022 – A new digital platform launched today will guide investors to initiatives in Turkey that deliver measurable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and created by the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK), “SDG Investments Turkey,” aims to mobilize private sector funds for impact investments aimed at protecting people and planet. Designed as a one-stop-shop for investors, entrepreneurs and funders, the new platform provides unified standards, tools, services and best practices to identify SDG investment opportunities in Turkey.

“Without the engagement of the private sector, we stand no chance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” said UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Louisa Vinton. “That is why we are so pleased to be launching this new platform, which will provide guideposts for investors looking to help to protect our planet and people’s wellbeing while securing a good return.”

“The private sector plays an important role in achieving the sustainable development agenda in Turkey” said Şafak Müderrisgil, President of EYDK”. “The SDG Investments Turkey Platform will provide investors with investment opportunities based on impact data and standards, share audited success stories, and raise awareness on SDG-aligned impact investments. We believe that this platform, which aims to mobilize private sector, will also shed light on the importance of impact measurement and management, and will be a reference point for raising awareness against impact washing. We will see that SDG-anchored impact investment will be incrementally increasing and more success stories will be created through this platform.”

“SDG Investment Turkey” showcases promising areas for SDG-centered investment in Turkey and lists specific investments with high SDG impact. Prospective investors will find investment-related information on regions, sectors, expected impact, indicative return, market timeframe, investment timeframe and ticket size. Among the sectors profiled are: consumer goods, education, mineral processing, finance, food and beverages, healthcare, infrastructure, renewable resources, resource transformation, services, transportation, technology and communications.

The investment opportunity areas and SDG investment list were developed in line with the SDG Investor Map for Turkey, which was created by UNDP Turkey with technical assistance from UNDP’s Istanbul International Center for the Private Sector in Development (IICPSD).

The platform also features stories of successful SDG impact investments in Turkey and contains a knowledge repository on impact investing that includes extensive training materials available free of charge. The training content in the platform is created in cooperation with IICPSD.

The target audience for the platform includes investors that wish to invest capital to achieve the SDGs, foundations that would like to measure the impact towards SDGs, private capital funds, bond issuers and enterprises that wish to adapt their internal decision-making mechanisms with SDGs to verify contributions and obtain independent assurance.

The platform is also expected to benefit academicians who would like to receive impact management and measurement training to improve the decision framework for SDG impact standards, consulting companies that wish to act as accredited independent assurance providers, development financing institutions that aim to find partners to support local investment opportunities or SDG-related projects, and public institutions that wish to attract private investment to their countries to help development of their societies.

EYDK was founded to develop an impact investing model and create a well-functioning impact investing ecosystem in Turkey. With UNDP as a partner, EYDK aims to bring together all stakeholders to make impact investing a mainstream investment model in Turkey.

To access the SDG Investments Turkey platform: https://sdg.eydk.org/

For more information:

Sezin Bulum (Ms.), Marjinal Porter Novelli +90 533 282 2970  sezinb@marjinal.com.tr

Bahar Paykoç, UNDP Turkey, bahar.paykoc@undp.org

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. tr.undp.org

EYDK

Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) aims to facilitate the development of impact investments and establish a well-functioning ecosystem in Turkey, and has a vision to make the impact investment model a widespread, sustainable and inclusive investment option in Turkey. https://www.eydk.org/about-eydk/

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More resources: About Us | UNDP Turkey News | Publications | All Projects

“Unity is Strength” Report announced:
EYDK’s 2022 action plan has been drawn up

The report titled “Unity is Strength” was prepared in line with the outputs of the Search Conference held on October 20, 2021 by the Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK) with the support of YASED and PwC.
EYDK Secretary General Onur İlhan stated in the report that in addition to the European Green Deal, women’s empowerment and the livelihood opportunities for refugees, green cities and participation finance also stand out as strategic themes.

Having been announced in an online event held on January 26, the report set forth the focus areas and themes of EYDK which is positioned as the national supreme board in impact investments that aim to provide financial returns by creating a positive, measurable social and environmental impact and reach the level of 2,3 trillion dollars on a global scale. Within the scope of these findings, the mission and duties of the EYDK working groups were conveyed.

At the online search conference organized by the Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK) with the support of YASED and PwC on October 20, thirty one leading speakers shared their views in four thematic sessions. As a result of the opinions, the roles of EYDK were confirmed as raising awareness and developing a common language, supporting the establishment of a national impact ecosystem, supporting and guiding policy dialogue and national goals, establishing strong partnerships with local and global business and knowledge networks, and ensuring the development of national impact measurement and management capacity.

Expected perspectives from EYDK

Additional perspectives that EYDK is expected to have in a way that will reinforce its existing perspectives of capacity building, awareness raising, establishing impact partnerships, supporting the national ecosystem and policy makers are stated to be as follows: assuming an active, central and guiding position in policy dialogue, supporting impact entrepreneurs and impact funds, and carrying out more comprehensive studies in the field of impact measurement and management for sustainable impact capital flow.

In addition to the existing European Green Deal, women’s empowerment and livelihood opportunities for refugees, EYDK was requested to take an active role in green cities and finance themes and develop collaborations and projects within the scope of Istanbul Financial Centre.

In the context of the demands, EYDK’s focus groups, job descriptions and 2022 action plan proposals were announced in the report. The focus groups are as follows: Impact Partnerships Focus Group, Sustainable Development and Policy Focus Group, Capacity Building Focus Group, Corporate Communication Focus Group.

The first meeting of the focus groups is in February.

EYDK Secretary General Onur İlhan: “The descriptions of main roles of EYDK in the search conference were finalized as raising awareness, strengthening the impact economy by supporting all stakeholders, supporting the creation of human resources, establishing local and global partnerships and actively managing policy dialogue. In addition to the European Green Deal, women’s empowerment and  livelihood opportunities for refugees, green cities and participation finance also emerged as strategic themes. Our four focus groups, which will assume these roles and themes and produce results, will hold their first meeting in February.”

“The report will guide the development of impact investing”

YASED Secretary General Serkan Valandova stated: “As YASED, we follow our sustainability and ESG agenda through the work we carry out with all our valuable members and stakeholders within the scope of our Sustainable Development Platform. One of the most important goals of our platform is to increase impact investments in order to make faster and more concrete progress towards sustainable development goals. As the most important organization serving this purpose, we are aware of the critical importance of the mission undertaken by EYDK, and therefore, we aim to contribute to the healthy development of our country’s impact investing ecosystem and to the spread of impact investments by actively participating in the EYDK. We are confident that it will successfully guide our joint efforts to develop the We would like to point out.”

“The development of impact investments depends on the growth of the impact ecosystem”

Akif Koca, PwC Government and Public Services Advisory Leader, said: “Impact investing provides an important opportunity for private equity to bring innovative solutions to socioeconomic problems. As sustainable models that provide financial and social benefits together increase, the interest in this field grows with it. Further development of impact investments will depend on the growth of the impact ecosystem and the dissemination of successful models.”