Category: Events

🇯🇵 From May 20 to 22, 2025, the city of Kyoto hosted the annual Global Leadership Meeting (GLM) 2025, organized by the GSG Impact JAPAN National Partner.

This inspiring gathering brought together leaders working in the fields of impact investing and the impact economy. In addition to sessions, the event was open to a wider audience on the first day of GLM 2025 through the GSG Impact Conference.

🔹 On May 20, the public GSG Impact Conference served as a platform for sharing the latest global developments in impact investing. Hosted at Ritsumeikan University — one of Japan’s leading institutions in impact investing and entrepreneurship education — the event brought together a diverse audience to explore emerging trends and innovative practices shaping the global impact landscape.

Şafak Müderrisgil, Chair of EYDK, spoke at the conference, highlighting Türkiye’s recent progress in impact investing and emphasizing its potential to serve as a regional bridge connecting the Middle East, Europe, and Central Asia

🔹 On May 21–22, GSG Impact’s National Partners and global stakeholders came together at the historic Kyoto International Conference Center, where the Kyoto Protocol was signed, to shape their shared vision and strengthen regional collaboration. 

On May 21, during the session titled “What’s Next for OBF: From SIBs to Impact-Linked Loans and Beyond”, Tuğçe Söğüt, Secretary General of EYDK, presented Türkiye’s experience in launching its first Social Impact Bond. She reflected on the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned from outcomes-based finance models in a local context.

Over the course of three days, more than 150 participants from over 50 countries engaged in meaningful dialogue around emerging global trends and localized initiatives Throughout the conference, participants exchanged success stories, innovative models, and real-life lessons — creating a valuable space for learning and connection within the impact ecosystem.

As the GSG Impact National Partner for Türkiye since 2022, we were proud to share our country’s journey, experiences, and regional vision for advancing impact investing.

GLM 2025 once again reminded us: growing the impact ecosystem requires more than capital — it demands collective learning, collaboration, and strong global networks.

Hosted by GSG Impact Japan National Partner, the Global Leadership Meeting (GLM) 2025—one of the world’s leading summits in the field of impact investing—kicked off in Kyoto, Japan.

Şafak Müderrisgil, Chair of EYDK and Trustee of GSG Impact, joined the opening plenary session titled “United for the Impact Economy: Voices from Around the World” as a speaker.

In her remarks, she spotlighted recent developments in Türkiye’s impact investment ecosystem, including pioneering initiatives and efforts to align with global standards. In the “vision for the future”, she underlined the importance of impact-driven public policies, innovative financial tools, and stronger regional collaboration to drive meaningful change.

She emphasized EYDK’s role within the global GSG Impact network and Türkiye’s growing potential to act as a regional bridge for impact investing between the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia.

As part of our project “Empowering Disabled Women and Girls through Sports and Livelihood Opportunities,” we successfully organised the “Overcoming Barriers Workshop” in collaboration with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality (GBB) and the GBB Engelsiz Yaşam Merkezi.

The workshop, which began with opening speeches, brought together 77 participants, primarily academics.

Six thematic committees were formed to address key issues:

• Challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and their families
• Social, cultural, employment, and sports opportunities for women with disabilities
• Education, rehabilitation, and support mechanisms for children with disabilities
• Social security, in-kind, and financial assistance for people with disabilities
• Accessibility and support services provided by local governments
• Medical reports and healthcare services related to disabilities

The workshop concluded with the presentation of key outcomes by the committees, followed by a closing speech from Fatma Şahin, Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality. Together, we took concrete steps towards breaking down barriers and fostering empowerment!

EYDK Chair Şafak Müderrisgil joined the “Invest in Türkiye Talks” podcast series, prepared by the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye!

In this episode, Şafak Müderrisgil discusses a range of topics, from launching Türkiye’s first social impact bond to strengthening the sustainable finance ecosystem. Her visionary approach, which transforms investment into a powerful tool for social and environmental change, is shared with listeners.

To listen click here:

🟢 Spotify
🟣 Apple Podcasts
🔴 YouTube

We came together with our members to strengthen Türkiye’s impact investing ecosystem and reinforce our shared vision.

Highlights from our meeting:
✅ Insights from GSG Impact & global impact investing updates
✅ Presentation of EYDK’s 2025 Action Plan & sector priorities
✅ A warm welcome to our new members
✅ Review of key ecosystem reports

At EYDK, we remain committed to driving the growth of impact investing in Türkiye with the support of all our stakeholders. 🌍✨