Category: Press Release

Impact Investing Forum: “Entrepreneurship Meets Impact” Took Place with Great Enthusiasm Organized in Collaboration with EYDK and ODTU TEKNOKENT!

📢 “Entrepreneurship and Impact Unite for a Sustainable Future!”

On February 19, 2025, the Impact Investing Forum: “Entrepreneurship Meets Impact” took place with great enthusiasm at CoZone Ankara! Organized in collaboration with EYDK and ODTU TEKNOKENT, the event brought together the concepts of entrepreneurship and impact under one roof.

The forum featured insightful discussions on the critical role of entrepreneurship in social development. Participants explored the power of innovative ventures and digital solutions for the green economy while evaluating the global entrepreneurship ecosystem through the lens of Greece’s experience. The sessions on measuring and managing impact provided fresh perspectives for entrepreneurs striving to create a positive difference. Additionally, inspiring panels on impact-focused support programs and sustainable business models contributed significantly to strengthening our ecosystem.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the speakers, participants!

📎 Click Here to Access the Press Release.

We Proudly Held the Launch Event of Our Project, “Empowering Disabled Women and Girls through Sports and Employment Opportunities,” at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

📢 Announcing from Paris: We’ve Successfully Completed Our Project! 

As the EYDK and Etkiyap Consortium, in collaboration with the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and with the support of the UK Bilateral Cooperation Program, we proudly held the launch event of our project, “Empowering Disabled Women and Girls through Sports and Employment Opportunities,” aligned with the UNESCO Fit for Life program, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

High-Level Participation:

The event brought together:
🔹 Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences
🔹 Ambassador Anna Nsubuga, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to UNESCO
🔹 Ambassador Gülnur Aybet, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to UNESCO
🔹 Fatma Şahin, Mayor of Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality
🔹 Şafak Müderrisgil, EYDK & Etkiyap Chairman of the Board
🔹 Tuğçe Söğüt, EYDK General Secretary and Etkiyap Board Member

The esteemed speakers highlighted the opportunities for future collaboration within the scope of our project.

💡 Our Project Does Not End Here!
The data and insights gained will serve as a guide to developing more inclusive and sustainable solutions in the long term.

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#ImpactInvesting

The “Green Risks and Social Risks in the Context of Climate Change” Panel Successfully Concludes at COP29!

Between 11-22 November 2024, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “In Solidarity for a Greener World”. On the 5th day of the conference, during the thematic day “Energy/Peace, Relief and Recovery Green Risks” Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) hosted a panel titled “Green Risks and Social Risks in the Context of Climate Change” at the Türkiye Pavilion.

The panel, organised by EYDK, was moderated by Hale Özsoy, EYDK Executive Board Member and Director at Turkven, and featured distinguished speakers, including Wiebke Schloemer, Director for Türkiye and Central Asia at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Fezal Okur Eskil, Chief Strategy, Business Development and M&A at Yıldız Holding; and Çağla Eker Altınkulp, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Management at Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye (TSKB). The panel focused on the causes and impacts of green and social risks, their interconnections, and solutions to enhance the resilience of societies and institutions in this context.

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EYDK Accelerates Transformation in the Business World: SDG Impact Standards Trainings Continue with the Third Session!

The Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK) continues its training programs with the mission of accelerating transformation in the business world by integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact Standards into managerial processes. Within this framework, EYDK held the third SDG Impact Standards Training with trainers from its member organizations, Etkiyap and Sachi Consulting, hosted by the Türkiye Sınai Kalkınma Bankası (TSKB) in Istanbul from October 9-11, 2024.

As of 2024, EYDK has launched “SDG Impact Standards Training” for its members. The training process began with an introductory session for C-Level executives on February 13, 2024, followed by training programs held in Ankara and Istanbul. The third session, held from October 9-11 and lasting a total of 2.5 days, brought together experts from the private and public sectors, focusing on the management of environmental and social impact in the business world and leading the adoption of these standards as a working model in Türkiye.

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Impact Investing Forum Successfully Concludes Under the Theme “Impact” as an Investment Choice!

Aiming to make the Impact Investment model a widespread, sustainable, and inclusive investment option in Turkey, the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) continues its series of Impact Investment Forum events in collaboration with MAXIS, focusing on the “Impact” across various sectors and investment areas.

To facilitate the development of impact investments, EYDK aims to create a conducive environment and establish a well-functioning ecosystem in Turkey. On October 8, in Istanbul, they held the Impact Investment Forum with the theme “Impact” as an Investment Choice in partnership with MAXIS.

The event featured leading figures from the finance world, investors, entrepreneurs, representatives from civil society, and experts, focusing on key topics such as the importance of impact-driven investments in the business world, the Turkey Green Finance Project, the role of innovation and technology in current investments, developments in the global impact ecosystem, impact measurement and management, Turkey’s first impact funds, and new horizons for women investors and entrepreneurs.

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EYDK Organised First ‘Impact Investing Forum’ in Izmir in Partnership with TARKEM, Focusing on “Place-Based Impact Investing” Theme!

EYDK, aiming to make impact investing a widespread, sustainable, and inclusive option in Türkiye, is launching an event series called the ‘Impact Investing Forum’, in collaboration with its member institutions, focusing on different sectors and investment areas where “Impact” matters. The first event of this series, in partnership with TARKEM, took place on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Historical Akın Passage Kemeraltı in Izmir.

Since its establishment, EYDK has played a role in introducing and implementing the concept of “Place-Based Impact Investing” in Türkiye. In collaboration with its member institution TARKEM, EYDK convened stakeholders in the Aegean Region to delve deeper into the subject matter. Place-Based Impact Investing proposes making strategic investments tailored to the economic, social, and environmental needs of a specific region to promote its sustainable development.

Press Release. 

EYDK Held Türkiye’s First Impact Investing Summit

The EYDK Impact Investing Summit 2024, organised by the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) for the first time this year, was successfully completed on May 23-24 at Boğaziçi University under the theme “Accelerating Impact: Forge the Future, Transform Together”.

The Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) has been leading efforts to advance the impact investing ecosystem in Türkiye and promote sustainable development centred around impact since 2021. Alongside members from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, EYDK continues its efforts to position Türkiye as a regional leader in impact investing, with its authorised national partner status representing Türkiye within the international impact investment network GSG Impact.

In Türkiye’s developmental journey in impact investing, the implementation of the first social impact bond and the establishment of impact funds in 2023 are considered significant milestones. The EYDK Impact Investing Summit 2024 aimed to highlight Türkiye’s progress in transitioning to an impact economy, while also aiming to increase awareness, promote, and strengthen collaborations in the field of impact investing.

 

Press release. 

EYDK Initiates the Transformation in the Business World with SDG Impact Standards! 

EYDK Initiates the Transformation in the Business World with SDG Impact Standards!

As a prerequisite for EYDK membership, the SDG Impact Standards Training will be implemented by EYDK starting in 2024. EYDK is committed to ensuring the accessibility of the SDG Impact Standards Training for all interested organisations, prioritising member institutions. This initiative aligns with the worldwide adoption of SDG Impact Standards by UNDP SDG Impact.

In this context, on February 13, 2024, the SDG Impact Standards Information Session for senior executives of EYDK member institutions was hosted by Kale Group President and CEO Zeynep Bodur Okyay, and SDG Impact Director Fabienne Michaux attended the session via video message. The session was concluded with a presentation by Ceyda Özgün, Chief Impact Officer at Etkiyap, the training partner and one of the founding members of EYDK.

The SDG Impact Standards Training, with the participation of EYDK members, will take place in Istanbul, hosted by Sabancı ARF, from February 15 to 17, 2024, and in Ankara, hosted by ODTÜ TEKNOKENT, from February 21 to 23, 2024.

 

Press Release

GLM 2023 Inaugural Meeting: Türkiye Gearing Up for Regional Impact Investing Hub Status

The GSG Leadership Meeting (GLM), organised in collaboration with the Impact Investing Advisory Board (EYDK) and The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), took place in Istanbul on May 30 and June 1, 2023. ”

Path to Impact Economy: Bridging the Global North and Global South in Türkiye’s Centennial Year” is the event’s theme, where 150 impact investment leaders from 50 countries came together with their counterparts in Türkiye.

 

Press Release 

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Turkiye hosted SDG Impact Standards Training for Trainers  

The global SDG Impact Standards Training of Trainers was held on 13-15 February 2023 in Istanbul. The accredited training course coordinated by Etkiyap, hosted by Sabancı Arf Almost Ready to Fly, and organised by EYDK was delivered by two highly skilled competent trainers from UNDP SDG Impact and SVI. The program aimed to provide 17 international experts with the accreditation of becoming trainers for the SDG Impact Standards.

Press Release