The concept of sustainability has become an important concept for businesses in today's world where globalization is increasing. In today's world, the competitive possibilities of enterprises are not limited to the goods and services they produce, the performance of enterprises is not only evaluated according to economic criteria, but also the criteria of their responsibilities towards the environment and society. Developments in this direction have turned businesses into a position that is sensitive to environmental and social problems. Within this framework, within the scope of the Circular Economy approach, some non-governmental organizations and associations have taken action due to environmental awareness and shrinking raw material restrictions. Aiming to make these two concepts the focal point of businesses, EGİAD Aegean Young Businessmen Association also opened the issue for evaluation with a webinar for its members.
EGİAD members came together at the "Global Commodity Trade Cycle and Sustainability" webinar. Welcoming HC Trading, the trading arm of the Heidelberg Cement Group that supplies bulk materials for the construction industry to customers worldwide EGİADdiscussed the topics of sustainable economy with a global company.
There was an intense participation in the meeting, which was held with the presentation of HC Trading Senior Trade Manager F. Mert Karcı. Speaking at the opening of the webinar EGİAD Alp Avni Yelkenbiçer, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said that under today's changing and intense competition conditions, it is imperative that the company's activities be compatible with the aim of the company's sustainability.
Reminding that sustainable development and modern economic development are trying to find solutions to problems such as climate crisis and ecological destruction, social inequality, intergenerational transition problems, Yelkenbiçer stated that companies also contributed to the formation of these problems and said, “The important thing is that they occur as a result of both internal and external factors. It is to determine and implement the measures to be taken to solve these problems.”
Emphasizing that the only financial expectations of the past were replaced by social expectations, Yelkenbiçer said, “Actually, expectations based on financial and commercial profits have not completely disappeared; businesses with social content, protecting and observing the environment and social values, and employing practices with a high sense of responsibility; The chances of competition in the new order have increased," he said.
Pointing out that it will be possible to extend the life expectancy of businesses thanks to the incorporation of sustainability into companies as a culture, and this will be reflected in the country's economy as an increasing sustainability, Yelkenbiçer continued his words as follows: “This corporate culture is; Corporate knowledge management and transfer, corporate learning, corporate value, corporate citizenship, corporate reputation, corporate social responsibility, will be a value that can be brought to businesses by evaluating the sub-components of corporate sustainability together. When the cooperation between companies and non-governmental organizations in their immediate environment works well, optimum efficiency in the use of all resources will be achieved.”
HC Trading Senior Trade Manager F. Mert Karcı emphasized the importance of recycling by talking about the improvement works in the cement sector, especially in terms of carbon emissions. Emphasizing that the use of alternative energy has increased recently in the cement sector, which requires intensive energy use, Karcı shared that the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, both at the individual level and at the level of companies and states, is the key to green transformation.
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