Tekfen Publishes Sustainability Report

Tekfen Holding has released the fourth edition of its sustainability report, in which it shares the sustainability principles it implements, ongoing work, targets and performance in line with its "Foundation of the Future" vision. Prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard, the report was produced this year for the first time exclusively in digital format to align with a more sustainable world. Tekfen Holding, which operates with a sustainability-focused approach developed under its "Foundation of the Future" vision while maintaining global quality standards, published its 2021 Sustainability Report in digital format in line with its understanding of creating a more sustainable future.   Operating in pursuit of excellence for 66 years under the principle of "do what you know best in the best way," Tekfen Group continues its operations with a sustainability focus through its business culture built around people, quality and environment. Recalling that Tekfen Holding, through the value it creates and employment it generates, is one of the important building blocks of Turkey's economy, Group Companies Chairman Ali Pandır said that since the publication of the first report in 2019, they have transparently shared prominent topics in sustainability and their activities in these areas with all stakeholders.

Noting that the Sustainability Report, the fourth edition published in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard, records their "Foundation of the Future" vision and the sustainability targets and performance determined in this direction, Pandır continued as follows:

"Tekfen Holding's sustainability vision encompasses 3 strategically important areas: climate crisis, employees and society, and research and development and innovation. We concentrate our efforts on these 3 areas and monitor the risks and opportunities more closely." In his assessment of the Sustainability Report, Pandır also drew attention to the group's contribution to social welfare through the performance it demonstrates in operational areas that intersect with topics of critical importance for the socioeconomic development of societies, such as agriculture and contracting, and explained as follows: "The COVID-19 pandemic, which once again demonstrated the importance of sustainability, clearly showed the inevitability of change in environmental, social and economic matters. We view this need for change as an opportunity for Tekfen to write new success stories. The year 2021, in which we continued to progress in our sustainability journey, was also a year in which we laid the foundations for transformation."

"Tekfen Net Zero Roadmap"

Ali Pandır stated that by placing emphasis on strategic planning work aimed at the climate crisis, they have launched "Tekfen Net Zero Roadmap" work to shape the transition plan to net zero carbon emissions, and noted that they hope to share the Net Zero Carbon Roadmap with all stakeholders within 2023. Regarding emission reduction, Ali Pandır provided the following information: "In this context, we completed 7 projects within our Group Companies that contributed to emission reduction. Through these projects, approximately 10,000 MWh of energy was saved, while approximately TRY 2.1 million in financial savings was achieved." Regarding fertilizer production activities, which are also critical for the group's carbon emissions, Ali Pandır stated: "We are installing a new N2O (nitrous oxide) filtering system in the nitric acid unit at Toros Tarım's Mersin facility, which is its largest emission source. Thanks to this investment, we plan to reduce N2O emissions, which play an important role in climate change, by approximately 90 percent. Additionally, by utilizing steam energy resulting from waste heat in the production processes at our Samsun and Mersin facilities, we generated 220,000 MWh of energy and thereby prevented 94,886 tons of greenhouse gas emissions." Noting that the contribution of commitment activities to the transition to a net zero economy is predominantly supported by fixed facilities, Ali Pandır emphasized that with Tekfen Construction's Ceyhan Steel Structure Manufacturing Plant and the Southern Anatolia Main Repair and Maintenance Facilities where the FNN Sustainability Center became operational, 100 percent renewable energy has been used as of 2021. "In addition to starting renewable energy production with solar energy panels at these facilities, we also obtained an International Green Energy Certificate (I-REC) for the electricity supplied from the grid, thereby zeroing out Scope 2 emissions resulting from energy use at these facilities."

One of Three Companies Rated A

Pointing out that in 2021, they were one of the 3 companies in Turkey that received an "A" rating in the Water Security Program in which 3,368 companies worldwide reported, Pandır stated: "Within the scope of the program, we achieved success in entering among 118 companies worldwide. Additionally, Tekfen Holding, which first participated in the CDP Climate Change Program in 2017, achieved a ranking in the "A (-)" band in 2021 and succeeded in becoming one of Turkey's Climate Leaders" he said.

TRY 28 Million Investment

Stating that they have taken important steps in sustainability with their two companies directly related to agriculture, Toros Tarım and Tekfen Tarım, Ali Pandır provided the following information: "At Tekfen Tarım's Agripark Research and Development Center, we are developing bread wheat varieties through seed improvement projects that are suitable for different ecological conditions in our country, drought-resistant and high-yielding. At Toros Tarım Research and Development Center, work is being carried out on developing new fertilizer types that are environmentally friendly, energy savings in production processes and reducing environmental impacts. In 2021, we invested approximately TRY 28 million in research and development across the group. Additionally, we filed 1 patent and 5 utility model applications.