Çevko Announces Winners of the "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015"

Çevko "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015" Winners Announced!

By ÇEVKO Foundation (Environment Protection and Packaging Waste Recovery Foundation); the winners of the "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015", held for the second time this year among Turkey's leading domestic and international companies using the Green Dot trademark and standing out for their contributions to sustainable living, have been determined.

At the "Green Dot Industry Awards" ceremony held by ÇEVKO Foundation at Wyndham Grand Levent Istanbul Hotel on 15 December, media and broadcasting organizations prioritizing news demonstrating environmental sensitivity also received the "Traditional Green Dot Press Awards", held for the fourth time this year.

The winners of this year's "Green Dot Industry Awards", open to ÇEVKO Foundation, which has been working for a cleaner and more livable world for 25 years and holds usage rights for the international "Green Dot" trademark in Turkey, and companies with Green Dot brand agreements, have been announced.

In the "Green Dot Industry Awards", which aims to publicize exemplary work conducted by the growing number of "Green Dot" members in Turkey in recovery beyond their legal responsibilities and encourage and promote similar work, leading companies from Turkey and the world competed, including Nestle to Tetra Pak, P&G to Frito Lay, Unilever to Boyner and Akçansa, just as in the previous year.

Awards were presented in two separate categories—Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Large-Scale Enterprises—under the categories of Waste Management and Practices, Environmental Social Responsibility Practices, and Packaging Design Resource Reduction and Prevention Practices. The ceremony was hosted by Toprak Sergen.

ÇEVKO Foundation has been working on recycling and a more livable world for a quarter century!

ÇEVKO Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Okyar Yayalar, in his opening remarks, stated that this year, as ÇEVKO Foundation celebrating its 25th anniversary, they organized the second Green Dot Industry Awards and the fourth Traditional Green Dot Press Awards, and that they have been working for recycling and a more livable world for future generations for a quarter century. Yayalar said, "Our only wish is that these awards serve as a light for other companies in the future, set an example for more companies...

I thank our companies using the Green Dot trademark and standing out for their contributions to sustainable living, and the media organizations drawing attention to environmental issues."

The "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015" jury!

At the awards ceremony where thank you plaques were presented to jury members of the "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015" chaired by Yıldız Technical University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Bestamin Özkaya, Jury Chairman Prof. Dr. Bestamin Özkaya provided information regarding the award process at the ceremony.

Aysen Kömürcü, Assistant Director of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Emre Günal, Instructor at Yeditepe University, Erbil Büyükbay, Environment and Energy Department Manager at ISO (Istanbul Chamber of Industry), Aslıhan Arıkan, General Secretary of ASD (Packaging Manufacturers Association), Konca Çalkıvık, General

Secretary at SKD (Business and Sustainable Development Association), and Alphan Eröztürk, ÇEVKO Public and External Relations Manager, comprising the jury members, received their thank you plaques from ÇEVKO General Manager Yaşar Nadir Atilla.

The brand importance and prestige of Green Dot!

ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer also provided information through his presentation regarding the use of the Green Dot trademark abroad and in Turkey. İmer emphasized that the Green Dot trademark is "an indicator that an enterprise fulfills its obligations regarding packaging waste", explaining that increasingly environmentally conscious consumers have begun to look for this mark on the packaging of the products they purchase.

İmer explained that Green Dot use in Turkey is based on voluntary participation, stating, "Consumers worldwide concerned about ecological balance want to purchase products from companies that fulfill their environmental obligations in their processes."

Noting that ÇEVKO Foundation holds the right to grant sublicenses regarding Green Dot use in Turkey, Mete İmer said that as ÇEVKO Foundation, they work together with consumers, retail points and economic enterprises to strengthen Green Dot communication in Turkey.

Explaining that they decided to award Green Dot Industry Awards to economic enterprises starting this year, İmer said, "We want to further publicize the correct use of the Green Dot mark in Turkey and enable more companies to acquire this trademark.

With the Green Dot Industry Awards we have organized for two years, we aim both to recognize companies that take responsibility beyond fulfilling their legal obligations in this regard and to encourage more companies to use the Green Dot trademark," he said.

Companies receiving certificates of appreciation!

Mondi Tire Kutsan, Perfetti Van Melle, Zorluteks Textile, Viking Cleaning and Cosmetic Products (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Category) received certificates of appreciation under environmental social responsibility practices; while Coca-Cola Beverages, Doğadan, Elif Plastic, Pınar Water, Erek Natural Spring Water (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Category) received certificates of appreciation in the resource reduction and prevention category in packaging design.

Çelikel Aluminum also received a certificate of appreciation in the waste management system and practices category. Certificates of appreciation were presented to the winners by ÇEVKO Foundation General Secretary Mete İmer.

Green Dot Incentive Award winners!

Coca-Cola Beverages received the Green Dot Incentive Award in the environmental social responsibility practices category, while Mondi Tire Kutsan received it in the packaging design resource reduction and prevention practices category.

Fruko Beverages, Perfetti Van Melle, Zorlu Textile, Viking Cleaning and Cosmetic Products (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Category) became award winners in the waste management system and practices category. Green Dot Incentive Award winners received their awards from ÇEVKO Foundation Board of Directors Vice Chairman Melike Özener.

Winners of the Green Dot Industry Awards!

The winners of the "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015" also received their awards at the ceremony held. Akçansa earned the right to receive the Green Dot Industry Award in the environmental social responsibility practices category for its work on "Children and Biodiversity Transforming Tomorrow".

In the same category, Boyner with its "Transform Into Good" project and Tetra Pak with its "Small Things Renew Nature" project became award winners. Companies winning in the environmental social responsibility practices category received their awards from ÇEVKO Foundation Executive Board Chairman Esra İren.

Frito Lay and Nestle Waters were also winners in the packaging design resource reduction and prevention practices category; their awards were presented by ÇEVKO Foundation Board of Directors Vice Chairman Orhun Kutevu.

Frito Lay, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, the companies earning the right to receive the "Green Dot Industry Award" in the waste management system and practices category, received their awards from ÇEVKO Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Okyar Yayalar.

This year's winners in the Traditional Green Dot Press Awards!

In the "Traditional Green Dot Press Awards", held for the fourth time this year, media and broadcasting organizations prioritizing news demonstrating environmental sensitivity throughout 2015 were also honored. Habertürk TV was selected in the TV category, Milliyet in the newspaper category, and Anadolu Agency in the news agency category.

Best FM was selected as the most environmentally sensitive radio in the radio category, while haberler.com received the award in the internet-web news category.

EKO IQ was the award winner in the magazine category, and BloombergHT TV also received the ÇEVKO Green Dot special award for its sensitivity to environmental news and the support and contribution it provided as broadcast to the Green Dot Awards Ceremony.

A jazz feast from Melis & Cenk Sökmen!

In the final of the "Green Dot Industry Awards 2015" awards ceremony, guests were treated to beautiful music. With the jazz performance presented by Melis & Cenk Sökmen, those attending the ceremony experienced an enjoyable final ceremony.