TSKB Has Published Sustainability Report

TSKB, environment friendly Bank of Turkey, believes that enabling a healthier physical and social environment for future generations is only possible through responsible actions sensitive to environment and climate change issues, is proud to publish the first sustainability report. This report is especially valuable as it represents another ‘first’ of TSKB in the Turkish Banking Sector.

TSKB, always occupying the top lines of the agenda with “Environment and Sustainable Development” issues and undertaking the mission of being Turkey’s Environment Friendly Bank since 1980’s, has leaded the way again and become the bank that has published the first sustainability report in Turkish banking sector. The report having a specific value in terms of Turkish banking sector is also standing out as it is the first report approved by GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) which is the only world-known and standardized sustainability report frame.

The report, prepared in parallel to TSKB’s targets of supporting Turkey’s sustainable development model, maintaining and increasing employment, having a role in the struggle conducted against climate change and contributing Turkey for transitioning to an industry based on low carbon economy, includes TSKB’s all studies performed for sustainability and future plans in a detailed manner. The report has also very important in terms of continuing and carrying one step further TSKB’s activities performed until today within the concept of sustainable and environment-friendly banking.

TSKB has given the Sustainability Report the same care that it has always given with regards to using exhaustible resources and minimizing the impact on environment within the scope of Environmental Policies, and has decided not to print the report but only to share it with stakeholders by interactive methods. The report can be reached via http://www.tskb.com.tr/sustain.

TSKB, which has established Environment Management System and environment policies in 2008, has become the first Turkish Bank having obtained the certificate ISO 14001 as a result of studies and evaluations performed. It undersigned a big success by winning “Sustainable Banking Award of the Year at Eastern Europe” from Financial Times and International Finance Corporation in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, it has also become the first Turkish “Carbon neutral” Bank by erasing carbon footprint. In 2009 again, TSKB has become the only Turkish bank having signed United Nations Environment program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). While Turkey was one of the first countries to which the World Bank and Clear Technology Fund-CTF, that have been established to provide financial resources countries will require for transitioning to low carbon economy, have allocated funds, TSKB has become one of the first business partners selected in Turkey.

By increasing the credits it has allocated to renewable energy, energy efficiency and environmental infrastructure projects, it has increased the number of its projects that it has financed to 92 in renewable energy, to 5 in energy efficiency and to 18 in environment investments. TSKB does not merely finance renewable energy but it also uses 100% renewable energy in all of its service buildings since June 2009. TSKB also pays attention to energy efficiency in its premises with its Carbon Neutral identity. The Bank has succeeded to decrease its electric power consumption by 10% through energy efficiency implementations that it put into practice in 2009. TSKB which develops environment friendly investment products offered Clean Energy Fund to its customers in 2009 and erased carbon foot print of 348 participants by credits received from voluntary carbon market. It has put into practice cevreciyiz.com and cevreciyiz.TV under the scope of social responsibility projects it has started with the motto “Our priority is Environment”, which attract great interest from all levels of the community.

TSKB, which has determined and put into practice sustainability priorities on the main axis of environment and sustainable banking, corporate management and compatibility, and social responsibility, aims to strengthen its exemplary and leading bank role with new studies and researches, and rapidly grow in fields it has anticipated to provide an improvement. TSKB, planning to carry both its banking and sustainability performance to an upper orbit, to take new steps that will make an overwhelming impression, will continue with its mission of being Turkey’s Environment Friendly Bank.

You may reach to TSKB’s Sustainability report via http://www.tskb.com.tr/sustain.