CDP Türkiye 14th Climate Change and Nature Conference and Award Ceremony" held on May 21.

The results of CDP's 2023 Climate Change and Water Program in Türkiye, led by the Corporate Governance Forum of Sabancı University since 2010, and the leading companies were announced at the "CDP Türkey 14th Climate Change and Nature Conference and Award Ceremony" held on May 21.
According to the Türkiye results, in 2023, there was a 36% increase in the number of companies disclosing their environmental data within CDP's three main programs: climate change, water security, and deforestation, reaching a total of 116 reporting companies.

The 2023 Türkiye Results of CDP, the world's largest environmental reporting platform, managed in Türkiye by the Corporate Governance Forum of Sabancı University, were announced on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the CDP Türkiye 14th Climate Change and Nature Conference, 2023 Results and Award Ceremony. The "Climate Change & Water Program 2023 Türkiye Results Report," which includes CDP Turkey's analyses and findings for 2023, and the CDP Global and CDP Türkiye Leaders, determined according to CDP's Global Scoring Methodology, were shared with the public during the event.

Biodiversity and Plastics on the Agenda of Companies in Türkiye

According to the announced results, there is a positive improvement trend in the emission data of reporting companies from Türkiye. The proportion of companies reporting an absolute increase in their emissions dropped to 25%, showing significant progress compared to the previous year's 51%. Additionally, 53% of companies reported reductions in their emissions, nearly doubling the number of companies that reported reductions the previous year.

93% of companies have identified potential climate-related opportunities; however, the total number of climate-related risks identified (811) is more than three times the number of reported opportunities (251). This indicates a significant disparity between the perception of climate-related risks and opportunities in Türkiye.
65% of companies have addressed biodiversity at the board level and/or appointed a senior executive to manage biodiversity-related issues within the company. Moreover, 54% of companies have explicitly supported initiatives aimed at conserving biodiversity and/or made a public commitment in this regard.

81% of companies supply their water from third-party sources and typically discharge it back into third-party areas (81%). 62% of companies discharge their water into third-party areas without prior treatment, while 12% release untreated water directly into the natural environment. This highlights the urgent need for companies in Türkiye to prioritize responsible wastewater discharge management.

66% of companies have set targets related to plastics, with most focusing on plastic packaging and waste management. Among the reported target metrics, the most common are the elimination of single-use plastic products (21%) and the reduction of the total weight of plastic packaging used and/or produced (16%).

The Evolution of Environmental Reporting

This year, the CDP Türkiye Conference was held with the theme "A New Era at CDP: Transition from Climate Reporting to Nature Reporting." In 2024, CDP consolidated all its reporting themes (climate change, water management, deforestation) into a new and integrated corporate questionnaire for companies. To encourage and facilitate the reporting journey of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), CDP released a new SME questionnaire and continued to collaborate with leading global standards and frameworks to reduce companies' reporting burden and promote mandatory reporting. Most notably, it integrated IFRS S2, the climate-related disclosure standard from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), into its questions. The Sustainability Reporting Standards in Türkiye, published by the Public Oversight, Accounting, and Auditing Standards Authority (KGK), are also based on these ISSB standards.

The opening speech of the conference was delivered by Seray İmer, Sustainability Manager at Garanti BBVA. The main speaker, Patrick de Cambourg, Chairman of the Sustainability Reporting Board of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), discussed the evolution and transformation of sustainability reporting from the perspective of EU regulations. He remarked, "We know that in the long term, standard corporate reporting can only be effective when it stands on two legs. The first leg is the well-developed financial reporting; the second is the currently developing sustainability reporting. The functioning of this two-legged system depends on effective coordination between these reports."

Another speaker at the conference, Ariane Coulombe, Head of Reporting for CDP Europe, discussed the approach and goals of the New Era at CDP. Coulombe stated, "In Türkey, we see a clear trend of companies voluntarily reporting their environmental data through CDP. This is very important because reports provide the data needed for action. As a reflection of the market maturing, companies in Türkiye increasingly recognize that transparency is a fundamental step towards taking action against climate change. This transparency enables companies to access capital, improve business efficiency, and comply with existing or future regulations."

Mirhan Köroğlu Göğüş, CDP Türkiye Country Programs Manager, who presented the results of the CDP Climate Change & Water Program 2023 Türkiye Report, shared the following insights and views in her speech: "As CDP Türkiye, we have been working since 2010 to encourage companies in Türkiye to take action on climate issues and to align with global developments in reporting. However, we now know that climate change is only part of the problem. Science shows us that climate and nature must be addressed simultaneously. When it comes to reporting, it is critically important to focus on all components of nature, including ecosystems and biodiversity. This signifies a new era for all of us. We will now transition from climate reporting to nature reporting and adopt a more holistic approach along with the rest of the world.”

Panel on "Transition from Climate Reporting to Nature Reporting"

The panel titled "Transition from Climate Reporting to Nature Reporting," organized as part of the conference, was moderated by Ata Can Bertay, Director of the Corporate Governance Forum at Sabancı University. The panel featured Nicole Hardiman, CDP Nature Standards Lead; Verena Kraus, Senior Manager of the Nature Team at the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI); and Sevil Acar, Lecturer at Boğaziçi University and Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Transformative Change Assessment Report.

The panel emphasized the importance of nature-based reporting that encompasses all planetary boundaries in light of recent developments in corporate reporting. Nicole Hardiman focused on how CDP is playing a role in shaping the upcoming period and explained what this transition means for companies. Verena Kraus discussed how financial institutions are integrating nature into their business strategies and decision-making processes. Sevil Acar, based on IPBES assessments, focused on the relationship between companies and nature, and the impact of this relationship on the environment.

**Award Ceremony**

All companies reporting to CDP were evaluated according to the CDP methodology, one of the world's most trusted scoring methodologies. This year, there was a record increase, with 23 companies from Türkiye making it to the CDP Global A List, one of the most prestigious lists in the environmental field. Among these companies, Aydem Renewable Energy, Brisa, Mavi, Migros, and Yapı Kredi achieved a place on the Global A List in both the Climate Change and Water Security categories, positioning themselves among the 61 leading companies worldwide.

In the Climate Change Program, 18 out of the 358 Global A companies are from Türkiye, while in the Water Security Program, 10 out of the 101 Global A companies are from Türkiye. Additionally, 32 companies achieved an (A-) scoring in both the Climate Change and Water Security categories, making it to the CDP Türkey Leaders list. Furthermore, 11 companies received an A scoring in the CDP Supplier Engagement Rating (SER) category, placing them among the SER leaders.

Hasan Özçelik, President of the Public Oversight, Accounting, and Auditing Standards Authority (KGK), inaugurated the award ceremony following video messages from the CEOs of CDP Global A Leaders.

The closing speeches of the event were given by Melsa Ararat, CDP Türkey Director, and Ata Can Bertay, Director of the Corporate Governance Forum at Sabancı University.

CDP Global A Leaders

 
CDP 2023 Global A Climate and Water Leaders: Aydem Yenilenebilir Enerji  A.Ş , Brisa Bridgestone Sabancı Lastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Mavi Giyim Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Migros Ticaret A.Ş., Yapı ve Kredi Bankası A.Ş.

CDP 2023 Global A Climate Leaders: Abdi İbrahim İlaç Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Adm Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş., Aydem Elektrik Perakende Satış A.Ş., Elsan Elektrik Gereçleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Gdz Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş., Gediz Elektrik Perakende Satış A.Ş., QNB Finansbank A.Ş., Sabancı Holding A.Ş., Şekerbank T.A.Ş., T.İş Bankası A.Ş., T.Vakıflar Bankası T.A.O., Temsa Skoda Sabancı Ulaşım Araçları A.Ş., Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş.

CDP 2023 Global A Water Leaders: Carrefoursa Carrefour Sabancı Ticaret Merkezi A.Ş., Coca-Cola İçecek A.Ş., Enerjisa Enerji A.Ş., Park Cam Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş., T.Halk Bankası A.Ş. 

You can access the CDP Türkiye Climate Change and Water Security 2023 Report by clicking here.
To view the presentation with the CDP Türkiye Climate Change and Water Security 2023 Report findings, click here.
To access the Turkish key findings of the CDP Türkiye Climate Change and Water Security 2023 Report, click here.