Türk Eximbank believes that sustainable exports is of the utmost importance in the rapidly changing world that is confronted with numerous issues from climate change to socioeconomic inequality. In this direction, the Bank takes into account all financial and non-financial risks that are economic and ESG-related while carrying out its activities.
Within this framework, the Bank launched the “Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management” Project to carry out all of its activities in line with sustainability principles and to shape its governance structure on the center of these principles. In the same direction, the Sustainability Principles, Environmental and Social Impact Policy, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Policy were approved by the Board of Directors.
Steps continue to be taken in relation to the Sustainability Management System to assess the environmental and social risks of the Bank’s lending and insurance activities and to guarantee that the same are effectively managed in line with the Bank’s strategy.In 2023, Türk Eximbank conducted environmental and social risk assessments and intermediated the management of the companies’ environmental and social risks by way of experts’ field visits for 450 applications in relation to World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) loan requests. Believing that sustainability is a factor that does not merely affect the world’s future but also drives the development of organizations, necessary steps have been taken for monitoring and reducing carbon emissions that are of great importance in terms of Climate Change Adaptation. First conducted in 2020, carbon and GHG emissions monitoring, calculation and reporting were carried out in accordance with ISO 14064:2018 version for 2022. Emissions stemming from lending activities were included in the calculation, as well as those directly resulting from the Bank’s operations, and version ISO 14064:2018 GHG Accounting audit was successfully completed and the certificate was won for the Bank for 2022. Through this certification, Türk Eximbank;
- pledged to internal and external stakeholders to be aligned with the developments associated with climate change,
- evidenced and acknowledged the ownership of our emissions,
- ensured increased corporate capacity in environmental and social terms.
Calculation and reporting of carbon and GHG emissions for 2023 are planned to be completed in 2024.
450 applications
In 2023, Türk Eximbank conducted environmental and social risk assessments and intermediated the management of the companies’ environmental and social risks by way of experts’ field visits for 450 applications in relation to World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) loan requests.
The initiative to fulfill 50% of the Bank’s electricity need from renewables was completed with a 67% ratio through 1.000 MWh I-REC purchased in 2022, and the initiative was revised so as to fulfill 90% of total electricity consumption for 2023.
Our first Sustainability Report for 2021 covering our Bank’s sustainability activities and performance has been published in 2022. In addition to that, the Bank has been releasing a monthly Sustainability Bulletin since year-end 2021 to familiarize the Bank’s employees with global and local developments in relation to sustainability and to make sure that sustainability notion is embraced by all employees.
In a bid to fulfill our exporters’ needs in relation to green transformation and sustainability, joint activities are being undertaken with our stakeholders, particularly with the Ministries. In this scope, the Bank regularly participates in the meetings of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change National Carbon Pricing Specialized Working Group, Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TİM) Industry Sustainability Science Committee, Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) Green Transformation Working Group, İstanbul Chamber of Industry Sustainability Platform, Banks Association of Türkiye (TBB) Role of Financial Sector in Sustainable Growth Working Group, and the events/webinars organized by various institutions to keep abreast of current developments.
