‘Yılmaz’ means ‘dauntless’. ‘Argüden’ means ‘honorable’, ‘guide for integrity’ and is pronounced as ‘argue then’, as in the phrase “if you don’t agree, argue then.”
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Stratejist, Yönetim Kurullarının Doktoru Strategist, Governance Guru

Business World Embraces “Business For Peace”

Chairman of the Turkish Network of UN Global Compact Dr. Argüden stated that Business for Peace is an important initiative and added “Mersin connects Türkiye with the World. And we all need to assume responsibility not only for local but also for global issues.”

The UN Global Compact Local Network Turkey (Global Compact Türkiye), together with the United Nations Development Program Turkey (UNDP) and the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MTSO) launched Business for Peace in Turkey on 1 April 2014, in Mersin, Turkey. The Mediterranean Regional event focused on aligning and scaling corporate sustainability efforts to advance peace, in the region, with the Mersin Chamber of Commerce being the one of the first Chambers of Commerce in the region to endorse Business for Peace. In addition to allowing companies to join the platform, the event highlighted private sector opportunities, collaborative actions and contributions in advancement of peace, through responsible business practices and community stakeholder engagements.

As an inaugural signatory of Business for Peace (B4P) and a member of the Steering Committee of B4P, Global Compact Türkiye organized the first country-level launch event in the region for Business for Peace. The event featured a series of speeches from multiple stakeholder groups on the contributions business can make to the peace process followed by a signing ceremony. The meeting reinforced the interests of business in becoming active participants in the Business for Peace initiative, and provided an opportunity for four new companies to join the platform.

Attended by 130 representatives from companies, chambers, exchanges, regional business councils, industry and sector specific business associations, government institutions, media and NGOs the event was joined by the Vice Governor of Mersin, Ayhan Bayhan and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkey Kamal Malhotra, Şahin Bilgiç, Member of the Board of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB)-the main private sector umbrella organization and Mr. Cem Bozkurt, CEO of Alvimedica Medical Technologies.

Emphasizing the importance of business as a primary driver of innovation, investment and job creation, Kamal Malhotra, said that there is no longer any doubt that business can play an integral role in delivering economic and social progress.

“These were some of the reasons for the launch of the UN Global Compact in 2000 in order to build the networks and generate commitments from the business sector for action towards achieving Millennium Development Goals” Malhotra said.

“The UN Global Compact Network in Turkey has clearly been one of the more successful national Global Compact networks, with over 270 actively reporting signatories, making Turkey one of the largest networks globally” said Malhotra and added that UN in Turkey can work together with Global Compact Turkey to address pressing issues such as regional disparities, high youth unemployment rates, climate change, energy security, significant gender inequality and many challenges associated with democratic governance.

Noting that the Middle East region looks for peace and prosperity, Sahin Bilgic, Board Member for the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, stated that cooperation among other chambers of commerce is critical for reaching this common goal. Bilgic added that working together with the neighboring countries and exchanging experiences in the region could be the direction chambers of commerce take in the collective effort to advance peace all around the world.

Speaking on behalf of the business community of Mersin, Şerafettin Aşut, President of the Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that the Mersin business community is ready to become a player on the global competitive business world while respecting the Global Compact principles.

“We as Mersin are not looking to grow and advance our businesses while overlooking any possible negative consequences. We do not look to grow and expand in expense of human rights, environment or with corruption practices. The Global Compact principles are indispensable within our philosophy of growth”, Aşut said.

Dr. Yilmaz Argüden, Member of the Steering Committee of Business for Peace, Director, UN Global Compact Board and Chairman of Global Compact Turkiye also commented on the importance of launching this platform in Mersin, noting that with 11 companies in Mersin becoming UN Global Compact signatories in the last 3 months with the vision to increase this number, the launch event is most appropriate to take place in this city of strategic significance. With the first inaugural meeting of Business for Peace planned to take place in Istanbul in late September 2014, Dr. Argüden stated that Turkey’s important role in the region is once again stressed.

During the global launch of Business for Peace at the 2013 Leaders Summit: Architects of a Better World, the first Turkish company to become a signatory to the Business for Peace was Alvimedica Medical Technologies. Speaking on behalf of the company in the medical devices sector, Cem Bozkurt, CEO of Alvimedica, stated that companies should also support the protection of human life and should be consider this to be the most important issue on the world. Sharing the example of a recent hospital project that Alvimedica is working on in Split, Croatia, Bozkurt explained the idea of a hospital where 7 ethnicities within the former Yugoslavia will be working together to heal patients from all nations without visa requirements. In light of this example, Bozkurt noted “While peace is perceived to be the business of governments, it is the business world that can build a bridge”.

Joining the launch event on behalf of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Meera Sethi, Turkey Chief of Mission, presented the innovative “Buy Responsibly”.

“While everyday consumers make choices for the products and services they purchase, the conditions of how those products and services were delivered are not clear.” Sethi said. Through endorsing the philosophy behind the project, Sethi invited the participants to raise awareness on fair production conditions for everyone and support action on preventing human trafficking and exploitation.

As peace can have different meanings in different contexts, Global Compact Local Networks serve an essential role in rooting the B4P platform within local areas and supporting companies to make contributions that advance peace. Melissa Powell, Head of Strategy and Partnerships and Business for Peace at the UN Global Compact, noted that Business for Peace helps companies to implement responsible business practices in high-risk and conflict-affected areas and welcomed Turkey’s leadership as the first country in the Mediterranean region to have a launch event. Powell made note that there were 17 countries like Turkey that are founding members of the Leadership Platform and that together with Colombia and Indonesia is represented in it’s governing body for which both UNDP and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) are also members. Finally, Powell stated that the platform is the UN Global Compact’s fastest growing platform with now over 100 companies participating.

New Signatories of UN Global Compact from Mersin

Aşut Fiberglass San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
Staroil Petrolcülük A.Ş.
Madammode Konfeksiyon San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
Mersin Uluslararası Liman İşletmeciliği A.Ş.
Arı Elektrik San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Sertel Hırdavat San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Berdan Cıvata San.A.Ş.
Memişoğlu Tarım Ürünleri Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Olcartur Turizm ve Seyahat Ltd. Şti.
Akyürek Kardeşler Tarım Ürünleri Makineleri San. Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Hekagro Tohumculuk Tic. Ve San. Ltd. Şti.