Sustainability Milestones

• Ebru Dildar Edin, our Executive Vice President Responsible for Corporate and Investment Banking, became the Chair of the Board of Directors of Turkish Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD Turkey).
• Granted the title of the Best Bank in the Central and Eastern European Region at the Awards for Excellence organized by Euromoney, one of the leading finance magazines in the world.
• Once again became the first and only company from Turkey to be listed in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.
• Declared its support to Clean Production in Textile Sector Project executed by World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and Southern Aegean Development Agency (GEKA).
• Executed Turkey’s  first green loan agreement with a value of USD10 mn where  the margin is linked to the ESG score of the Zorlu Energy.
• Became the only bank in Turkey who developed The Principles for Responsible Banking out of 28 founding member banks jointly representing over USD 17 trillion in assets from five continents around the world.
• Executed first social bond issuance of a private bank in emerging markets in order to be used by women entrepreneurs with IFC.
• Realized our LEED-certified Pendik Technology Campus with the most comprehensive application ISO14001 Environmental Management System in Turkey
• Invested in three rooftop solar power plants for our service points in several cities. By using the electricity produced by these power plants at our service points, we are setting an example for investors operating in this sector.
• Signed Turkey’s first ‘green project finance’ agreement with Akfen Renewable Energy with the participation of four local and two international banks.
• Qualified for the FTSE4GOOD Emerging Index in its first year.
• Took part in the 24th Conference of the Parties at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Poland on 3-14 December.
• Continued to be a constituent of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Emerging Markets for the consecutive year.
• Organized 5th Sustainability and Risk Management Workshop where our corporate customers from energy and infrastructure industries were informed about the new sector trends.
• Selected as one of the companies to participate in UN WEPs Gender Gap Tool Pilot Study and share best practices.

• Continued to be a constituent of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Emerging Markets for the consecutive year.
• Led the efforts as the Global Compact Türkiye Sustainable Banking Working Group President for The Declaration on Sustainable Finance, which aims to implement Environmental and social risk assessment into loan processes. 
• Became one of the main sponsors of V. Sustainable Finance Forum.
• Organized its 3rd Sustainability and Risk Management Workshop where we informed our corporate customers from energy and infrastructure industries on cutting edge sustainable business topics such as TCFD recommendations, carbon pricing and disruptive technologies.
• Attended the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) High Level Assembly held on April 20th in Washington, DC and was included in the 2016-2017 Carbon Leadership Report.
• Released its 2016 Sustainability Report and received limited assurance for its Sustainability Governance, Stakeholder Engagement Process and Materiality Analysis, total energy consumption, total water consumption, total GHG emissions, GHG intensity, reduction in GHG emissions, business travels, renewable energy portfolio & avoided emissions due to operational renewable energy financing, Environmental Impact Assessment Process, total monetary amount of community investments in 2016, and Community Investment Materiality Analysis.
• Released its 2017 CDP Climate Change and 2017 CDP Water Reports.
• Declared its support to Financial Stability Board (FSB) Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and its Recommendation Report for climate-related risk & opportunity management.
• The European Business and Finance Awards 2017  - Ali Fuat Erbil, Best Sustainable Banking CEO of the Year 2017, Turkey.
• Released its first Green Mortgage product in collaboration with IFC, which is also Turkey's first mortgage covered bond in local currency.
• Signed an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for 5-year term funding in the amount of Euro 75 million equivalent under the Covered Bond Programme to be entirely allocated to Green Mortgage.
• Became a member of Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, an initiative led by IFC for carbon pricing.
• Delivered a presentation on materiality and ESG trends at BNY Mellon’s Making the Match event in London.
• Integrated Reporting Turkey Network was launched in February 2017 where Garanti BBVA is among the founding members.
• Was selected as one of the companies to participate in UN WEPs Gender Gap Tool Pilot Study. The tool was officially launched at the WEPs 2017 Annual Event in New York where Garanti BBVA shared its experience with the tool.
• Women Executives Initiative had its 4th meeting where focus points were identified and the roles were distributed.
• Changed the name of the Women Steering Committee to Gender Equality Committee and expanded its scope accordingly.
• 30% Club Turkey was launched in March 2017 where our CEO, Mr. Ali Fuat Erbil is one of the founding members.
• Became the first and only company from Turkey to be listed in the Bloomberg Financial Services Gender Equality Index.
• Became the only financial institution worldwide to be included in the 2017 CDP Water A List.
• Qualified for the FTSE4GOOD Emerging Index in its first year.
• Developed a Gender Equality Training and assigned it to all employees as a mandatory training. It was released on Women’s Day with a powerful video message from Ms. Ebru Dildar Edin, Executive Vice President.

• Became once again (second time) the only Turkish company to be listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability™ Emerging Markets Index.
• Became the first company in Turkey to be included for two consecutive years in the highest performance group, A List, for the companies disclosing their climate change strategies. We thus became entitled to receive the “CDP 2016 Climate Leader Award”.
• Entitled to receive the “CDP Turkey 2016 Water Leadership Award”.
• Decreased the investment amount limit for projects subject to Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Model from USD20 million to USD10 million.
• In order to contribute to the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Turkey, we opened the "Garanti BBVAPartners Enterprise Base" where the participants could benefit from the physical office facilities with all kinds of technical infrastructure.
• We aim to empower women and increase financial literacy with the Facebook group called KALP Women Platform, which achieved more than 50,000 followers in its first year.
• Reached out to 2,931 women through financial literacy seminars and basic level entrepreneurship workshops in collaboration with 7 municipalities.
• Maintained our share of 32% in total installed wind power capacity in Turkey among all banks.
• Launched the “Sign Language” online training program, consisting of comprehensive video and applications for the use of the employees, within the scope of the Disabled-Friendly Banking Project.
• Established the Women Executives Initiative to support gender equality in senior management.

• Became the only Turkish company to be listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability TM Emerging Markets Index.
• Became the only Turkish company that was included in the CDP Global Leaders Report by being selected to the highest performance band (A)  and was awarded with the CDP 2015 Climate Performance Leadership award.
• Obtained the highest score among the companies included in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index and became 1 of the 5 companies that were included in the top 10% of the index and won the CDP Turkey 2015 Climate Disclosure Leadership award.
• Became the main sponsor for CDP Turkey Water Program to increase awareness to water scarcity and published its first CDP Water Report.
• Started offering an Agricultural Irrigation Systems Loan in the first quarter in 2015 to support Turkey’s battle with climate change and provide solutions to risks such as droughts.
• Supported HeforShe, an initiative emphasized on men’s support for women rights and gender equality.
• Established the Woman Steering Committee to empower women socially and economically.
• Became a member of the Professional Women’s Network (PWN), a network organization aiming to bring senior level businesswomen around the world together.
• Increased the number of facilities covered by its ISO14001 certified Environmental Management System to 1,013, covering 100% of its employees.
• Became the first bank in Turkey to sign the UNGC’s Business Leadership Criteria on Carbon Leadership.
• Garant BBVA iPartners, an entrepreneurship fast-track program that supports SMEs that have investment and growth potential and start-ups from of all sectors and sizes with mentorship and funding, became the first platform where a bank and an investor network comprising angel investors (BUBA) came together.
• Became the first Turkish bank to become a member of “WeConnect International”, a global initiative, which is aimed at including women entrepreneurs in the supply chain.
•  “Women Entrepreneurs Research” towards profiling of women entrepreneurs, which the Bank believes will guide the roadmap and research in women’s entrepreneurship was produced in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Yıldız Ecevit, Head of Middle East Technical University (METU) Gender and Women Studies Department.
• Became the main supporter of the W20 initiative that was established first time in the scope of Turkey’s G20 Presidency.

• Assessing the sustainability approach and performance according to environmental, social and management criteria, qualified for the BIST Sustainability Index and BIST Corporate Governance Index.
• Became the first bank in Turkey to prepare a sustainability report in accordance with the comprehensive option of the new Global Reporting Inıtiative (GRI) G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines covering the 18-month period to the end of 2013.
• Received "CDP 2014 Turkey Climate Disclosure Leadership” award by getting the highest score among the 42 companies evaluated in the “Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index”.
• Became the first bank to receive a Green Office diploma from WWF Turkey by successfully completing the WWF Green Office Program launched at its Headquarters. 
• Added 6 more buildings to its WWF Green Office Program.
• Increased the number of service points which are included in the Environmental Management System to 605.
• Became the first bank to adopt the Women’s Empowerment Principles developed by the United Nations.
• Reported on its GHG emissions and climate change strategy as part of its CDP disclosure for the 5th time. Released 4 training videos on investment and financing processes of unlicensed electricity generation with solar power systems.
• Within the Barrier-Free Banking project scope, online training design consisting of comprehensive video and applications for the use of employees who require "Sign Language" has been completed. In 2015 it is due to be executed.
• Started “Join the Workforce Join Life” project oriented at the employment of disabled people under the leadership of Ministry of Family and Social Policies in October 2014.
• Designed to increase cooperation between "business and university", a joint cooperation agreement was signed with Marmara University, Department of Business Administration in German. In 2014 a compulsory semester course curriculum was created with the last project, and volunteer education support was provided to the Bank executives.
• Engaged in a strategic partnership with BUBA1 , which brings together entrepreneurs seeking financing and angel investors seeking ventures with high growth potential.

• Signed “Energy Efficiency in Buildings” manifesto developed by the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Turkey.
• Increased the number of service points which are included in the Environmental Management System to 260.
• Launched an e-learning program about its Environmental and Social Risk Management for its employees involved in lending operations.
• Became the first Turkish Bank to be assigned an A level for its Sustainability Report by GRI (Global Reporting Initiative).
• Recognized as “Best Bank for Sustainability in Turkey“ by World Finance Magazine.
• Awarded by IAIR2 with the “Best Bank for Sustainability – Europe” award.
• Joined the pilot program of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC).
• Obtained external assurance on its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reported to CDP for the first time.

• Full-time “Sustainability Team” established under the Project Finance department.
• Signed the United Nations Global Compact.
• First bank in Turkey to become a member of the Turkish Business Council for Sustainable Development (TBCSD).
• Received the “Carbon Performance Leadership” award from CDP Turkey by receiving the best score among 32 responding companies.
• Joined the WWF Green Office Program.
• Set up its Environmental Management System and Environmental Policy.
• In achieving its ISO14001 certificate, became the Turkish bank with an Environmental Management System implemented in the highest number of buildings and to the broadest extent.
• Women Entrepreneurs Leaders School initiated with women entrepreneurs to basic business, which aims to provide expertise in the management and marketing trainings.
• First bank in Turkey to be member of Global Banking Alliance for Women (GBA), world’s leading international consortium of financial institutions and other organizations interested in building women's wealth worldwide.
• Became the first and only institution in Turkey to be deemed worthy of the Investors in People (IIP) certificate in the “Gold” category.
• Launched the Sustainability E-Learning Program that is open to all Bank employees.
• Joined the “HP Planet Partnership Program” for the disposal of used printer cartridges.
• Agreed to make Executives Summit and Future Meetings carbon-neutral.
• Launched efforts to facilitate disabled customers’ access to financial services.
• Started its first initiative for an environment-friendly supply chain by including a binding provision concerning full compliance with Garanti BBVA's Environmental Management System in supplier contracts.
• “Rotaban” project brought into practice aiming to reduce fuel consumption of Garanti BBVA's personnel service buses in Istanbul.
• Launched Disability-Friendly Banking initiative

• Became a member of United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).
• Launched its Environmental and Social Loan Policies.
• Established its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Process (ESIAP).
• Construction of the Pendik Technology Campus started - to be designed according to the LEED criteria.
• KOBİLGİ (SME Information) seminars started.
• Established “SALT”, an important milestone in the Bank’s longstanding support for culture and the arts.
• Received acknowledgment in the CDP Project Global 500 Report 2011.
• Share in operational Wind Energy Power Plants in Turkey increased to 40%.

• First submission of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change strategy to CDP.
• Established its Sustainability Committee.
• Established “Atölye” (Workshop) - project-based innovation platform.

1 BUMED (Boğaziçi University Alumni Association) Business Angels.
2IAIR - International Alternative Investment Review, the first-ever magazine that emphasizes sustainability from the perspective of the global economy.