Fezal Okur Eskil, Chief of Strategy, Business Development, and M&A at Yıldız Holding, presented the company’s pioneering sustainability vision and innovative practices at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, stating: “As the private sector, we must collaborate with all stakeholders to accelerate the transition to inclusive systems that prioritize resilience and sustainable prosperity.”

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was convened in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “In Solidarity for a Green World,” attracting extensive participation worldwide.

Fezal Okur Eskil, Chief of Strategy, Business Development, and M&A at Yıldız Holding, delivered a speech at the “Green Risks and Social Risks in the Context of Climate Change” panel hosted by the Impact Investment Advisory Board (EYDK). During the session, Eskil highlighted Yıldız Holding’s sustainability efforts, guided by its “This World is Ours” approach and “Waste-free Company” business model. Moderated by EYDK Board Member Hale Özsoy, the panel featured distinguished speakers, including Wiebke Schloemer, Regional Director for Turkey and Central Asia at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Çağla Eker Altınkulp, Climate Change and Sustainability Director at the Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye (TSKB). Discussions focused on identifying climate-related risks, enhancing resilience, and developing joint strategies through public-private-NGO collaboration, with diverse perspectives highlighting the shared goal of sustainable progress.

Fezal Okur Eskil underscored the responsibility Yıldız Holding assumes as a company with a significant impact on the vast ecosystem within the food and retail sectors, stating:

“The effects of the climate crisis are reducing biodiversity and simultaneously jeopardizing the sustainability of food. In order to feed the projected global population by 2050, food production must rise by 70%, a goal that is not achievable under current conditions. These alarming facts clearly reveal that existing systems, rooted in outdated models, are ‘unsustainable.’ There is an urgent need to repair and transform these systems. This transformation must encompass not only environmental sustainability but also economic and social dimensions. To achieve this, a comprehensive action plan must be developed, fostering collaboration and collective intelligence among all stakeholders.”

Noting Yıldız Holding’s approach to sustainability as a holistic system transformation, integrated across all processes through the “Waste-free Company” business model, Eskil stated, “We are restructuring our supply chains, with the objective of ensuring all our strategic suppliers comply with the ‘Yıldız Holding Responsible Purchasing Policy’ by 2030. We are investing in regenerative agricultural practices, which are essential to the sustainable future of food, and collaborating closely with our key stakeholders, especially farmers, to prevent food waste from farm to table, while supporting sustainable agriculture.” 

In shaping the future of the food and retail sectors, Eskil remarked that Yıldız Holding is advancing its R&D initiatives across a broad spectrum, from innovative products and sustainable packaging to water conservation and technological advancements in agriculture, with a commitment to doubling its sustainability-focused innovation investments by 2030.

Eskil concluded, “We will persist in our efforts with full commitment, aiming to ensure the sustainability of food and drive transformation through a holistic approach that strengthens all our stakeholders, leaving none behind.”