04/12/2025
The Sustainable Development Association (SKD) Türkiye, which guides the business world with its vision of sustainable development, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special gathering. The concept of "sustainability" and its new definition were discussed during a panel discussion held as part of the gathering. Sabancı University Faculty Member and Corporate Governance Forum Director Ozan Duygulu was among the panel participants.
The Concept of Sustainability from Sabancı University Academics
A committee of academics conducted a scientific study and reached a conclusion within the scope of the project, conducted in collaboration with SKD Türkiye and Sabancı University, aimed at translating the word "sustainability" from the Turkish Language Association's dictionary into a comprehensive definition. Led by Corporate Governance Forum Director Ozan Duygulu, and gathered with the contributions of Prof. Oğuz Babüroğlu, Prof. Eren İnci, Prof. Zafer Nuri Yenal, Prof. Ayşecan Terzioğlu, and Prof. Sibel Irzık, the academic committee evaluated and refined definitions submitted by SKD Türkiye member companies using a specific methodology, resulting in a final definition. The study file was submitted to the Turkish Language Association by SKD Türkiye and Sabancı University.
Turkish Language Association President Prof. Dr. Osman Mert Also Attended the Event
The Business World and Sustainable Development Association (SKD Türkiye) celebrated its 20th anniversary at a well-attended event. The association, which has been guiding the sustainable transformation of companies since 2005, shared its experience and new goals with the attendees. At the event, which also included Turkish Language Association President Prof. Osman Mert, the public was also informed of the work being conducted with Sabancı University to re-evaluate the concept of "sustainability" in Turkish, in line with the literature.
In his speech at the panel, Turkish Language Association President Prof. Dr. Osman Mert stated, "Maintaining the relevance of a dynamic and interdisciplinary concept like 'sustainability' requires constant monitoring and a layered definition strategy. An ideal dictionary aims to offer a semantic spectrum for such concepts rather than a fixed definition. This requires a corpus of texts. As the Turkish Language Association, we are currently conducting a corpus study that will form the basis of our dictionary." He added that initial findings are being evaluated accordingly.
SKD Türkiye Chair Ediz Günsel stated that sustainability has become an integral part of strategic decision-making processes in the business world, adding that Türkiye's 2053 Net Zero target has created a completely new transformation area for companies. Günsel also emphasized that Türkiye's hosting of COP31 in 2026 presents a significant opportunity for sustainability investments.
Ozan Duygulu: "Sustainability is not an outcome, it's a process."
Speaking on a panel as part of the program, Sabancı University Faculty Member and Corporate Governance Forum Director Ozan Duygulu emphasized the importance of accurately defining the concept of sustainability, stating: "To truly internalize sustainability, we must first define it correctly. This initiative, launched to update the dictionary definition, is one of the most important steps toward a holistic understanding of the concept."
The panel titled "Sustainability: Not Just Continuity," featuring Ozan Duygulu, was noteworthy for its academic perspective on the transformation of the business world's approach to sustainability.
The Young Generation Also on Stage
Young people participating in the Youth Impact Program also added dynamism to the program by sharing their future expectations in the field of sustainability. The event concluded with a plaque ceremony for member companies that have been involved with the association for many years.
