Can you give us some general information about the role of the Management Systems and Sustainability Department within the company and its main objectives?

Actually, it would be correct to divide this issue into two parts in terms of the functionality of our department. Firstly, in the Management Systems section, we ensure the continuity of all business processes within the company in an effective manner and the continuity of the organizational functionality of the departments in functional areas such as quality, environment, customer satisfaction and Occupational Health and Safety, and to organize the necessary policies, processes and procedures accordingly, in addition to this, on the Management Systems side, global certification processes are designed and brought to the company and their continuity is ensured.

On the other hand, on the Sustainability side, we are working towards the sustainability goals set by the United Nations, which consist of 17 articles under the environmental, social, social, sustainability governance topics. We can say that our primary goal is to bring together ATÜ Duty Free's sensitive and sensitive perspective on environmental awareness and social responsibility issues, which has been going on for many years, under the roof of "sustainability", which is a changing world approach, and to take it much further at the level of international standards.

Who are you in contact with?

We are in active communication with all departments within the company. Because the content of our work includes topics that regulate business operations throughout the company and meet systemic needs on a process basis. Therefore, we work with all our colleagues on the issues that need to be worked on together. In addition, we are in constant communication with our business partners TAV Airports Holding, our French partner ADP, Unifree and our German partner Gebr.Heinemann regarding Management Systems and Sustainability issues. We have projects that we carry out together. We also work together with public and private organizations on various projects and practices within our sector. We are working on the integration of all necessary certification processes on management systems and sustainability in the international arena into our company by completing the preparations.

Sustainability has become a focal point for companies today. Can you tell us about the international approaches and developments in this area in our sector?

Sustainability is being followed with increasing interest by large masses, especially by the business world. Sustainability also requires the reporting of information on the social and environmental consequences of business activities. Sustainability reports are seen as an indicator of social and environmental performance, corporate transparency and management quality for the future of companies. Economic, social and environmental factors are an integral part of business activities. Therefore, the structuring of these activities within the framework of sustainability understanding and their internalization by businesses can be made possible by monitoring. We follow practices in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, carbon footprint, biodiversity and supply chain issues under the heading of sustainability in the sectoral and operational areas we are in, and we work to take appropriate steps within the company and to ensure the necessary business disciplines. We carefully follow sectoral practices and developments in the locations where our company operates internationally and continue our business plans accordingly. We closely follow the work carried out in the fields of sustainability, especially at airports and sea ports.

What are ATÜ's priorities, vision and current efforts in terms of sustainability? Can you also tell us about their impact on the company's operations?

We continue to work on environmental values, social responsibilities and sustainability governance, which are the main priorities of the sustainability concept within our company. Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundland Commission UN report 1987). With this approach, our vision is to ensure the continuity and sustainability of our company structure through our environmental, social, managerial and financial efforts in the field of sustainability. As a global company, we can say that our main goal is to continue the necessary projects and studies to advance in the fields of sustainability in all our operations. In all our operations, we organize our activities to support social and social issues under the heading of sustainability. For example, we have a project to support local suppliers for the products we sell. We aim to support local suppliers. Similarly, we can also increase the number of eco-friendly products. We cooperate with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and actively work on providing support in areas of need with the participation of our employees. Under the heading of environmental management, we aim to ensure the continuity of natural resources on the consumption side by monitoring issues such as waste management, measurement and monitoring of emission rates, water and electricity consumption. In our practices, we especially address issues that attach importance to human health.

What sustainability goals or targets has the department set for the company? How are you working to achieve them?

For our 2023 targets, our main topics are energy emissions, waste, diversity and inclusion, supply chain, sustainable reporting system, social responsibility projects, sustainable business solutions, digitalization and innovation. We hold regular follow-ups and meetings with all our departments within the framework of these topics. In order to achieve these goals, we are working to integrate new models that will improve existing practices into our business approach. In addition, we ensure that our targets are up-to-date by checking opinions and practices with sectoral studies, universities, private organizations and associations to support the process from outside the company.

How does your department collaborate with other departments or teams within the organization to integrate sustainability into various aspects of the business?

We work with all colleagues through training and departmental meetings to make the sustainability perspective more effective and raise awareness throughout ATÜ Duty Free. In the near future, we are planning a "sustainability awareness training" for all our employees throughout ATÜ Duty Free in cooperation with Yıldız Technical University. Our aim is to inform our colleagues about sustainability issues, raise their awareness and ensure that they act with this in mind both within ATÜ Duty Free and in their own living spaces. We all have a role to play in sustainability efforts. Therefore, it is very important that we cooperate. For example, we work actively with our Corporate Communications department on NGOs and environmental targets. The topics such as diversity, scope and increasing the number of female employees, which we carry out together with our Human Resources department, are important issues on the sustainability side. We work with our category departments on suppliers. We work with our store managers on topics such as waste management, recyclable products and bags.

Can you explain the role of management systems such as ISO certifications in the company's sustainability efforts and overall success?

Management Systems aim to systematically address the activities of organizations in line with their overall strategies and resolve them within the framework of organizational business processes and continuous improvement approach. Accordingly, it is the preparation of a set of policies, processes and procedures used to ensure the fulfillment of the required tasks and the management of this system with internationally recognized certificates. In order for ATÜ Duty Free to be in the most established and leading position in the sector in the international arena, I believe that we should have all the necessary certifications and practices on Management Systems and Sustainability within our organization. Therefore, we are following the necessary process as the Management Systems and Sustainability Department. I am also very proud and happy to share this with you. ATÜ Duty Free took another important step in its sustainability journey and was awarded the Green Stars Certificate by TÜV Austria. This certificate is an indication of our sustainability efforts over a long period of time and our commitment to our social responsibility. This achievement is an expression of ATÜ Duty Free's commitment to leave a more sustainable world for the future. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our colleagues who contributed to this process and contributed to sustainability.

How many years have you been working for ATÜ and what have you gained from being a part of this structure?

I joined on January 10, 2000. I have been working at ATÜ Duty Free for 23 years. When I first joined, I was also continuing my student life. I completed my master's degree while working. I had different responsibilities and roles in Operations and then in Human Resources. I also worked for TAV Airports Holding within the Group. I am currently working as the Director of Management Systems and Sustainability in our company. At the same time, my responsibilities include Company Management Representative on the KVKK (personal data protection law) side and Employer Representative on the Occupational Health and Safety side. I can honestly say that ATÜ Duty Free is my second family. Being a member and a part of this family for years has always made me very happy. Because we have shared all our time with my colleagues, especially our managers in the management team. Over time, you feel and understand that you see and talk to them more than your own spouse and children. Therefore, I have always felt this support wholeheartedly and sincerely, both on my good days and in times of difficulty. I can wholeheartedly say that all these experiences have added a lot to me.

How many people does your team consist of? Can you tell us a little about your team?

Our team consists of four people. In addition, we are supported by two colleagues from the Human Resources department at the Head Office and Turkey operations. We regularly continue our work on management systems and sustainability within the team with our friends who are experts in their fields. Our areas of responsibility as a team include Quality Management Systems, Information Security Management Systems, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, Domestic and International Personal Data Protection Law Integration and Management, Organizational Business Process Management. On the sustainability side, we are responsible for monitoring the company's sustainability goals and ensuring the effective implementation of all processes under the heading of sustainability.