Anadolu Etap Deemed Worthy of the "Gold" award at the "EBRD Sustainability Awards"
Turkey’s largest fruit grower and fruit juice concentrate producer Anadolu Etap was deemed worthy of the "Gold" award in the "Best Environmental and Social Practice" category at the 2021 Sustainability Awards by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Leading the development of agriculture and agriculture-based industries in Turkey through sustainable agricultural practices, Anadolu Etap was granted an award in the "Best Environmental and Social Practice" category at the 2021 Sustainability Awards of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). At the Sustainability Awards, which are given annually based on the assessment by an independent board of the candidates nominated by EBRD, Anadolu Etap won the "Gold" award for its environmental protection policy, smart & modern agricultural techniques, efforts aimed at the improvement of the living conditions of seasonal migrant workers and their children and programs supporting women’s employment.
Speaking at the online award ceremony, which was held on 29 June with the participation of all EBRD stakeholders, Bahadır Açık, General Manager, Anadolu Etap, said recognition by the EBRD with such an invaluable award was very meaningful and filled them with pride. In his address at the award ceremony, Bahadır Açık spoke about the efforts by Anadolu Etap with the goal of a sustainable world. In his address, Açık said, "As the first agricultural company in Turkey that included in its business plans and implemented the ‘Sustainable Agriculture Principles’ we drew up together with our stakeholders, we maintain the balance between human and nature across all stages of our production processes. At our farms and our plants, we focus on our sustainable agriculture principles and the efficient use of natural resources while also launching exemplary programs that generate social value. In addition to the economic value we create through quality, sustainable and safe food, we also invest in human and the environment."
"We are investing in the future of our country with AgroAcademy and MİÇO"
Speaking at the ceremony, Açık listed the AgroAcademy platform and MİÇO (Children of Seasonal Agricultural Workers) program among the most important programs implemented by Anadolu Etap in accordance with its sustainable agriculture principles, and said: "Through our MİÇO program where we work together and put our hearts in as the entire Anadolu Etap family, we support the education of the children of our seasonal agricultural workers, whose educational lives are disrupted due to the seasonal worker migration. Since 2015, we have been helping children continue their education without interruption at the schools we set up at our farms. Through our MİÇO program, we have served as a bridge to the dreams for the future of more than 1,250 children to date. Through our AgroAcademy platform, we have provided a total of 875 farmers –75 percent of whom are women– with training on sustainable agriculture since 2014. Every year, we provide employment to 2,000 seasonal workers at our farms, improving their living and working conditions. We make sure that women account for at least 70 percent of the workforce at our farms, supporting women’s participation in the economy and in labor. We are investing in the future of our country with our programs, which we are proud to lead the efforts to scale out across our country."
Investing in sustainable agriculture for the efficient use of natural resources and our environment
Noting that they had based their business model on the efficient use of natural resources since the inception of their company, Açık explained their sustainable agriculture policies: "Since we were established, we have invested USD350 million in the fruit industry in our country, a significant portion of which was allocated to our smart agriculture practices. We have several agricultural and technological practices aimed at managing the possible effects of climate change, and particularly of drought, and to ensure the efficient use of natural resources, particularly of water. We launch important projects that help save energy in our plants, our packing house and our farms. Through our waste management policy, we develop new products from our organic waste, providing raw materials to various industries. We planned for the composition of the soil, slope of the land, the light needed by fruit trees, and on the efficient use of water and natural resources before building our farms. The agriculture industry accounts for nearly 70% of the water used in our world. And we save up to 40% water by using the drip irrigation methods in all our farms. Our remotely accessed smart irrigation and fertilization system measures the humidity and fertilizer the soil needs, allowing us to provide our trees with as much nutrients as they need. Thanks to the night irrigation we provide with these systems, we prevent the vaporization during day of water that the plant could otherwise benefit, thus protecting natural resources, boosting the efficiency of the fertilizer and saving on resources. We strive to set an example to our producers particularly in the regions where we operate in order to scale out these practices."