BORUSAN, Istanbul, Türkiye: Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program

Essay of up to 525 words

Total 521 words used.

Borusan Holding is an Istanbul-based group of companies operating in manufacturing, automotive, energy and logistics in Turkey and around the world. While Borusan advances its sustainability goals by placing sustainability at the center of its strategy, it also cares about raising public awareness on sustainability. With this vision, the Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program was launched with the aim of inspiring new initiatives for sustainability. 

Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program, organized in collaboration with Impact Hub Istanbul, is a grant and capacity development program that supports projects with high impact potential that use innovative methods and set out to influence and mobilize target audiences to solve social and environmental issues. 

The Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program aims to increase the impact of existing or new projects, to integrate impact with the idea of change, and to transform projects into a tangible output in a sound way. 

The program has been running every year since 2022. Its first period started in October 2022 and ended in July 2023. In the first period of the program, the focus areas were determined under 2 main headings: combating the climate crisis and reducing inequalities. 121 applications were received and 3 projects were supported after the evaluations. 

The new period of the program started in July 2023 and ended in April 2024, aiming to contribute to the solution of social and environmental issues and the reconstruction process in the earthquake region, which was severely devastated after the major earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023. In  2nd Round, 4 main focuses were identified for the earthquake region: education, reducing inequalities, livelihoods and job opportunities, and environment and ecology. 142 applications were received and 4 projects were supported.

Highlights of the Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program: 

1. Focus on Early Stage Ventures: 

While most existing social entrepreneurship support programs in Turkey focus on projects in a certain level of maturity, the Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program prioritizes supporting early-stage initiatives. This allows projects that have not yet been recognized but have great potential to come to light and flourish. 

2. Creating a Multiplier Effect: 

The program not only supports social initiatives, but also aims to ensure that these projects reach large audiences and mobilize society. When selecting the projects to be supported, the focus is on projects that can have a high impact on society. 

3. Long-term and Sustainable Support: 

Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program does not only offer short-term grant support to projects. It establishes long-term collaborations with the supported projects and stands by them throughout their journey. Regular meetings are held with project teams and support is provided for the needs that arise during the implementation process. Even after the program ends, projects continue to be supported. For example, the "Marmara's Hope Pina" project, which was supported in 2022, continues to receive the support in 2024. 

4. Involving the Community and NGOs in the Solution: 

While many existing programs contribute to social problems at a micro level, the Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program aims to involve large segments of society and civil society organizations in the solution. This increases the impact of the program and creates a broader base for social change. 

In Summary, Borusan Sustainable Benefit Program differs from other social entrepreneurship programs by focusing on early-stage initiatives, aiming to create a multiplier effect, long-term support, and broadly involving the community in the solution. These unique approaches enable the program to offer more effective and sustainable solutions to social and environmental problems.