The 31st Şahabettin Bilgisu Environmental Awards meticulously organized by the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KCI) since 1995 to encourage industrial enterprises that contribute to the development of environmental awareness, protection, and improvement, were held once again this year. Open to all companies across Türkiye, the awards continue to set a benchmark for environmental responsibility.
The award ceremony hosted at the new KCI service building, witnessed broad participation. Attendees included Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş, Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor Semih Akgün, Kocaeli University Rector Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk, KOÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Elif Öğüt, Head of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department Mesut Önem, members of the late Şahabettin Bilgisu’s family – his daughter Ayşen Yengin and his sister Bilge Yener – along with KCI Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Assembly President Hasan Tahsin Tuğrul, KCI board members, assembly members, provincial directors, OIZ managers, company representatives, and many other guests.
Tribute to Şahabettin Bilgisu
KCI President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu began his opening speech by commemorating the chamber’s founder:
“Today, I would like to once again respectfully and gratefully remember our late founder, Şahabettin Bilgisu, after whom this award is named. I want to recall his words: ‘Balance in economy and ecology; the secret lies in this balance.’”
He highlighted Kocaeli’s pioneering environmental projects such as the Air Quality Improvement Project, Green Eye Project, and the İzmit Bay Eastern Basin Dredging, Dewatering and Disposal Project, noting that the city also leads in grey water usage. He further stated:
“Despite all these efforts and implementations, unfortunately, only our industrialists are blamed. What saddens us the most is the unfair attribution of all environmental pollution responsibilities solely to industrialists.”
Digitalization and Decarbonization: Key Agenda Items
“Today, the world is undergoing a rapid and profound transformation. Climate change policies, with visible and striking impacts, are at the top of the global agenda. Within this framework, it is planned that the normalization of the new world order will be ‘Green and Digital’,” he said.
Zeytinoğlu emphasized the European Union’s significance as Türkiye’s most important trade partner, adding:
“Naturally, digitalization and decarbonization are our main priorities as well. The Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C and the EU Green Deal’s transition to a low-carbon, circular economy are accelerating this process. The European Green Deal has set the goal of making Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Türkiye has also announced its target to become climate-neutral by 2053. Achieving these targets is not easy.”
“We Need to Accelerate Our Efforts”
Referring to a TEPAV survey, Zeytinoğlu stated that Türkiye is the third country to be most affected by the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) after China and Russia. He noted that companies still have a long way to go to adapt and emphasized the need to speed up work in this area. Highlighting that the green transition will bring significant changes, especially for carbon-intensive sectors, he reminded that exports to the EU in six high-carbon product groups will be subject to carbon certification starting from 2026.
“Türkiye can redirect this additional cost into domestic transformation by establishing an Emissions Trading System compatible with the EU. The Climate Law, which will facilitate the establishment and operation of ETS in our country, was submitted to the Parliament in April but withdrawn due to objections. We call for its revision and resubmission as soon as possible.”
“All Our Companies Are Champions”
Zeytinoğlu concluded his remarks by stating:
“With the Şahabettin Bilgisu Environmental Awards, we reward our companies every year as a demonstration of their environmental sensitivity. We take pride in hosting this organization for 31 uninterrupted years, which remains Türkiye’s first and only award program in this format. I congratulate all companies for their courage in participating and opening their doors and processes to us. We declare them all champions. I also thank everyone who contributed to making this ceremony a success.”
Congratulations to the Companies
Following Zeytinoğlu, Mesut Önem, Head of the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection and Control Department, spoke about the municipality’s environmental initiatives. The municipality received an award from the KCI and the Environmental Awards Jury for its contributions to the environment through the İzmit Bay Dredging Project. The award was presented to Önem on behalf of Mayor Tahir Büyükakın.
Governor İlhami Aktaş also took the stage, emphasizing the importance of the ceremony and congratulating the companies while underlining the necessity of leaving a clean environment for future generations.
Awards Presented to Their Winners
After the speeches, the awards were presented to the winners:
- Jury Special Award: Entek Elektrik Üretimi A.Ş. (received by Plant Manager Serbay Celikan from Ayşen Yengin and Bilge Yener)
- Large-Scale Enterprises Mixed Sector Environmental Award: Gülçiçek Kimya ve Uçan Yağlar San. ve Tic. A.Ş. – MG Second Branch (received by Corporate Communications Director Duygu Beşbıçak from Mesut Önem)
- Large-Scale Enterprises Automotive Supply Industry Environmental Award: Sango Otomotiv Ürünleri San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (received by Türkiye President Tomohiro Ichikawa from Chief Public Prosecutor Semih Akgün)
- SME Category Environmental Award: SAMM Teknoloji İletişim San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (received by Founding Partner Ayşe Akşit from KOÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Nuh Zafer Cantürk)
- Large-Scale Enterprises Environmental Award: Anadolu ISUZU Otomotiv San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (received by Operational Functions Group Director Hakan Özenç from Governor İlhami Aktaş)
The ceremony concluded with a cake-cutting celebration marking the 36th anniversary of the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry.
