2010 STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE HIGHLIGHTS
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
As an adjunct to the ongoing dialogue that it maintains through ordinary channels, in late 2010 TSKB decided to conduct a comprehensive survey in order to determine how the Bank’s stakeholders perceive TSKB and to solicit their expectations and suggestions with respect to its approaches to:
- Sustainable banking,
- The environment,
- Social responsibility.
They survey was carried out between March and May of 2011. Representatives of each stakeholder category determined by TSKB were contacted first by e-mail and then by telephone, at which time responses were obtained to questions had been prepared under three main headings. As part of the same survey, stakeholders were also asked to communicate any expectations and suggestions they might have.
The results of the survey were discussed during a series of meetings that were led by TSKB’s environmental management representative. During these meetings, which were attended by the Environmental Banking Focus Group consisting of members of the Bank’s most senior management and of the TSKB Environment Management System and Corporate Social Responsibility teams, and other involved units of the Bank, the results were debated and evaluated. The points on which agreement was reached were then communicated to all involved units for action.
TSKB believes that the ideas and suggestions obtained through the TSKB Stakeholder Survey will provide important input for use in the period ahead in the areas of:
- Improving service processes
- Identifying future strategies
- Designing new products and services.
The findings obtained through the Stakeholder Survey broken down by individual stakeholder category and the issues prioritized by TSKB on the same basis are summarized below.
National initiatives and TSKB
TSKB plays an active role in its national market as well, engaging in an interactive collaboration with a great number of its organizations.
TÜSİAD Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association
DEİK Foreign Economic Relations Board
TÜSİAD Environmental Group
BAT Environmental Working Group
KalDer Turkish Quality Association
TKYYD Corporate Governance Association of Turkey
TSPAKB Association of Capital Market Intermediary Institutions of Turkey
İKSV İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Art
ISESI İstanbul Stock Exchange Sustainability Index Advisory Board
TSKB takes this opportunity to thank everyone who took part in this study for their feedback and contributions.
Stakeholder group |
Basic issues |
Findings |
TSKB-prioritized issues |
|---|---|---|---|
Customers |
• Customer satisfaction |
Customers in general are satisfied with the quality of service being provided to them. The Bank is extremely strong with respect to its abilities to design and develop products and services and needs-specific solutions. The Bank is very successful in communicating with customers. (Considered from the standpoints of qualified team, continuity, correct and sufficient information, etc.) The Bank is very good from the standpoints of speed in the lending process and providing the right service. |
• Further strengthen customer satisfaction |
• Sustainable finance |
Corporate finance, project finance, and investment banking are the areas in which the Bank is the most successful. |
• Further enrich and develop the product and service lineup in light of market trends |
|
• Evaluation of environmental and social risks |
The fact that environmental and social risks are taken into account during project processes is regarded with approbation. |
• Develop environmental and social risk-related activities in light of global best practices |
|
• Environment-related social responsibility projects and educational and informational activities related to them |
Only a relatively small percentage of customers are familiar with or even aware of the Bank’s social responsibility projects. |
• TSKB seeks to derive maximum benefit from its social responsibility activities budget by allocating the biggest part of it for projects themselves. The Bank needs to devote more resources to publicity efforts in the period ahead in order both to generate greater awareness of and response to such projects among stakeholder groups and to expand the scope of its influence. |
|
Employees |
• Environment-related social responsibility projects and educational and informational activities related to them |
While social responsibility projects are generally regarded as being successful, it is suggested that activities in this area need to be further developed and that greater public awareness of them needs to be created. |
• Add an interactive dimension to social responsibility activities and encourage participation in them |
• Internalization of the philosophy of sustainable banking |
It is suggested that the level of knowledge about sustainable banking needs to be raised. Respondents say there should be more training on this issue. |
• Conduct training on sustainable banking-related issues |
|
• Undertake efforts and take part in activities that have a direct environmental impact |
TSKB’s efforts to reduce its direct environmental impact are greatly admired. |
• Encourage participation in activities to reduce direct environmental impact |
|
• What distinguishes TSKB from its competitors from the standpoint of sustainable banking and what this means for the Bank’s employees |
TSKB employees regard the Bank’s adoption of a philosophy of sustainable banking as a distinguishing attribute and a source of pride. |
• Engage in new undertakings in the area of sustainable banking |
|
Shareholders |
• Sustainable banking approach and related practices |
The financing services that TSKB provides for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and environment-related investments are regarded favorably by shareholders. |
• Strengthen a transparent, systematic dialogue with shareholders |
• Environment-related social responsibility projects |
The Bank is regarded as successful from the standpoint of environment-related social responsibility projects. |
|
|
Government and regulatory agencies |
• Sustainable banking approach and related practices |
TSKB’s sustainable banking initiatives and its environment-related social responsibility projects are regarded as successful. |
|
• Relations with the public sector |
Public sector participants say that TSKB is an effective business partner that is timely in its responses. |
• Maintain communication and collaboration with the public sector while remaining in full compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and administrative provisions |
|
International financial institutions |
• TSKB as a local business partner |
International stakeholders regard TSKB as an extremely reliable and preferred business partner. |
• Increase collaboration with international stakeholders |
• Environment-related and sustainable banking projects |
The efforts which TSKB makes on behalf of the environment and sustainable banking in Turkey are regarded as models for others. |
• Be a more active participant in international initiatives |
|
• Service and response times |
The information that TSKB provides and the speed with which its responses and services are delivered are regarded as extremely satisfactory and professional. |
• Create a “benchmark” in the Turkish banking sector |
|
NGOs |
• Sustainable banking approach and related practices |
NGOs take an occasionally critical view of energy financing activities and express concern about the potentially adverse impact of energy projects on the environment. |
• TSKB recognizes NGOs as an important stakeholder group. It regards their criticisms as quite valuable input for its own efforts to improve and develop the ways it serves its customers. |
• Environment-related social responsibility projects Environment-related social responsibility projects |
NGO representatives think that TSKB is different than other banks and that it makes a greater and better effort for the environment than they do. Although NGOs regard TSKB’s social responsibility projects as successful, they point to a need for the Bank to be more conspicuous in its efforts in this area. |
• Add an interactive dimension to social responsibility activities and encourage participation in them. |
|
• Mutual relations |
NGOs regard TSKB as both a responsible and a successful project partner. |
• TSKB believes the importance of sustaining an interactive dialogue with NGOs. |
|
• Internet-based social responsibility educational and informational activities |
NGOs say that the Bank’s internet-based public-awareness efforts through the www.cevreciyiz.com and cevreciyiz.TV channels need to be increased. |
|
|
Media |
• Mutual relations |
Media representatives recognize TSKB as an authoritative respondent and consider the information that it imparts to be both satisfying and news-worthy. |
• Further strengthen relations with media representatives |
•Environment-related social responsibility projects |
Media representatives think that the Bank’s social responsibility activities make a positive contribution to society. |
• Add an interactive dimension to social responsibility activities and encourage participation in them |
|
The banking industry |
• Satisfaction with collaboration |
The Bank’s APEX banking partners are extremely pleased with TSKB’s collaboration. |
|
• APEX banking |
The financial institutions that work together with TSKB in the area of APEX banking regard TSKB as a good business partner. |
• Further strengthen the Bank’s leading position in APEX banking |
|
• Environment-related social responsibility projects |
TSKB’s environment-related social responsibility projects are admired. |
|
TSKB thanks to its stakeholders for their feedback and contribution.
Our employees’ views show us the way.
"Changes are constantly taking place in our world that it would be almost completely impossible or very time-consuming to undo. In order to discover and achieve the things that we all can do by becoming aware of this process, the www.cevreciyiz.com and cevreciyiz.TV channels were launched and began broadcasting in order to provide the community with proper guidance on these issues. Through the mission that it undertakes and with the audience that it reaches, it continues to broadcast as an extremely appropriate and honest resource in keeping with the needs of the day."
"I'm proud to be an employee of TSKB, a bank which leads the way in financing renewable energy and environment projects, which has earned us the Sustainable Banking Award three years in a row because of its environment-friendly attitudes and its stature as the first Turkish bank to have an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and to have erased its carbon footprint, and which serves as a model for other banks in the sector."
"I think that there's a need to improve efforts to inform stakeholders about social responsibility projects and increase their participation in them."
"TSKB's goal of achieving sustainable development by reducing its own environmental impact is a very good approach. The next step may be to take this process to the dimension of sustainable growth. In a sense we're already contributing towards sustainable growth by financing renewable energy but we could also be investing directly in areas that contribute to the environment as well." "It would be beneficial to make an additional effort to increase employees' awareness. I think that a lot of people don't yet know enough about these matters."
"I've made efforts as an individual to reduce environmental pollution: I try and use recyclable, environment-friendly materials; I sort my trash, especially things like paper, glass, and batteries."
"Of course it's a privilege to work for an environment-friendly company but in-house awareness could be increased. A more effective effort could be made to inform employees about the activities that are carried out as a company."
"I think that we're a "special" bank that differs from its competitors on many points and not just from the standpoint of sustainability. And I'm happy to be a part of that "specialness".
"Participation could be increased by explaining in detail what points personnel can create added value by turning their attention to them and what issues indirect interaction is possible. Paralleling this, even greater decreases in consumption and carbon emissions could be achieved."
Highlights from customer feedback
"It's easy for us to obtain the responses we need from TSKB's expert bankers on whatever transactions, projects, or consultancy we may want."
"The most fundamental reasons why we carry out all of our company's investments through TSKB are its experienced team and its ability to create the most appropriate resources through uninterrupted communication."
"The quality of its personnel, its customer-awareness, its rapid responses, and its acumen all reveal its superiority compared with other banks."
"They're very successful at getting back to customers and keeping them informed. They're also specialized in teamwork: there hasn't been a change in personnel yet. For this reason, they really reveal a different appearance than other commercial banks."
"We believe that TSKB has unique experience and strength in the area of project finance."
"Their approach to renewable energy investments is especially impressive. This is a bank that has a leading position in the Turkish market. I think they could be much more effective at marketing if they were to compare themselves with other banks (as in a league table)."
"It's satisfying to see banks that were set up to provide financial services taking part in environment-awareness projects. The existence of a policy on this issue is particularly impressive."
"We think that www.cevreciyiz.com and cevreciyiz.TV are very successful. The projects conducted jointly with Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) are especially impressive."
TSKB Stakeholder Engagement |
|---|
• The TSKB Stakeholder Survey reveals firstly that the Bank is well known by the stakeholders–such as employees, customers, APEX business partners, international organizations, and government and regulatory agencies– with which the Bank maintains individual and uninterrupted communication and secondly that its efforts are correctly perceived by them. • However the survey shows that the Bank needs to further develop its communication with stakeholder group–such as NGOs and media concerns–with which it engages in an indirect dialogue and with which no direct business/service relationship exists. • The survey also indicates that TSKB needs to be more effective in its efforts to make its stakeholders aware of the projects that it carries out in the area of social responsibility.
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What does our top management say about our efforts in the area of sustainable banking?
 |
Orhan Beşkök “TSKB is one of the best-known Turkish banks in international financial markets. The views and opinions expressed by our international stakeholders in the survey make us proud. Similarly I’d like to take this occasion to thank the NGOs that make up another of our stakeholder groups. Our goal henceforth must be to work more closely with NGOs and to better engage them in the construction of “the happier and cleaner world of the future”. |
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Çiğdem İçel “TSKB possesses an organizational structure that is informed by a customer-focused business approach. Our management team and employees identify with sustainability and perform their jobs with dedication, passion, and love. So long as we can maintain that distinction, TSKB will find it easy to achieve its corporate objectives.” “TSKB is solidly structured with respect to treasury management, capital markets, operations, back office, and after-sales services. That structure ensures perfection in the conduct of our Bank’s service processes and contributes towards its sustainable customer satisfaction.” |
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Ufuk Bala Yücel “TSKB continues to make a strong contribution to economic development in the area of project finance. Two prestigious Euromoney awards that we received in 2010, a year in which we authored some major business, confirm the international nature of our successes and efforts.” |
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Şeniz Yarcan “Our efforts in the area of corporate finance and investment banking position our Bank as a service provider at the international level while also making an increasingly greater contribution to customer satisfaction as well.” |
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Burak Akgüç “Customers are very important to TSKB. Our Bank has been striving to give its customers only the very best for sixty-one years. It pleases me to say that the stakeholder survey that we conducted at the very beginning of 2011 indicates that what lies behind TSKB success is strong customer satisfaction.” |
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Ömer Eryılmaz “In 2010, TSKB received the second highest corporate governance rating ever given in our country. That achievement not only is indicative of TSKB’s financial sustainability but also is a reflection of our Bank’s successful performance in the areas of corporate governance practices and stakeholder relations.” |
In this section:
- A sixty-one-year story
- For Turkey’s sustainable development
- TSKB’s integrated service strategy
- TSKB’s principal business lines
In this section:
- Creating value
- Who did we share what with and how?
- National and international recognitions
- Speaking on behalf of management: TSKB’s CEO assesses the Bank’s performance and presents its goals for the future
In this section:
- The key to sustainable development: Sustainable banking
- TSKB’s basic approach to sustainability: Continuously identify, implement, and improve upon correct strategies.
In this section:
- The importance and value of stakeholders
- Open, honest, and sincere communication
- Global and national initiatives
- What do our stakeholders say?
In this section:
- Banking products and services that meet Turkey’s needs
- One goal: A low-carbon economy
- Managing environmental impact
- Towards a smaller carbon footprint
In this section:
- Corporate governance and full compliance with law
- The highest corporate governance rating in the sector
- Risks and policies
- The importance of environmental risks
- Ethical banking
- Combating financial crime
- Suppliers: TSKB’s indirect environmental impact
In this section:
- Our most precious asset
- A compensation policy that is competitive and market-sensitive.
- Diversity and equal opportunity
- Systematic approach to training
- Zero-level workplace accidents
- Commuting by sea
In this section:
- Our approach to social responsibility
- A 60-year symphony
- Turning Winds
- cevreciyiz.TV
- Turkey’s richest-content environmental portal
- The NGOs that we collaborate with
In this section:
- About this report
- Global Reporting Initiative cross index
- Online sustainability
- Imprint
- Communication and service channels