Report that will guide the textile industry about ‘Green Consensus’

Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO), Izmir Development Agency (IZKA) and Izmir University of Economics (IUE) have launched an exemplary project that will guide companies, operating in the textile sector, in the ‘Green Consensus’ process. Analyzes were made through surveys and focus group studies on many issues such as what the basic needs of companies are, what strategic steps they should take and how green transformation will affect companies. All the data obtained were shared with the sector representatives with the report titled “Research on the determination of the preparedness level of the Izmir industry for the Green Consensus and the measures to be taken”.

The launch meeting regarding the final report of the research was held with the participation of IZTO Vice Chair of the Board Emre Kızılgüneşler, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar and IZKA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Yavuz. Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kentmen Çin, IUE Vice Rector,  Prof. Dr. Burcu Güneri Çangarlı, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Asst. Prof. Dr. Mine Güngörmüşler of Faculty of Engineering made presentations at the meeting hosted by IZTO.

WE EMPHASIZE ITS IMPORTANCE

Mentioning the importance of the green economic approach that came into play as a solution adopted by the whole world, Emre Kızılgüneşler, Vice Chair of the Board of IZTO, said, “Maintaining the competitiveness in exports to the European Union, which is our number one commercial partner, depends on the seriousness of the steps we will take on green transformation. In line with these developments, we have been working for more than two years with the belief that preparing our companies for green transformation is among our main duties, and we explain the importance of the issue on every platform.”

WE ARE PLEASED

Kızılgüneşler continued as follows: “We believe that supporting the transformation intention we have put forward with concrete studies and progressing with good management in public-private sector-university cooperation will serve as a lever in attracting green finance and green investments to our city. In this context, we are pleased with the completion of the textile industry report, which is the first stage of the project to identify the vulnerabilities of SMEs in the Izmir ecosystem against climate change and to prepare sectoral roadmaps in line with the identified risks and vulnerabilities. Believing that this meeting and our report will contribute to the achievement of the sector's goals for green economic transformation, I would like to thank those who contributed to the preparation of this report.”

WE SHOULD NOT FALL BEHIND IN THE COMPETITION SYSTEM

IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar pointed out that the effects of global changes were increasingly felt, and said that natural disasters, droughts and severe weather changes affected the world. Prof. Dr. Aşkar said, “In the framework of the EU Green Consensus announced on 11 December 2019, member states accepted the need to act together and committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990. These plans aim to transform the European economy. This change will also have a major impact on global economic and trade relations. Especially countries like Turkey, which have intense trade relations with Europe, need to keep up with this transformation in order not to be left behind in the new competition system. Because compliance with the Directives set forth within the scope of the Green Consensus will affect both our exports and imports.”

WE ACCEPTED THE WORK

Prof. Dr. Aşkar stated the following: “An action plan was drawn up in Turkey within the scope of compliance with the Green Consensus. As Izmir University of Economics, we accelerated sustainability-based studies within our institution with the aim of taking an active role in this process. In this transformation process, in which cooperation is especially essential, IUE academics successfully completed the project titled, “Research on the determination of the preparedness level of the Izmir industry for the Green Consensus and the measures to be taken” with the cooperation of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce and the support of the Izmir Development Agency. In the project, we worked with companies in the textile sector that are members of IZTO. Focus group studies, surveys and trainings were carried out, carbon footprint analysis was carried out for a pilot company and preparedness for the changes to come with the Green Consensus was measured. Awareness was created and policy recommendations were made to identify and improve deficiencies.”

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE

Expressing that the effects of global climate change are clearly felt today, IZKA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Yavuz said: “It is of great importance to implement sustainable practices to reduce the environmental pressures we face. In this context, as Izmir Development Agency, we develop strategies aiming to protect natural resources in the region and prevent their negative effects on production, and work for the development and dissemination of clean energy and Technologies, with the green growth approach aiming at environmentally oriented sustainable economic growth. We especially support green transformation activities in the development of practices targeting resource efficiency in the industry and reducing carbon emissions.”

IT WILL RAISE AWARENESS   

Dr. Yavuz continued as follows: “As you know, the European Green Consensus requires some regulations on our exporting companies. At this point, this project, which was prepared in partnership with our Agency, Izmir University of Economics and Izmir Chamber of Commerce, identifies and analyzes how ready and willing the companies in the textile sector in Izmir are to green transformation and the European Green Consensus. We consider that it will guide our industrialists in this field by raising awareness.”

IT WILL GUIDE THE COMPANIES

The ‘Research on the Determination of the Preparedness Level of the Izmir Industry for the Green Consensus and the Measures to Be Taken’ was carried out in cooperation with Izmir Development Agency (IZKA), Izmir University of Economics (IUE) and Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO) to determine and analyze how ready and willing the companies in the textile sector in Izmir are to green transformation. Within the scope of the project, trainings titled, ‘EU Green Consensus and Carbon Footprint Legislation’ and ‘Life Cycle Analysis and Carbon Footprint Measurement in the Industry’ were given to companies in the Izmir textile industry.

TRAINING TO 16 COMPANIES

Total of 16 companies that participated in the trainings given by IUE faculty members in two sessions at IZTO, were informed about the content and economic effects of the Green Consensus, carbon footprint measurement, the technical infrastructure they need to have in order to measure carbon footprints, and actions to reduce carbon footprints. Within the scope of the study, surveys and focus group studies were conducted to measure the perceptions and attitudes of companies about how much effort they make for green transformation, under what conditions they will adapt, their level of knowledge, how sensitive to the environment they are producing, purchasing and designing. In the last stage of the study, both the annual corporate carbon footprint of the pilot company selected after the trainings and carbon footprint measurements for a cotton t-shirt selected as a pilot product were completed.