SMEs expected to grow, take on social responsibilities


Today, the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED) is introducing its project on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) regarding the integration of social, ethical and human rights into their broadening business activities.

Having engaged in many projects with the aim of creating economic and social benefits for the SMEs, TÜRKONFED will organize a meeting today which will be open to the press to introduce another project titled, "The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project for SMEs," backed by the EU and the Republic of Turkey's Ministry for EU Affairs which aims to bring benefits to SMEs.

The press meeting will be conducted by the Social Responsibility Association and MVO Holland as the attending project partners. EU Minister Ömer Çelik is expected to attend the meeting along with TÜRKONFED Chairman Tarkan Kadooğlu and Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Robert Schuddeboom will also attend the press meeting. Speaking to Daily Sabah regarding the project, Schuddeboom said: "Charitable projects are valuable to enhancing society. Dutch business can learn from Turkey in this respect. The CSR is about how products or services can add value to society."

Drawing attention to the fact that the Netherlands has a thorough CSR policy, Schuddeboom said that they believe that the challenge for the coming years lies in the timely identification of risks in various chains that are relevant to Dutch businesses: People and the planet have to be protected. He also reiterated that instead of incident management for ad hoc interests, structural solutions in international chains are of importance.

In addition, Schuddeboom said that Dutch and Turkish private sectors are encouraged to integrate CSR principles in their core business, so that both countries will benefit from sharing views and experiences on CSR-related themes.

Meanwhile, TÜRKONFED is a nongovernmental business organization that aims to contribute to the development of regional, sectoral and national economic policies. It is also an associate member of The European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME) since February 11, 2014.