Corporate Social Responsibility

› Meptur › Corporate Social Responsibility

MEP Destination Management's Corporate Social Responsibility initiative
embraces three primary elements:

Sustainability - MEP Destination Management
Sustainability - Our clients
Community Engagement

MEP's sustainability focus is the 1987 UN conference definition: "sustainable developments are those that meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". With this target underpinning its activities and to set the standard in Turkey MEP has established clearly defined parameters and targets that it seeks to meet and demonstrates this through committed corporate membership of the Green Meeting Industry Council.

The goal of GMIC members is to encourage collaboration within the meetings industry toward the development of green standards that will improve the environmental performance of meetings and events on a global basis. The GMIC is the only professional green meetings organization that is a member of CIC and is the leading global community for sustainability education, research, policy and standards for the meeting, incentive, conference and event industry.

With these goals in mind MEP first leads change from within, better using and managing its own resources - air, energy, water and waste - by its staff at both its offices and on site.

The second is to work with clients to both meet their Green Meeting and Event objectives and to assist them furthering their goals both in Turkey and when they return home. According to recent research, 67 percent of meetings and incentives professionals have taken environmental considerations into account when planning a conference or incentive program. This number is fast growing, the corporate model is fast changing and sustainability is no longer fringe but mainstream.

Lastly MEP is active in the community and actively supports two Turkish non governmental organizations whose purpose is to meet the goals of the 1987 UN definition of sustainability highlighted at the begining of this page.

The first is TEMA - The Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats, and the second CEKUL - the Protection of Environment & Culture Assets Foundation.

MEP has been especially involved with the Turkish Friends of Çatahöyük by making a significant contribution towards the construction of an experimental building on the settlement site. Çatalhöyük is the largest known Neolithic settlement ever, where around 9,000 year ago people lived together in harmony for a period estimated at several thousand years, possibly as a matriarchy. The oldest known paintings discovered on the manmade walls at Çatahöyük reveal information on what people at the threshold of civilization actually felt and thought.

A dream comes true... Since the beginning of this year, we were looking for a school to support. Finally we found Gumussdere Elementary school in Istanbul, an hour away from the city center. The director of the school and the teachers welcomed us with very encouraging words. The school was in a very bad condition. There was a remarkable need for repair both indoors and outdoors. We worked with our technicians for several days to determine the needs. Then, we visited our friends at the 4 & 5 star hotels Four Seasons, Kempinski, Hilton, Swissotel, Conrad, Parksa, Hyatt, Point Hotel, The Marmara and Radisson Sas; our decoration partner Da-vet; our production partner FYM; our technical partner Spectrum; our printing partner Deha; our marketing partner Serra and our photographer friend Bulent... It was amazing, unbelievable, very motivating. They were all very enthusiastic to become a part of it... They sent materials, paintings and whatever else was needed and told us that they were ready for the BIG DAY when we would come together to liven up the school.

BIG DAY - 27 August 2009

09:00 We met at Conrad Hotel. We had breakfast with all our solution partners on the bus. They were all excited - managers, directors, executives, technicians ....

09:45 We arrived at the school - one big painting & repairing team. We were divided into 7 teams: turtles, scorpions, snakes.... Every team had specific job described and prepared in advance.

10:00 We started to paint and repair, to liven up this lovely elementary school with 230 students. The building had not been touched since 1968. We were accompanied by a wonderful DJ sponsored by our technical solutions partner.

12:30 We were a little tired and hungry. Time for lunch!

13:30 We made the final touches. We were quicker than expected and quite successful to the surprise of the professional painters supervising us.

17:00 As a result of our efforts, the school was smiling to us and we were watching it with happy smiles... We were tired, but happy. All our friends and partners were happy and proud and they thanked us. We expressed our thanks to them and got ready to leave.

This was the end of the first big day. We would meet again on September 24 to celebrate the first day of school with the students...

WITH OUR SOLUTION PARTNERS

WE MADE GUMUSDERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SMILE AGAIN

BEFORE AFTER