Our Foundation engages in international cooperation to follow global approaches in civil society works and philanthropy and to boost the visibility in international platforms of activities in these sectors in Türkiye. Within this scope, in 2023, we maintained our memberships in Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), the Council on Foundations (COF), and the Foundations Platform F20 as well as our cooperation with Synergos Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC) and similar organizations.

In 2023, much like the preceding year, we released a Philanthropy Letter to reflect on the past period and communicate our insights regarding the future of philanthropy. We disseminated the letter to our stakeholders in Türkiye and abroad, presenting it in both Turkish and English languages.

In 2023, Nevgül Bilsel Safkan, the General Manager of Sabancı Foundation, was elected to Philea’s Advisory Board, solidifying the Foundation’s dedication and contribution to these important initiatives.

Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea) 2023 Conference

The Philanthropy Europe Association Annual Conference took place in Croatia on May 23-25, 2023, with in-person attendance. The conference welcomed nearly 700 participants representing foundations and national network organizations. The Sabancı Foundation participated in the conference, where discussions centered around the role of philanthropy in times of crisis. The main focus was on the significance of fostering solutions through youth engagement and intergenerational solidarity.

Philanthropy Europe Association – Gender Equality Thematic Network

The Sabancı Foundation became a founding member of the Gender Equality Thematic Network, established in 2014. The Sabancı Foundation was the sole representative from Türkiye, among other founding members of the network such as the Barrow Cadbury Trust, the King Baudouin Foundation, and the Mama Cash Foundation. The Gender Equality Thematic Network continued to work actively in 2023.

The European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability

The Sabancı Foundation is a founding member of the European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability, founded in 2009 to unite the foundations and other shareholders issuing grants to support the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Sabancı Foundation is the only Türkiye-based member of the Consortium, which currently operates under the title of the Philanthropy Europe Association Disability Thematic Network. Other founding members are foundations based in Spain, France, Portugal, and Ireland. The consortium continued to work actively in 2023.

Zero Project Conference

The Sabancı Foundation has actively participated in the Zero Project Conference since 2013. In 2023, the conference was organized in a hybrid mode, taking place on February 22-24, focusing on the theme of Independent Living and Political Participation. As the Sabancı Foundation, we participated in the conference in person. We contributed to the ’New Approaches of Funding Institutions’ session, where we discussed our Grant Program. Additionally, we engaged in discussions about the situation of people with disabilities in regions affected by the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes during the “Inclusion in Times of Crisis” session. Sabancı Foundation General Manager Nevgül Bilsel Safkan participated as a speaker in the sessions.

Foundations Platform F20

The Sabancı Foundation accelerated its climate efforts in 2023 and shared experiences with other stakeholders. The Sabancı Foundation became the first and only Türkiye-based member of the climate-oriented Foundations Platform F20 in 2021 and maintained membership in 2023.

Our Climate Activities

• The Disaster and Emergency Fund, established last year to fight the disasters triggered by climate change, was used to mitigate the effects of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
• With the inclusion of the fight against climate change in the Grant Program themes, the youth project, which secured the first climate-related grant in 2022, was completed in 2023. A new climate project for grant support was determined in 2023.
• We became the first and only organization in Türkiye to sign the “International Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change” by the global WINGS network and the Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), and continued our efforts in accordance with the commitment.
• To draw attention to the climate emergency through cinema, the theme of the Sabancı Foundation 8th Short Film Competition was determined as “Water Crisis.” Güler Sabancı, the Chair of Sabancı Holding and the Board of Trustees of the Sabancı Foundation, received the European Sustainability Award – Prix Film4Climate at the 36th European Film Awards held in Berlin. The award is presented to institutions and organizations that inspire and encourage awareness of responsibility.
• In 2023, we expanded our Papuduk book series with the addition of the “Papuduk and the Love of Nature Activity Book,” aimed at fostering the social and emotional development of children aged 4 and above. This engaging resource addresses various topics, including environmental protection, climate change, sustainability, recycling, and waste management.
• Nevgül Bilsel Safkan, the General Manager of the Sabancı Foundation, authored an article detailing the organization’s endeavors and insights in the realm of climate change. This article can be accessed on Philea’s website.