Yavuz IŞIK
ERMCO ve THBB Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı
President of ERMCO and THBB
Dear members and the representatives of our sector, when it comes to the works we conducted in 2018, our activities in the field of sustainability occupy an important place. Significant improvements were achieved in terms of sustainability through the “Responsible Sourcing Scheme Certification System” developed specifically for the ready mixed concrete, cement, and aggregate sectors upon the intense studies of our Association. As you know, our Association acts as the Regional System Operator of the Concrete Sustainability Council and Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association KGS Economical Enterprise (KGS) as the Certification Institution of the Concrete Sustainability Council. We completed the adaptation process of the Responsible Sourcing Scheme Certification System in 2018. At the end of the year, as the Turkish ready mixed concrete sector, we achieved one of the world’s breakthroughs in terms of sustainability. The first certificate was granted to Gebze Ready Mixed Concrete Plant of Akçansa, a member of our Association, upon the inspections conducted by KGS that is a Certification Institution of the Concrete Sustainability Council. Following that certification, Akçansa’s Büyükçekmece Cement Plant also became entitled to receive “Concrete Sustainability Council’s Responsible Sourcing Scheme Certificate.” Developed specifically for the ready mixed concrete, cement, and aggregate sectors, the “System for Responsible Sourcing Scheme” has substantial importance for our sectors and our firms are largely interested in this System. Lastly, Çimko, another member of our Association, was included in the System. Çimko’s Osmaniye Ready Mixed Concrete Plant and Altınşehir Ready Mixed Concrete Plant were entitled to receive the “Concrete Sustainability Council’s Responsible Sourcing Scheme Certificate.” At this opportunity, I once again congratulate our members Akçansa and Çimko.
The application of decreasing the housing loan interest rate below 1% by way of the public banks that has recently been adopted will not provide a significant impact on the market for the construction sector. Above all, a planned and comprehensive model must be put into practice in the construction sector. The Spatial Strategy Plan whose works were announced by our Minister of Environment and Urban Development to have been commenced might be an accurate start for the planning. Through that plan, it will be possible to conduct the plannings in a wide range, starting from the fulfilment of the land plot needs of the industry to reshaping of towns. It will be appropriate to implement a roadmap oriented to the entirety of the construction sector, which will put a stop to the regression in the construction sector that has over two million-people registered employment operating under it and that increases such figure much more along with the other sectors it affects, instead of a game plan established merely on upper-segment housing projects.