With the report published with the independent assurance statement Nourish's "Waste-Free Company" business model in 2024 sustainability The concrete steps taken in the field and its sustainability performance were shared with the public. NourishIn its report, it comprehensively included the activities it carried out with the focus areas of “Working for the Future of Nature,” “Strengthening with Stakeholders,” and “Inspiring the Future.”
Besler, which brings together consumers with 57 brands and over 1500 products under the category of frozen food and canned food, SuperFresh, frozen bakery DFU, and oil brands Bizim Yağ, Teremyağ, Luna, Yayla, Sabah, and Halk, has published its 8th Sustainability Report.
The first TSRS-compliant sustainability report has been published.
As part of its strategic sustainability efforts, the company published its first sustainability report this year, aligned with the Turkish Sustainability Reporting Standards (TSRS). The report includes priority climate risks, their financial impacts, and targets and performance indicators to optimize these impacts. Besler optimized its financial perspective with a focus on sustainability.
A stakeholder and impact-focused sustainability strategy was created.
To strengthen the foundations of its 2024 sustainability vision and integrate stakeholder input into its processes from an environmental, social, and financial impact perspective, Besler conducted a "double materiality analysis." Strategic sustainability objectives were established around the high-priority issues revealed by this analysis. During this analysis, Besler also addressed sustainability and climate-related risks and opportunities, enhancing resilience throughout its value chain.
Innovative projects have been implemented from harvest to consumption for the sustainable future of food.
The company continues to focus on areas such as food loss and waste, efficient use of resources, food safety, and sustainable raw material supply, and has continued to implement innovative projects for the sustainable future of food. SuperFresh, a leading frozen food brand, has developed an integrated business model under its "Zero Food Loss from Soil to Plate" project, which aims to prevent waste from harvest to consumption. As part of sustainable agricultural practices, farmers receive regular training and consulting, while domestic production is supported through contract farming support.
With the incentive efforts carried out to expand the use of drip irrigation in sweet corn-planted areas, farmers achieved a yield increase of nearly 31 million TL, saved approximately 4,1 million tons of water, saved 2 million kWh of energy, and achieved financial savings of over 6 million TL.
SuperFresh's Women Stars of Agriculture project saw the proportion of female farmers working with reach 2024% by 30. These women farmers were better equipped through training in a wide range of areas, from financial literacy and ecological literacy to entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence.
Measuring the impact of the entire value chain with a focus on combating climate change, Besler implemented a total of 2024 energy efficiency projects, including completed and ongoing projects, with an investment of over 9 million TL in 14.
Technology and innovation-focused projects add value to the transformation of agriculture
Besler's visionary project, SAFER (Smart Agriculture Fields in the Europe Region), focused on efficiency and sustainability and implemented in collaboration with the European Union and TÜBİTAK, has improved the production processes of potatoes, one of the most consumed agricultural products. The project, which features an internet of things and artificial intelligence-powered early warning system, monitors potato fields in experimental areas in real time using drones and sensors to identify water and nutrient needs. These early warning systems help prevent potential diseases and losses. With the successful integration of the system, results have exceeded the targets. Product quality has increased by 25%, yields by 17%, and resource usage (including labor) has been reduced by 40%.
Mert Altınkılınç: “We are working for the future of food with a responsible production approach.”
Stating that they continue to work with determination for the future of food with the understanding of responsible production, Besler CEO Mert Altinkilinc He noted: “We work with all our stakeholders to increase the resilience of food systems at every stage of our value chain, from farm to table. At Besler, we don't just prioritize environmental sustainability and the protection of natural resources; we position them at the heart of our strategy. With this understanding, we systematically reduce our negative environmental impact each year in areas such as energy efficiency, packaging optimization, and waste management, while strengthening our social impact by integrating diversity and inclusion into a lasting company culture. With the responsibility of operating in a vital sector like food, we approach sustainability with a holistic approach, aiming to transform together without leaving any of our stakeholders behind.”
Source: HORECA Trend and Nutrition