Ülker, Türkiye's leading food company, completed the 10th anniversary of its long-term sustainability goals, set in 2014, with successful results in energy efficiency, water management, and community projects. Confidently advancing toward its 2050 Net Zero target, By 2025, Ülker will supply 100% renewable energy for the electricity used for the factories in Türkiye, preventing over 101,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Ülker Bisküvi has published its 10th Sustainability Report, which examines its performance in economic, environmental, social, and governance areas. The report, covering Ülker's operations in Türkiye and abroad from January 1 to December 31, 2024, reveals that the company has achieved the goals that exceed the long-term sustainability targets set in 2014.

Kölükfakı: We contribute to the transformation of the global food system through sustainability.

Ülker CEO Özgür Kölükfakı stated that they resolutely implemented their sustainability strategies throughout the year despite challenging global conditions, and expressed their happiness at having exceeded the targets they set 10 years ago. Emphasizing that the sustainability journey continues, Kölükfakı continued: “Extreme weather events and ecosystem losses directly impact the food production chain, reducing agricultural productivity, disrupting raw material supplies, and threatening water resources. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns negatively impact the production of essential agricultural raw materials. Taking these conditions into account, we continue to implement practices that will set positive examples not only for our own company but also for the sector as a whole and at the social level. With our sustainability efforts, which gained momentum in 2014, we maintain our leading position in the food sector. With our approach shaped under the main headings of Our Planet, Value Chain, Employees, and Community, we are resolutely advancing towards our 2050 goals. Since 2014, we have been contributing to the transformation of the global food system through our sustainability efforts, while continuously improving our governance structure and increasing our resilience to risks.”

Kölükfakı stated that they exceeded the water reduction target per unit of production set in 2014 by 12.2% in 2024 and achieved 42.2% water saving, also emphasized that they surpassed the target of reducing carbon emissions per unit of production by 40%, achieving a 51.4% reduction compared to 2014. Özgür Kölükfakı stated that “Ülker achieved energy savings of 8,070 MWh and water savings of 46,595 m³ in 2024 through projects aligned with its long-term sustainability goals, and that they used I-REC certified 100% renewable electricity in their factories in Türkiye, eliminating Scope 2 emissions in these factories and preventing 101,035 tons of carbon emissions."

With our innovations, we both reduce environmental impact and provide social benefits.

Kölükfakı stated that Ülker's innovation activities in 2024 will not only meet consumer expectations, but also aim to reduce its environmental impact and increase its social benefits, and continued as follows: “We launched the Wheat Regenerative Agriculture Project on a 180-hectare area in Kırıkkale. In another phase of our innovation-focused efforts, the ‘Biofortification Project,’ conducted in partnership with Sabancı University, has yielded its first results. Within this scope, our limited-edition ‘Saklıköy Field-Enriched Grain Biscuits,’ produced with wheat treated with foliar zinc and selenium, hit shelves in July 2025. With our ‘Beyond Hazelnut’ projects in the Eastern Black Sea region, ‘Regenerative Agriculture’ projects with wheat farmers in Central Anatolia, and ‘Beyond Cocoa’ projects reaching cocoa farmers in Africa, we continue to implement projects that encompass all stakeholders in our value chain with training programs, equipment,  sapling supports, and microbial fertilizer applications.”

Sustainability achievements brought leadership to international lists

Ülker CEO Özgür Kölükfakı stated that they have been listed on the Borsa Istanbul Sustainability Index since 2015 and achieved the distinction of being included in S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (The Sustainability Yearbook) for the fifth consecutive year in 2024. Kölükfakı said, “We continue to be  one of only nine Turkish companies included on the list, and the only company from Türkiye among 26 global companies in the food products category. Among the more than 450 global companies included in the LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) sustainability index, we were the category leader in January 2024, just as we were in January 2023. We also ranked first in all sectors on the Borsa Istanbul. Our first sustainability-linked bond issuance attracted significant interest. In 2023, we secured a $410 million sustainability-linked loan and issued $550 million in sustainability-linked bonds in 2024. We are determined to continue our stable growth with our sustainability vision, which we have made a permanent part of our corporate structure with long-term goals.”