PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP >> Partnership for Development with the Business Sector Project

PROMOTING UNDP'S PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESS FOR DEVELOPMENT Name of project: Partnership for Development with the Business Sector Budget: USD 340,000 Timeline: February 2005 - February 2007 What's the situation? Turkey's economy was liberalized starting in the 1980s. In general, Turkey's private sector is composed predominantly by enterprises in the conventional SME (Small Medium Enterprises) category. SMEs generate nearly 60% of employment in the country. In Turkey, UNDP introduced the Global Compact to a large private sector audience at the Forum-Istanbul Meeting "Marching Towards 2023" in March 2002. Similarly, the Millenium Development Goals were introduced to the Forum in Istanbul in May 2004. However, despite Turkey's relatively good economic development performance and the advancement of its private sector, the principles underpinning both global initiatives (the Global Compact or MDG's) are not well reflected in the strategic planning and interest group advocacies of the private sector, neither at the corporate nor at the medium to small scale level. At the corporate level, Turkey's private sector participation in the Global Compact is non-existent. At the firm level participation has been secured (60 firms) through the work of Turkish Confederation of Employers Associations (TISK), which is Turkey's national designate for the Global Compact. Yet, most SMEs consider the principles underpinning the Global Compact to be irrelevant to the commercial bottlenecks or opportunities that they may have. Similarly, while the MDGs globally concern the private sector, the governments and civil society alike, in Turkey the MDGs relevance to the private sector is not adequately investigated, nor much discussed. What's our mission? This project aims to promote UNDP's partnership for development with the business sector in Turkey. The project will undertake advocacy and awareness-raising events to promote the engagement of the private sector in UN/UNDP promoted development principles, notably the Millennium Development Goals and the Global Compact. The project will support the establishment of the UNDP-Business Partnership Project Office in Istanbul within Corporate Governance Association (COGAT) premises. The project will facilitate dialogue between business and other key development stakeholders in particular governments and civil society, in order to build trust and social capital, and stimulate and develop concrete partnership activities. How are we doing this? The project will promote UNDP's partnership for development with the business sector in Turkey in order to disseminate both the Millennium Development Goals and the Global Compact. This will be accomplished at two levels: UNDP will support the continued development of the private sector through advocacy and policy dialogue related to the achievement of the MDGs and realising good corporate governance, aligning to the Global Compact, and creating a more enabling environment for business including SMEs and entrepreneurs. UNDP will support and build Public Private Partnerships through which it will engage the business sector in partnership on practical and tangible activities that contribute to Turkey's development agenda and achieving MDGs at local and national levels. At both these levels of partnership with the business sector, the UNDP will support opportunities for regional collaboration and partnership. The project is an umbrella program framing UNDP's business partnerships in several areas of development cooperation. The dynamism of the business community in Turkey requires that UNDP pursue multiple partnership avenues. Therefore, this umbrella approach allows UNDP to pursue multiple partnership activities with different business communities and their representatives. How will this benefit Turkey? Immediate beneficiaries are the private sector associations and organizations through which enhanced advocacy for the Global Compact and MDGs can be made. The beneficiaries of the project are national businesses that will improve their market integration, competitiveness and longevity through applying global principles (such as Global Compact and MDGs) into their way of doing business. Who are our partners? Corporate Governance Association of Turkey (COGAT): COGAT works on ensuring that corporations of our country become more competitive, following internationally accepted governance principles, creating maximum value for their stakeholders. Turkish Confederation of Employers Associations (TISK): TISK is Turkey's national designate for the Global Compact. TISK also represents Turkey at the International Organization of Employers (IOE) with whom UNDP has signed a corporate level Memorandum of Understanding concerning Global Compact dissemination and private sector partnership. Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD): TUSIAD aims to establish the legal and institutional framework of a market economy and to ensure the application of internationally accepted business ethics. The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB): The main aim of TOBB can be summarized as providing and supporting the unity and solidarity between chambers and commodity exchanges and as well as developing trade and industry sector according to their general interests, facilitating professional activities, giving priority to public approach in confidence and honesty, protecting professional ethics and discipline. Trade Unions Confederation of Turkey (TURK-IS): TURK-IS defends and promotes the rights and interest of workers as a whole. PROJECT DOCUMENTS Partnership for Development with the Business Sector Project Contact information: Lara Romaniuc UNDP Turkey Country Office Ankara Tel: (90-312) 454 1134 Lara.romaniuc@undp.org