On 16th December, the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) and its partner, the Business and Human Rights Association Turkey (BHRTR), hosted a launch and stakeholder consultation event for Phase II of the “Strengthening Business and Human Rights Awareness and Capacity Building of Civil Society Actors” Project, supported by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Consulate in Istanbul. The event aimed to present findings from the Phase I report on Turkey’s business and human rights (BHR) landscape, outline activities for Phase II, and gather valuable stakeholder feedback.

The event began with opening remarks by Asuman Kübra Baş (ENC Project Manager) and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye (ENC Director), who emphasized the vital role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in implementing new due diligence laws (e.g. LkSG and CSDDD). They highlighted the need for stronger stakeholder collaboration to prevent human rights violations in supply chains. Martin Graf, Deputy Consul General at the German Consulate in Istanbul, stressed the growing awareness of these laws among larger companies while emphasizing the importance of extending this understanding to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in his welcoming speech.

The presentation of Phase I findings by Emre Keki (ENC Researcher) and Serra Zoraloglu (Projects and Services Coordinator at BHRTR) revealed significant challenges faced by Turkish companies—particularly SMEs—in understanding and complying with the new regulations. These challenges include limited awareness of legal requirements, a lack of resources and expertise to conduct effective due diligence, and concerns about the impact of compliance on competitiveness.

The event continued with an outline of Phase II activities, which were designed to address the challenges identified in Phase I. As explained by Dr. Çiğdem Çımrın (Co-Founder and Chairperson, BHRTR), Phase II focuses on building the capacity of key stakeholders to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape. This includes tailor-made trainings for NGOs, and trade unions, establishment of a dedicated platform for cooperation and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders and several important visibility activities.

The program ended with a stakeholder consultation bringing together representatives from Turkish CSOs, academics, foundations, unions, and NGOs. They shared best practices, explored collaboration, and discussed common challenges, highlighting the need for joint efforts, shared learning, and stronger due diligence in advancing human rights and environmental standards.