YASED’S EXEMPLARY SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECT “KOZA”
IS IN ITS THIRD YEAR
“KOZA”, the social responsibility project initiated by YASED International Investors Association in 2009 to offer students internships in major international companies, started 2011 with even greater growth.
11 July 2011, Istanbul: The Koza Project, which provides university students studying in less developed regions of Turkey with internships in major international companies, was initiated by YASED International Investors Association in 2009. This project continues, expanded to 107 students in its third year. KOZA has always received much public attention and support, and this year students from 33 different provinces studying in 24 different faculties will intern in 47 international companies. To date, the Koza Project has placed 242 student interns in 55 different companies.
YASED Secretary-General Özlem Özyiğit said, in an address to a press conference at The Marmara Hotel in Istanbul on Monday 11 July, “KOZA’s first year, with the GAP (Southeast Anatolia Project) Region as the pilot region, was completed successfully. The second year, universities in 30 provinces in the 4th Region were selected and 118 students received internships. The scope of Koza, which was started with the aim of providing equal opportunity to young people, has been expanded this year to reach more students and includes both 4th Region provinces and the GAP Region. Operated by YASED’s Working Group on Employment and Education, this year’s project is led by Nestle Human Resources Director Zuhal Çivi, PwC Human Resources Manager Sibel Eren, Türk Henkel Human Resources Manager Derya Ersin Kocamaz and GE Human Resources Manager Demet Günaydın. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who has worked on the project.”
Subsequent to the Secretary-General’s address, YASED Chairman of the Board İzzet Karaca stated: “As YASED, we have embraced the mission of helping to make Turkey’s investment environment the best in the world. Therefore, one of our most important strategies is, without doubt, “employment and education”. As we mention at every opportunity, growth in employment is vital to economic growth and investment sustainability. As YASED, we contribute to every endeavour to realize this. The KOZA Project is a social responsibility project launched to serve exactly this purpose. The priorities of the project are to help students gain vision, to provide them with the means to learn both how major international companies do business at their headquarters and how to utilize their internship experience and vision for the benefit of their regions and their own personal development.
The fact that Koza, which we believe is an exemplary educational project in Turkey, has entered its third year with expanded scope gives us great pride. It is a great opportunity for our children, who will replace us in the future, to experience business life while attending university, and to do this in major international companies. We thank all the people and organizations that support this project.”
The aim is to contribute to the education of future leaders who will create employment in their regions
Nestle Human Resources Director and Koza Project Coordinator Zuhal Çivi added,“Within the scope of Koza, most of the students will intern at the head offices of YASED member companies or at their offices in Anatolia. As in previous years, prestigious private educational institutions will offer training and orientation programs enhanced with the participation of volunteers. During their internships, students will have a chance to meet successful people and listen one-to-one to their stories. Furthermore, students will learn about personal development, entrepreneurship, leadership and interview techniques that will benefit them throughout their lives.”
All the interns’ needs, including accommodation, are met by YASED and YASED member companies. International companies meet the interns’ travel expenses and pay monthly salaries and for insurance throughout the internship.
About YASED International Investors Association
YASED International Investors Association is a non-profit organization established in 1980 with international companies doing business in Turkey as its members. YASED is the major representative of international direct investors in Turkey and its vision is to be an institution that supports the realization of the target of “Raising Turkey’s Economy to the Top 10 in the World” in the Republic’s Centennial by generating high added value. YASED’s mission is to contribute to the positioning of Turkey as “the country with the best investment environment” in the world. To this end, YASED takes responsibility for and participates in “Establishing International Standards and the Best Applications” in Turkey through knowledge, experience and communication networks, “Acquiring Public Support for International Investments” and “Expanding the Perception of Turkey as a Center of Attraction”. From this perspective, YASED’s priorities are enhancing the investment environment compliant with international standards, strategic contribution to value added and sustainable growth, improving public perception of international investments and earning public support for these investments, supporting the EU harmonization process, and contributing to the “development index“ through social responsibility projects for sustainability.
For more information please contact
İlknur Akgül Ardıç ilknur.ardic@kutadgu.com.tr
Korur Altan korur.altan@kutadgu.com.tr
Kutadgu
Tel: 0216 348 44 45