ENGLISH SUMMARY
Headlines from Zorlu Magazine
#94
ZORLU HOLDING
Zorlu Holding represented on platforms shaping the future of artificial intelligence and digital transformation
Zorlu Holding views artificial intelligence and digital transformation not merely as an area of technological development, but as a strategic lever that transforms corporate culture, business practices, and human resources. The group communicates this approach through important summits and events it participates in.
Burak Aydın, Head of the Technology and Digital Business Development Group at Zorlu Holding, shared important data highlighting the scale of AI-driven transformation at the Digital Transformation Summit 2025, organized by Fast Company. Burak Aydın also spoke at the panel discussion titled “Deploying AI in Corporations: Lessons from Today” held as part of Plug & Play EXPO 2025.
On the other hand, Önder Kaplancık, General Manager of Technology and Artificial Intelligence at Zorlu Holding, participated as a speaker in the opening panel of the Future of AI & Cloud Summit, one of Turkey's leading artificial intelligence and cloud technology gatherings, titled "From Cloud to Super AI: Preparing Enterprise Architectures for 2026”. He also participated as a speaker in the “CIO Challenge: Strategy for AI Success" panel at the IDC Turkey Technology Symposium & Awards summit organized by IDC.
Zorlu Holding was represented by Dr. Can Konur, Deputy General Manager of Artificial Intelligence and Data, at the Algorithmic Journey session held as part of the 18th IT Summit at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and by Fulya Bıçak Muştu, Director of Technology and Digital Business Development at Zorlu Energy Group, at the Vodafone Business Istanbul Economic Summit.
ZORLU TEXTILES
The textile industry's innovative leaders gathered at the 6th Sustainability Talks in Istanbul for a better future
Sustainability Talks Istanbul 2025, organized to increase the awareness of sustainability in the textile and fashion industry and accelerate solution-oriented transformation, took place in Istanbul on December 9 with broad participation. Korteks, one of Europe's largest integrated polyester yarn producers, was among the "Large Sponsors" of the event, which focused on critical issues facing the industry, from raw material sourcing to traceability applications, energy and water efficiency to circular production models and decarbonization. Güray Budak, Deputy General Manager of Korteks, shared the company's low-carbon production approach, product development strategies, and views on sectoral transformation at the panel titled "Common Pathways to Net Zero: Decarbonization in the Textile Value Chain." Korteks's booth, where its innovative and low-carbon product portfolio was showcased throughout the event, also attracted significant interest.
ZORLU HOLDING
Three new AI-powered projects have been launched under the YaZ Program
The YaZ Artificial Intelligence Program, one of the cornerstones of Zorlu Holding's digital transformation journey, continues to evolve through innovative projects from various functions. The new applications implemented as part of the program provide tangible benefits in many areas, from operational efficiency to time and cost savings, from decision-making processes to user experience.
Among the three new projects developed under the program, "De Jure - Search Engine with Artificial Intelligence Technology" aims to accelerate the information access and analysis processes of legal teams with AI-powered semantics search technology. The application enables more accurate results in legal research through meaning-based search, while aiming to deliver up to a 13% increase in operational efficiency and annual cost savings of approximately 6 million TRY.
Developed as an innovative solution aimed at improving speed, consistency and candidate experience in human resources processes, the "AI-Powered Smart Interview" project enables preliminary interviews with candidates to be conducted through AI-powered avatars, thereby achieving up to 45% cost savings in recruitment processes, a 20% increase in operational efficiency, and a 20% reduction in the margin of error in candidate-position matchings.
The "Artificial Intelligence Product Review Summary" developed for the Vestel e-commerce platform analyzes hundreds of customer reviews using natural language processing (NLP) techniques, summarizing the key positive and negative points about the product in just a few seconds. This results in a 30% reduction in time spent on product detail pages and a 25% increase in active users.
VESTEL
Vestel ranked among the top performers across three categories under the Turquality Program
Vestel was honored in three separate categories at the ceremony held as part of the Turquality Vision Meeting and Branding Conference, organized by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), for its strength in global markets, the number of countries it has reached, and its strategic market depth. Vestel received awards in the categories of "Turquality Champion with the Highest Exports," "Turquality Champion with Exports to the Most Countries," and "Turquality Champion with the Highest Exports to Member Countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation." at the award ceremony organized to mark the 20th anniversary of the Turquality Program. As the export leader in its sector for 27 years, Vestel continues to contribute to the visibility of Turkish brands in international markets by bringing its technology to all corners of the world.
ZORLU ENERGY
International achievements in finance and innovation from Zorlu Energy
Zorlu Energy continues to attract attention and win awards on international platforms with its sustainable financing tools and technology-focused innovation projects. The company was honored with two separate awards at the prestigious Global Banking & Markets Awards, for its $1.1 billion sustainability-linked Eurobond issuance in 2024. The transaction, recognized in the "Corporate Bond Issue of the Year" and "Transaction of the Year - Turkey" categories marked the first sustainability-linked bond issuance in Türkiye's energy sector. The company also ranked 15th on Fast Company Türkiye's list of "50 Most Innovative Companies” of Türkiye, now in its sixth year, with its EOLIAN project. The GECO R&D project also received two awards at the "Awards for Organizations Adding Value to Sustainable Development Goals" held as part of the 16th Corporate Responsibility Summit.
ZORLU HOLDING
Zorlu Holding's sustainability-focused Smart Life Academy has completed its 7th term of training
Zorlu Holding has successfully completed the 7th term of its Smart Life Academy "Sustainability 101" training program, launched in line with its Smart Life 2030 sustainability vision, with the aim of strengthening the knowledge, awareness, and competencies of Group employees in the field of sustainability. This year, in collaboration with Sabancı University's Executive Development Unit (EDU), the program addressed the fundamental concepts and current approaches to sustainability within a broad framework ranging from the climate crisis and climate justice to ecological economics, corporate volunteering, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Approximately 1,600 Group employees have participated in the Smart Life Academy, which has been continuing since 2019. The program contributes to the creation of more effective and sustainable solutions across the organization by linking the sustainability approach to business models, innovation practices, and transformation-focused thinking processes.
VESTEL
International success of Vestel's sustainability journey
Vestel Electronics and Vestel Home Appliances improved their scores under the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) conducted by S&P Global, both rising to second place in their respective sectors. CSA stands out as one of the most widely referenced studies worldwide, measuring companies' environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance using sector-specific criteria. In the study, which evaluated over 13,000 companies from 62 sectors, Vestel Electronics rose to second place in its sector with a score of 73, increasing its score by 4 points compared to last year. Vestel Home Appliances similarly achieved second place in its sector, also reaching 73 points with a 5-point increase. With these results, Vestel has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability and its approach to a sustainable future on an international scale.
ZORLU ENERGY
Measurable and strong sustainability performance from Zorlu Energy
Zorlu Energy demonstrates its progress in sustainability through concrete results supported by data, reports and performance indicators shared on national and international platforms. The company has further strengthened its global position by increasing its ESG score from 74 to 85 under the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), demonstrating balanced and strong performance in environmental, social and governance areas. The core components of Zorlu Energy's long-term value creation model and sustainability transformation include 100% renewable energy production. modernization of smart grid and distribution infrastructure, e-mobility and digital energy solutions and capacity and license investments in storage and aggregation, such as ZES's growing charging network.
VESTEL
Superior performance in the Alps from Vestel Mobility
Vestel Mobility continues to showcase its expertise in technology and innovation on the international stage. The company's All-in-One 400 kW DC fast charging solution attracted attention with its high performance in the challenging winter conditions of the Austrian Alps during the BMW Wintertechnicdrive event. The system, which operated continuously throughout the four-week event, provided a reliable charging infrastructure for BMW's electric vehicle fleet. The 192 successful charging operations performed during this period and approximately 10 MWh of energy supplied demonstrated the solution's operational continuity and resilience. Technology that does not compromise on scalability, operational efficiency, and durability, even in the harsh climate conditions of the Alps, has proven Vestel Mobility's design and engineering strength on a global scale.
VESTEL
Vestel wins 12 awards in the OSB Stars Survey
Vestel Home Appliances and Vestel Electronics won a total of 12 awards in the OSB Stars Survey, which measures performance by indicators such as exports, trade, employment, female employment, and R&D investments. In the overall ranking of the study, Vestel Home Appliances ranked 1st, while Vestel Electronics ranked 2nd. This result once again highlights the strong contribution both companies make to the Türkiye’s economy and the OSB ecosystem. The OSB Stars Survey, organized by the Union of Organized Industrial Zones (OSBÜK), aims to enhance the visibility of the performance of companies operating in organized industrial zones by evaluating them based on measurable data.
ZORLU PSM
New Year’s excitement at Zorlu PSM: 10 Days of Inspiration and Experience with “Dear New Year”
Zorlu PSM welcomed the new year with the “Dear New Year” festival, featuring art, music, talks, and creative experiences. The festival, which took place between December 21 and 30, brought the spirit of the new year to Zorlu PSM's 55,000-square-meter venue with its rich program ranging from stages to workshops. With special concerts, workshops for all ages, brand events reflecting the spirit of the season, and unique gift options, the “Help Santa Bazaar” offered visitors an unforgettable new year’s atmosphere. The “Curated Cheers” talk series organized as part of the festival hosted inspiring figures. The talks helped participants start the new year in a conscious, creative, and uplifting way.
