A. General Terms Doğuş REIT’s mission is to expand its real estate portfolio and improve its market value by assuring stable growth while being transparent and accountable, as well as respectful and responsive to its shareholders, stakeholders, customers, laws, corporate code of ethics, and the environment.
Our Company prioritizes full compliance with the Corporate Governance Principles in all activities. The Capital Markets Board Corporate Governance Principles Compliance Rating Report has been prepared annually since July 7, 2015, and shared with all investors. Our company’s Corporate Governance Compliance Rating score for the period June 28, 2016 to June 28, 2017 was set at 8.92 points. This score was 11.36 percent higher than the previous one. As a result, Doğuş REIT was awarded the first prize at the 10th International Corporate Governance Summit organized by the Corporate Governance Association of Turkey on January 19, 2017, for achieving the highest annual growth rate in its BIST Corporate Governance Index.
For the period May 31, 2017 to May 31, 2018, Doğuş REIT was once again the best performer in achieving the highest annual growth rate in its Corporate Governance Compliance Rating score. Hence, the company was awarded once again the first prize at the 11th International Corporate Governance Summit organized by the Corporate Governance Association of Turkey on January 17, 2018.
Doğuş REIT takes great pride in having such an honor for two years in a row as it fully complies with and adopts in all activities the Corporate Governance Principles of its parent company Doğuş Group.
Doğuş REIT’s Corporate Governance Principles Compliance Rating score increased to 9.42 for the May 31, 2021 to May 31, 2022 period. This sustainable development pattern forged by Doğuş REIT in the Corporate Governance Compliance Rating demonstrates not only its compliance with the CMB Corporate Governance Principles but also the best practices framework it helped to set in the implementation of the required policies and measures. It is an epitome of what valuing shareholders and public interest mean.
As part of the Sustainability Principles, Doğuş REIT prioritizes sustainability policies focusing on ensuring compliance with the regulations on human rights, working conditions, and the environment, promoting gender equality and equal opportunities in recruitment, improving working standards, prioritizing women’s employment, investing in employees, ensuring occupational health and safety, encouraging transparency in stakeholder relations, promoting efficient use of resources and energy efficiency, and advancing digitalization and innovation. Starting with the Company itself, we will achieve long-term sustainability targets in all portfolio real estates.
The Company’s “Disclosure Policy” promotes transparency and efficiency in line with the Capital Markets Regulation, Corporate Governance Principles, and other related legislation. The disclosure policy determines how, how often and through which medium to publicly announce which information in compliance with the regulations. We do not discriminate between shareholders in the practice of their right to obtain and review information. The company senior management prepares and is responsible for the Disclosure Policy. The Investor Relations Department, on the other hand, is responsible for following and complying with the Disclosure Policy.
All financial and operational corporate notifications are announced on the Public Disclosure Platform (PDP) in compliance with the relevant legislation and Disclosure Policy, and they are simultaneously published on the company website for the information of all stakeholders.
The Investor Relations Department is responsible for the proper maintenance of relations with shareholders. The term stakeholder defines third parties in direct relationship with the Company. The Investor Relations Department discloses to all shareholders equally the corporate information that was previously publicly announced. The Company shows the utmost care to protect the rights of its stakeholders which are secured by the law and individual contracts, and provides satisfactory information on such matters.
B. Environmental Principles To comply with the environmental sustainability principles, Doğuş REIT works on waste management, clean air zone, water efficiency, and energy efficiency across all properties in its portfolio.
The waste from all our properties are separated and collected at the waste collection center. The waste collection center within the Gebze Center Shopping Mall recycled a total of 485 tonnes of recyclable waste in 2021. The “Zero Waste Center” in the shopping mall was certified as a Secondary Waste Collection Center by the Provincial Directorate. Furthermore, it was awarded a “Certificate of Appreciation for Zero Waste” by the municipality for its contributions in the zero waste project.
Prioritizing the health of both our tenants and visitors, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic the Center has taken all necessary precautions and investments regarding the regulations imposed by the Ministry of Health with a particular interest in 100% clean air zone to ensure safe working, and shopping and social areas.
We banned smoking in the waiting areas at the entrances of Gebze Center Shopping Mall, Hotel and other properties to establish clean air zones. Gebze Center Shopping Mall became the first shopping mall to receive the TSE Covid-19 Safe Service Certificate.
The “Drive-in Outdoor Cinema Days’’ at the Gebze Center Shopping Mall, organized as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, received the Gold Award in three categories at the International Hermes Creative Awards, the most prestigious competition in the international Marketing category. It was the first large-scale event at a shopping mall right after the quarantine when all social life had came to a halt. All hygiene precautions were meticulously implemented. Through press, social media and participants, we reached over ONE MILLION people with the “MASK, DISTANCE, HYGIENE” message and raised awareness concerning Covid-19 prevention precautions.
Realizing that the decline in the global forest population is a major driver to increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, outdoor areas at the Doğuş Center Maslak have been landscaped to create green areas.
With a view to instill water efficiency in our properties, we installed water efficiency faucets in common areas, and we recycle the drainage water from the landscape irrigation, where we prefer the drip system.
Doğuş Center Maslak uses sensors to prevent continuous functioning of the escalators. There are also curtains providing shade for the glass ceiling to reduce the greenhouse effects during the summer months so as to reduce the energy used for cooling. These curtains are drawn open in winter to benefit from the heat of the sun to save on natural gas and electricity consumption for heating.
Common areas in the Doğuş Center Etiler use LED sensor lighting systems to prevent wasting energy. The ventilation system in the common use areas have automated settings.
An Electric Car Charging Station was installed at Gebze Center Shopping Mall on July 1, 2020.
We obtained a green energy certificate for the entire energy consumption of the public charging stations to support power plants generating energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy.
The Gebze Center Hotel building is controlled by an automated system, including separate automation systems for lighting, the building, and rooms. Outdoor lighting is adjusted according to the time of day.
C. Social Principles Doğuş REIT strives for full compliance with the regulations on human rights and working conditions. We act in line with the “Disclosure Policy”, “Ethical Principles and Rules” and “Human Resources Policy” in all stakeholder relations.
We are sensitive to our social responsibilities. We fully abide by the regulations on the environment, consumers, public health, and ethical rules.
We value transparency and ensure that our shareholders, stakeholders, and suppliers can access all information about our Company. We continuously improve ourselves to offer accurate information in the shortest possible time.
With our employees and partners, we have adopted the principles of transparency, honesty, and integrity in our operations.
We follow the laws and legislation limitations in the jurisdiction we operate. We respect the rights and freedoms of all people with whom we have established a business relationship.
We ensure that all employees work in a safe, healthy, and peaceful environment.
Our aim has been to create a continuous development culture that improves with employee inputs.
Doğuş REIT recruits candidates who possesses the skills and knowledge required for the job. When planning training courses, we look into training opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills of our employees. We create a positive environment conducive to training and self-development, treat all employees equally in terms of training opportunities and promotions, and ensure employee participation in training programs to help improve their knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Doğuş REIT has fair remuneration and rewarding policies.
Our working environment is safe, comfortable, has state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, and is designed to ensure the highest efficiency.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, language, or sex, and treat everyone equally. There are no unionized employees in the company due to our low headcount. The employees’ right of association is not restricted, provided that prior permission is obtained.
We carry out succession planning and keep talent in the pipeline to prepare for all contingencies.
We organize periodic employee training programs and briefings to raise awareness on Occupational Health and Safety. We consider and comply with the regulations on the protection of personal data. You can reach our Privacy Policy and Information on the Protection of Personal Data on our website.
We have amended the Articles of Association to grant minority rights to shareholders holding less than one twentieth of the capital in shares.
D. Corporate Governance Principles Detailed information on this category is included in the Corporate Governance Principles Compliance Report and Corporate Governance Information Form sections of our Annual Report