Akbank is taking action for all SMEs to turn the risks they will face due to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism into opportunities and increase their competitiveness. The "SME Eco Transformation Package", the first and most comprehensive sustainability package designed specifically for SMEs in the sector, aims to encourage and finance all activities aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of SMEs and lowering their energy costs.
With the "SME Eco Transformation Package", Akbank aims to provide financing to SMEs with various loan products that serve different purposes within the scope of transformation. In addition, it enables SMEs to identify their current situation and areas for improvement through carbon footprint measurement, company ESG analysis applications and consultancy services. With a focus on reducing the carbon footprint of businesses, "Renewable Energy Loan", "Energy Efficiency Loan" for transition to green and clean energy, "Waste Management Loan", "Water Management Loan", "Waste Water Management Loan", "Sustainable Agriculture Loan" and "Clean Transportation Loan" to encourage the transition of mobility to a low carbon economy are offered to SMEs. The payment plans of the loans, which have a maximum maturity of 5 years for operating loans and 7 years for investment loans and a grace period, are arranged according to the cash flow of the customers and different interest rates are applied depending on the sustainability performance of each project.
Akbank SME Banking Deputy General Manager Bülent Oğuz said, "SMEs make up 37% of exports in Turkey and one of the biggest export markets is the EU. For exports to increase, our SMEs need to be aware of the specific obligations and commitments they will face in the process of adapting to green transformation. In order to raise awareness, we will continue to meet with SMEs throughout the year with the "Green Transformation for SMEs" meetings we organized in various cities across Turkey in cooperation with the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). With our "SME Eco Transformation Package", we aim to offer all the services that our customers may need according to their scale under a single roof, with the next steps consultancy and access to finance."