Sustainability
For us, sustainability means always striving to do good — not only for our business, but for people, the planet, and sustainable development — by creating positive impact at every stage of fashion.
With our approach to sustainable production and circularity, we aim to apply the highest environmental, social, and inclusive economic standards in the fashion industry, particularly in the leather sector.
Throughout our 50-year journey, we have always believed in the transformative power of fashion and continue to do our very best to turn the impact of our products into a positive force for our planet and society.
As Derimod, our goal is to lead the sustainability of the fashion industry as part of the global green transformation...
into action for real success...
Ali Zaim
Board Member, Sustainability Leader
We are very pleased to share our first Sustainability Report with you. In this report, you can read a summary of our perspective on sustainability, along with our efforts and goals in this field.
As Derimod, while celebrating our 50th anniversary, we described our long-standing mindset of “being good” as “50 Very Good Years.” Now, our motivation is “The Second 50 Very Good Years.” By placing sustainability, ecosystem protection, circularity, human and social well-being, women’s empowerment, and responsible production at the core of our approach, we aim to carry our commitment to goodness into the future, bring a new breath to fashion, and “be better” for a sustainable future.
Creating value for society while producing and growing, considering the well-being of our stakeholders — especially our employees and suppliers — and the overall well-being of our world is the true meaning of doing business for us.
Our sustainability vision is to be a responsible company that prioritizes people, the planet, and sustainable development while preserving Derimod’s half-century values and institutional memory. On this journey, we sincerely work to develop projects that create real and lasting impact.
We are committed to ensuring fair working conditions for everyone in our supply chain, doing our very best to protect our planet’s natural resources throughout our production processes, and taking steps that will carry our positive impact forward for all stakeholders on the path of sustainable development.
We closely follow global developments and align our sustainability commitments with international initiatives.
The most important aspect of all these initiatives for us is focusing on actions that are “necessary,” “realistic and achievable,” and “capable of creating lasting and sustainable impact in the short term.”
We consider gender equality an integral part of our corporate culture. From compensation policies to leadership development programs, we implement egalitarian and inclusive practices across all areas and take concrete steps to support gender equality. We encourage women entrepreneurs and women-led suppliers, develop partnerships with women producers, women’s cooperatives, and civil society organizations across Anatolia, and support projects that strengthen gender equality in our sector.
As Derimod, we have always valued sharing our success with society. We continue the responsible stance passed down from our family and founders as the second generation. Established in 2024, the Derimod Education and Culture Foundation aims to support girls’ education, nurture future women leaders, and empower women entrepreneurs. Derimod Volunteers will also actively contribute to the Foundation’s projects.
To bring our environmental, social, and governance goals to life, we aspire not only to lead through our production capabilities and economic achievements but also to set an example for the world through our environmental and social performance.
We focus on real impact, lasting value, and meaningful change — by producing, sharing, and multiplying. Genuine, sincere, and effective.
This is the sustainability the world needs.
Because this is Derimod...
We regard sustainability management as the key driver for creating real change and positive impact for everyone.
While offering our customers products of the highest quality, we develop inclusive processes to implement a business model that ensures decent working and welfare conditions, protects natural resources, and prioritizes social needs and sustainable development.
Our Sustainable Living Commitment outlines a set of requirements that will enable us to achieve our goals for people, the planet, and sustainable development:
· Providing our employees with an inclusive work environment that supports equality, development, and social balance,
· Ensuring fair, dignified, healthy working conditions that prioritize human well-being across our supply chain,
· Developing restorative processes that protect natural resources and biodiversity throughout the lifecycle of our products,
· Creating employment and development opportunities that enable society and our stakeholders to meet their fundamental human needs.
At Derimod, we view sustainability as a key element that will shape our future and ensure the long-term success and permanence of our positive impact.
We see sustainability not as a concept we merely integrate into our business, but as a genuine transformation tool that reshapes our business model.
At Derimod, we place great importance on strengthening efforts to uphold fundamental rights and create a respectful workplace throughout our supply chain, starting with our employees, in order to sustain our responsible culture of human rights.
We are committed to working with respect for human rights across the communities we impact, together with all stakeholders at every level of our value chain. Establishing a culture in which every individual feels valued, respected, and safe is one of our most important goals.
Our Human Rights Commitment explains our corporate policies in this area and defines the responsibilities of our suppliers in adopting business practices aligned with our commitments. Through our continuously improved due diligence efforts, we aim to identify gaps and risks related to human rights and working conditions across our offices, stores, and supplier companies, and to implement necessary improvements as swiftly as possible.
Our Corporate Principles Guide contains numerous rules and principles that guide not only our employees but also our suppliers to act in alignment with our values and sustainability goals. Through annually renewed trainings and presentations, we aim to keep our community informed, engaged, and motivated.
As a company operating across all regions of Türkiye and in various parts of the world, diversity management and inclusion are a natural part of our business model. At Derimod, we believe that diversity fuels creativity, inclusion strengthens culture, and equality is the binding force that unites them all.
Our People and Culture Department meticulously implements an inclusive, diversity-conscious, and equitable management approach across all processes, starting from recruitment. We apply comprehensive development programs to ensure our leaders continuously maintain alignment with and agility in this approach.
In line with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commitment and sustainability goals, we conduct comprehensive assessments to strengthen our DEI performance and initiatives, continuously updating our action plans to achieve our targets. We also organize capacity-building meetings and trainings to ensure our suppliers adopt and implement our DEI commitments.
As we consider our suppliers to be key partners in our sustainability performance, we strive to make our supply chain resilient, agile, and adaptable to achieve our production goals. Our aim is to proactively manage environmental, social, and governance risks by strengthening our supply chain.
Through our “Sustainable Supply Chain Compliance Program,” we review supplier selection criteria and prioritize partnerships with suppliers who promote employee well-being and strive to improve their environmental impact. This program underscores our strong commitment to human rights and ethical standards.
Within the program, following the signing of the “Sustainability Compliance Commitment” by our suppliers, we conduct regular audits, assess their performance levels, and create customized action plans. We continue contracts with those who qualify as “Sustainability-Approved Suppliers.”
At Derimod, we place great importance on conducting our corporate and sustainability communications in a responsible, ethical, inclusive manner that supports accessibility for all stakeholders.
Throughout our communication processes, we commit to:
· Using as many inclusive and accessible communication channels as possible,
· Producing honest, evidence-based, accurate, and non-misleading content and designs,
· Avoiding all forms of discrimination based on religion, language, race, gender, age, etc., and maintaining a respectful, equitable, and inclusive approach,
· Refraining from misleading information, advertising, or greenwashing practices,
· Presenting all product claims, comparisons, and technical information in a verifiable, truthful, and clear manner,
· Ensuring sustainability statements and commitments are not misleading or misrepresentative,
· Using clear, science-based, factual, and balanced language when communicating environmental and social topics.
We hereby commit.
