Environment and Quality

Aksa continued in 2008 to work on quality investments aiming to increase business productivity and improve corporate growth standards.

Process Management:

Reorganizing its Process Management System in 2007, Aksa focused in 2008 on making the new process structure more widespread among employees and on continuing with improvements in critical processes. Efforts were also concentrated on ensuring a full integration between corporate performance strategy, process management and strategy. A system of numerous information kiosks was set up to provide employees in the field with information about current processes and results of corporate performance. The Corporate Performance and Process Management Portal, named QPR, was made available to all levels of personnel in all departments. Aksa also started a “Process Maturity Level” assessment in 2008 for three of the ten main processes. This assessment is expected to be carried out for all processes in 2009.

Information Management:

Since 2004, Aksa has been implementing the Six-Sigma model and thanks to this and other process improvement techniques that have been used by the Company, Aksa's productivity and low costs, the elements of its competitive power, have been maintained. Aksa's product know-how is attained through the Company's technology, its strength in research and development, its organizational capital and its competent staff. As in 2007, 2008 saw the restructuring of the research and development and innovation processes as well as the establishment of a Technology Transfer Office. Acknowledging the importance of continuing education through its constant support and regarding it as one of its objectives, Aksa prioritizes the delegacy among employees, encouraging innovative and original ideas. In this context, Aksa has designed and started to implement a unique Aksa Intellectual Capital Model which is the first of its kind in Turkey. Aksa uses this new model to measure and manage its intellectual resources.

Benchmarking:

Aksa carried out many benchmarking studies in 2007 to facilitate continuous learning and development.

Self-assessment:

Aksa's self-assessment studies are carried out on the basis of the EFQM Excellence Model. The Company completed its seventh self-assessment project in 2008 with the participation of its experienced staff and management who were also effective in the KalDer National Quality Award process. The feedback report from the National Quality Award and the self-assessment report were both used to form the basis of improvement efforts planned for 2009.

Management Systems:

As the holder of an ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Certificate since 1993 and of an ISO 14001 Environment Management Certificate since 1997, Aksa maintained its long record of “zero noncompliance” in 2008, as indicated by the external audits of TSE and DQS, renewing its ISO 9001 certificates. Aksa's zero noncompliance success was reconfirmed by external audits of the ISO 14001 and TS 18001, with the Company thus completing its seventh consecutive year of ISO 14001 inspections with a designation of zero noncompliance. Aksa defines yearly environmental and productivity goals in order to make more effective use of natural resources and raw materials. Corporate goals are transformed into personal goals which are transferred to yearly action plans that guarantee their achievement. In 2008, new software was acquired to keep environmental dimensions risk analysis, environmental impact inventories and action management matters continuously updated. Environmental dimensions risk analysis was defined in the QDMS software, updated and transferred onto the electronic medium. Another software package was developed in cooperation with AKTEK for the purpose of improving waste management systems applications, increasing monitoring effectiveness, creating automatic reporting and ensuring data transfer into QPR. As of October 2008, the Company's internal wastes are collected and removed. This process has benefited from the electronic infrastructure. Thus, all systems established for waste management not only comply with the law but go a step beyond this responsibility. An agreement was signed with an external consulting company to initiate an e-learning system which would serve to increase the effectiveness of environment education for employees, contractors, sub-contractors and apprentices. Current training programs were transferred into the electronic medium as part of the framework of this application. A supplier has been enlisted to handle waste recycling. Through cooperative efforts, some of the industrial wastes in the system will be recycled instead of being demolished, thus contributing to the preservation of global resources.

Declaration of Equality of Men and Women in Management:

In 2008, the “Declaration of Equality of Men and Women in Management” was prepared by KalDer under the main sponsorship of Aksa. As part of the Global Compact Annual Network Meetings, the declaration was presented for signing with the slogan, “Women, too, have the right to govern.” As one of the first four Turkish enterprises to sign this declaration, Aksa thus strengthened its HR policies and approaches, all of which it has fashioned and implemented on the basis of the principle of equal opportunity. The declaration, in its respect for equal opportunity for both men and women, its support of human resources policies that provide jobs for women at every management level and its belief in the need for taking steps to coordinate business and family life, conforms to the basic philosophy and principles to which Aksa adheres and regards as the source of its success.