Hakan Bulgurlu, chief executive of Arçelik, successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest to underline his wider business goal to raise awareness of the need to reverse the effects of climate change.
Arçelik is the Turkish parent company of 12 brands, including Beko, Blomberg, Grundig, Leisure and Flavel.
Bulgurlu reached the 8,848m summit of Everest on May 23 after a 26-day trek. His Himalayan odyssey followed successful Arçelik team ascents of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2011 and 2018, Elbrus in 2017 and Aconcagua in 2018.
Bulgurlu has said that he was inspired to undertake the Everest ascent when found out that scientists were predicting that the Himalayas could lose two-thirds of its glaciers by 2100 if global warming continued unabated.
He was also concerned by a United Nations report that pointed out that if greenhouse gas emissions continued at their present rate, global atmospheric temperature was likely to increase by 1.5°C above preindustrial levels between 2030 and 2052.
Bulgurlu commented: “We must act fast to limit the long-lasting effects of climate change. We must rise to the challenge of preventing a future where our planet is inhabitable. At Arçelik, we are completely dedicated to doing everything within our power to counter the effects of climate change. We hope that our Mount Everest expedition will raise awareness and encourage people to do their part.”
Arçelik is urging businesses and individuals to help in the fight to reverse climate change. Its suggestions include:
For business leaders
- Raise awareness within your company and create a culture focused on sustainability;
- Set out clear actions and goals to reduce your carbon footprint;
- Work on innovations that support sustainable lifestyles.
For individuals
- Urge business and government to take bold action;
- Eat less meat and don’t waste food;
- Don’t buy things you don’t need;
- Switch to green energy solutions;
- Go car-free whenever possible;
- Learn about climate solutions and change your habits.