C11. International and regional cooperation: This session will showcase the Life is Simple with Internet project, initiated by Turk Telekom, Turkey’s largest integrated telecommunications company. The project is supported by UNDP and the Habitat Association for Development and Governance, and also studied at Koç University, and therefore is a great example of a multi-stakeholder cooperation between private sector, international organizations, NGO and academia. Furthermore, through the Business Call to Action (BCtA) membership, Turk Telekom has promoted the notion of inclusive business in the country both in the academia and among the private sector, and helped establish the inclusive business ecosystem in the country.

C3. Access to information and knowledge: With a goal of turning those disconnected from the digital world into internet users, Life is Simple with Internet introduced the online world to more than 24,000 people in 52 target cities since its launch and trained about 300 volunteer trainers. Turk Telekom’s goal is to reach 30,000 people by the end of 2017.

C7. ICT Applications: E-government: Among many other online services, Life is Simple with Internet also provides services on e-government which introduces new opportunities of e-government as an enabler of good governance for sustainable development.

The project has been studied as an example of inclusive business by students at Koç University (leading Turkish university) and has been featured in the Harvard Business Review. Social impact research shows that 86% of participants have begun to use the internet in their daily lives: 65% of them use e-government services, 58% now enjoy online chat applications and 56% follow news websites and social media.

C4. Capacity building & C7. ICT Applications: E-learning: Life is Simple with Internet successfully demonstrated the many benefits of internet connectivity for people in Turkey’s underdeveloped areas, as well as the potential for Turk Telekom’s further growth across the country and inspired the development of further initiatives including a scale-up Accessible Life for All: Books on the Phone aiming to overcome regional and financial inequalities in visually impaired individuals' access to information. The project also aims to enable access to information and enhance professional capacity of the most vulnerable populations across Turkey.

ICTs are cross-cutting enablers of development and therefore play a critical role for the achievement of the SDGs. This session will showcase how ICTs can contribute to SDGs 4, 10 and 17, in particular.

ICT has revolutionized the private sector activities that benefit the poor and through core business activities utilizing ICT, we have witnessed concrete improvements in people’s livelihood. The session will discuss the role of ICT sector in increasing the living standards of people through inclusive business models with a focus on the Life is Simple with Internet project initiated by Türk Telekom, the largest integrated telecommunications company in Turkey is contributing to SDG 4, and 10.

The Life is Simple with Internet project targeted people aged 35 and over within 52 of Turkey’s most underdeveloped cities, specifically focusing on women. The project introduced the online world to more than 24,000, raising awareness about basic internet use, internet security, online banking, social networks, blogs, internet communication tools, online shopping, e-government and other online services. As the project progressed, the target audience was diversified to include prisoners on probation, civic associations and people with hearing impairments. The inclusive business initiative had demonstrated the following notable success positively impacting the lives of rural under-served citizens as well as having transformative effect on the company’s CSR department and its business model.

Since becoming a BCtA member in 2013, Türk Telekom’s CSR projects have changed from philanthropic initiatives to a more comprehensive, inclusive business strategy. In line with this approach, the company has focused on providing ICT accessibility for all.

The session will host key figures from business, government, academia and international organizations who will explore how integrating inclusive business approach into ITC companies’ core business could provide greater sustainability in the long run for both the companies and its customers.