Esas Sosyal, the social investment division of Esas Holding, established in 2000 by the late Şevket Sabancı and his family, and now a prominent investment group in Türkiye, has been creating sustainable and quantifiable impact on youth and employment since 2015. Through Şevket Sabancı First Chance Program, our mission is to empower young individuals to launch their professional careers as well-qualified, self-confident, and socially conscious individuals. This program, which has received over 45,000 applications to date, is particularly dedicated to offering employment opportunities to young people who face inequalities in their transition to the workforce due to graduating from lesser-known universities.

Şevket Sabancı First Chance Program, guided by the motto “Esas Sosyal Creates Equal Opportunity” is dedicated to its mission of providing equal opportunities for young graduates from second-tier public universities, which are often less preferred by employers. This initiative ensures that these graduates are evaluated on an equal footing with their peers. Simultaneously, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), a crucial part of the ecosystem, gain access to a pool of well-qualified and educated young talent. Consequently, the program not only introduces young individuals to the civil society sector but also enhances the human resource capacity of NGOs. A testament to the program’s success is the fact that 99% of participants who successfully complete the program find gainful employment within the first six months. This achievement demonstrates that young people can unlock their potential when presented with opportunities.