The Science Communication Office of Bahçeşehir University and BAUPRO jointly organized Science Café Event 2, with the participation of Bahçeşehir University Rector Prof. Esra Hatipoğlu. At the event titled “Future Professions: Careers Shaped by Sustainability and Social Transformation,” the impact of sustainability on future professions, its interdisciplinary structure, and its increasing importance in the world of careers were discussed from different perspectives.

The event was moderated by Prof. Çisil Sohodol (CIFAL Istanbul, UNITAR Director), while the speakers were Prof. Ahu Ergen (Head of the Department of International Trade and Business Administration at BAU) and Ceren Özay Uz (FLO GROUP Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Social Responsibility Director).

At the opening of the event, the climate crisis was addressed and attention was drawn to the importance of sustainability report cards for brands. It was emphasized that sustainability is not limited to a specific professional field, but is an interdisciplinary structure, and therefore cannot be confined to a single professional definition. It was stated that new professions such as sustainability communication specialist, sustainability journalist, and sustainability marketer will emerge, and that these professions will become permanent regulations and business models.

Prof. Ahu Ergen stated that sustainability is about creating value for the environment, society, and the economy, and that many professions, including sustainability communicator, sustainability expert, circular economy expert, and climate economist, are the professions of the future. She mentioned that sustainability and ethics courses have been included in the curriculum as mandatory courses in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences. She added that students can also take sustainability courses as electives, emphasizing the importance of including sustainability courses in the curriculum of all universities to raise awareness, and suggesting that the number of courses could be gradually increased and new content added. She stated that the importance of recycling and the circular economy has increased due to the rare earth element crisis, and that scarcity, water problems, and climate change are driving societies towards sustainability, therefore, professions related to sustainability are the future. Furthermore, Ahu Ergen mentioned that she met with educators from different parts of the world in the UN LEAP Fast program to discuss how to equip young people with sustainability competencies.

Ceren Özay Uz, from FLO, stated that production at FLO is dependent on seasons and that sustainability is important to ensure customer continuity and the continuation of sales in a sustainable manner. She emphasized that sustainability is not only related to the environment but is also connected to a process of social sustainability, noting that this has examples across all professional groups.

The event also addressed the fact that sustainability should exist across all professions and that there is no single profession solely dedicated to sustainability, as well as the question of how experts can be trained in this field. It was stated that sustainability is an interdisciplinary field; therefore, a specific professional definition cannot be made, but competence in this field can be gained through specialization programs and awareness is of great importance.

The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was also discussed at the event. It was stated that the world has limited resources to sustain humanity and that these resources are consumed throughout the year beyond their capacity for renewal, and it was noted that Earth Overshoot Day for 2026 occurred on July 30.

Ceren Özay Uz stated that many disciplines, particularly industrial engineering, environmental engineering, business management, and human resources, work together within sustainability teams, and that sustainability committees are present in all units of organizations. She said that working from the student years onward develops one’s sustainability muscle, and that it is important to care about this issue, have a sense of curiosity, and be able to produce solutions.

Referring to the important role of artificial intelligence in addressing inequalities, she stated that sustainability is a competency that everyone should integrate into their own profession. Özay Uz stated that the “get results, measure, and scale” method can be applied, and said that developing this muscle would increase career development, scope of impact, and employment opportunities. She also emphasized that sustainability is a form of risk management.

Speaking about the qualities she looks for in candidates during recruitment processes, Özay Uz stated that she primarily looks at what the person has done for themselves and others, whether they have participated in volunteering activities, and whether they have been involved in non-governmental organizations. In addition, she said that having a sense of curiosity, reading, developing oneself intellectually, gaining different experiences, having hobbies, and being able to produce results are among the important criteria.

The interest of young people in sustainability was also evaluated during the event. It was stated that young people can bring about change through good education and sustainability skills, and that awareness courses are effective in this process. In addition, Çisil Sohodol mentioned the encouragement of BAU Rector Prof. Dr. Esra Hatipoğlu to associate all studies conducted at Bahçeşehir University with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sohodol mentioned that students can be prepared for this field through certificate programs and that they should not be concerned about this issue in the future.

Throughout the event, it was emphasized that sustainability is not only environmentally focused but is an integral part of all professions with its social, economic, and governance dimensions. While interdisciplinary collaboration, awareness, curiosity, volunteering, and the ability to produce solutions were highlighted as important competencies in the future career world, the message was shared that sustainability is a common competency that every professional group should develop.