About Us
Olea is a tree with strong roots that stays green throughout the year... That's where we got our name. As Olea Impact, we aim to be a companion on the road, planning, implementing, and making visible every step that will enable lasting and sustainable impact.
Olea Impact's foundation is built on the experience we've gained over the years. We've seen time and again how organizations make a difference when they realize their potential and connect with societal realities. This experience has shown us that projects supported by the right strategy, robust data, and inclusive methods create impacts that aren't just immediate but last for generations.
We believe that all institutions, as agents of change, can create more inclusive, visible, and lasting impact. At Olea Impact, our goal is to strengthen the social impact capacity of institutions, make the value they create visible, and carry that value into the future.
How Do We Work?
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We're not limited to a specific thematic area. Our focus is on strengthening the social, environmental, and societal impact of institutions. From sustainability to gender equality, from youth to aging, we work to make visible the value created by institutions and transform this value into a powerful bridge between stakeholders, society, and decision-makers.
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We prioritize bringing diverse perspectives together around the same table. We adopt an impartial and inclusive approach in our work, facilitating trust-based and constructive dialogue between organizations and their stakeholders.
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We focus on understanding the ecosystem we operate in. We maintain an equal distance from different stakeholders, building our relationships on trust, respect, and collaboration.
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We aim to generate new knowledge that will create value and share existing knowledge most effectively. Our core priorities are to make visible untapped opportunities and risks, develop innovative approaches, and align this knowledge with organizations' strategic objectives.
Our Experience in Social Impact
While Olea Impact is a relatively new entity, our team has developed and implemented extensive social impact projects with organizations across various sectors for many years. This experience across diverse thematic areas ensures that the services we offer today are grounded in a solid foundation of knowledge and practical application.
The following are among the institutions we have worked with on social impact to date:
AÇEV, AgeSA, Aydın Doğan Foundation, British Council, Eczacıbaşı, Garanti Bank, Istanbul Development Agency (İSTKA), Mercedes Benz Türk, Pirelli-Promoteon, PODEM, Sabancı Holding, Sabancı University, Sabancı Foundation, SKD Turkey, Community Volunteers Foundation (TOG), Turkish National Olympic Committee (TMOK), Unilever Turkey, UN Women, Vehbi Koç Foundation and WWF Turkey.
Our Team
Rümeysa Çamdereli
Senior Researcher, Social Impact Expert
Rümeysa Çamdereli graduated from Kabataş Boys High School in 2006, Boğaziçi University's Computer Engineering Department in 2013, and Istanbul University's Women's Studies Master's Program in 2019. Çamdereli, who has worked at the YADA Foundation since 2015, currently serves as a Board Member and Research Director. During her tenure at YADA, she has specialized in project implementation and social impact in the civil society. She has also served as an expert researcher, research coordinator, and analyst in research conducted by YADA and various other institutions, and continues to hold these responsibilities as a research director. She holds certifications in M&E (Monitoring and Evaluation) and SROI (Social Return on Investment). Her master's degree also places her expertise in gender equality, where she provides training to various stakeholders in this field.
Ceylan Özünel
Senior Researcher, Communicator
Ceylan Özünel Sül graduated from Istanbul Bilgi University's Advertising Department and completed her MBA at SSU San Diego. She worked in the communications sector for over 10 years, providing communications consulting services to national and international agencies. Continuing her career in the civil society sector, Özünel is currently Chairman of the Board and Project Director at the YADA Foundation, where she participates in research, project design, and coordination processes for studies on the impact capacity of civil society. She also teaches at Kadir Has University's Faculty of Communication.
Sare Ozturk
Senior Researcher
Sare Öztürk received her bachelor's degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Anadolu University and her master's degree in Sociology from Arel University. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in General Sociology and Methodology at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in 2023. Öztürk, who works professionally and voluntarily for various civil society organizations, is a founding member of the Women's Workers' Solidarity Association. Öztürk is involved in the work of the Women's Labor and Employment Initiative Platform and has been working at YADA since 2020. She conducts research, organizes workshops, and writes articles on media, ecology, feminist methodology, gender, women's labor, the union movement, and organizing.