Murat Basarir, associate vice president, enterprise sustainable finance, corporate citizenship (left), and Anastasia Ostapchuk, senior manager, strategic issues and engagements at TD Bank Group.Supplied
Growing up in a family that loved nature, Murat Basarir was taught by his father, an agricultural engineer, about different ecosystems and how everything is interconnected. Years later, it was the need to protect those ecosystems that inspired Basarir to choose sustainability as a career.
Since joining TD Bank Group in 2020, Basarir, associate vice president, enterprise sustainable finance, has worked with teams across TD to advance sustainability initiatives that can support the TD Climate Action Plan. On a daily basis, he drives the TD enterprise-wide Sustainable Finance Strategy, which strives to help mobilize financing for renewable energy, clean transportation, and more.
“Banks can play a critical role in supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy, and TD stood out to me as a bank with many firsts in Canada – the first bank in Canada to set a low-carbon financing target and the first bank in Canada to issue a green bond,” says Basarir. “After joining TD, it was great to lead the development of the 2030 $500B Sustainable and Decarbonization Finance Target.”
Like Basarir, Anastasia Ostapchuk was drawn to the concept of sustainability, a passion that began while studying business at Western University.
“That’s where I first learned of the concept of sustainability, and was hooked from there on,” says Ostapchuk, who joined TD in 2014 after graduating. “Banking seemed like a logical choice for connecting my business education and sustainability skill set – and what better place to do that than at TD, which has long been committed to sustainability.”
Throughout her decade at TD, Ostapchuk has been able to explore roles in various areas of the bank, including a stint in 2019 in retail banking as a product manager.
“Success in sustainability is actually rooted in understanding the business, so I wanted to get that perspective of how the bank operates,” says Ostapchuk. “I also wanted to diversify my skill set and try something new, which is one of the things I love about TD. You have an incredible ability to move around and try different things, which has really been beneficial for me.”
Now, as senior manager, strategic issues and engagements, on the sustainability team, Ostapchuk is focused on helping TD achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
“We can’t get there alone, so a big part of my role is thinking about what kind of help TD needs from players like the government and other stakeholders to get there,” she says. “And how do we all work together to get to that goal?”
Outside of TD, Ostapchuk sat on the board of directors of Impact Zero, a small non-profit focused on creating the circular economy in Canada and helping small circular businesses succeed. In 2022, she was honoured with the prestigious TD Vision in Action Award, recognizing her leadership in climate advocacy and stakeholder engagement.
Basarir also sits on the board of Skills for Change, a non-profit organization that empowers newcomers and marginalized communities through mentorship and entrepreneurship training, a cause close to his heart.
“The need to help improve environmental and social outcomes for society is what drives me,” says Basarir. “And leading a dynamic team that fosters creativity is fantastic.
“When you have an organization that has a commitment to sustainability and is looking to help make a real, positive difference – that’s the kind of place I want to work.”
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