Hitit won the “Collaboration—Private Sector & NGOs, Public Sector, Academia” category in the services sector at the Sustainable Business Awards with its “Rackets Up” project. Carried out in collaboration with the Turkish Table Tennis Federation, the project has introduced more than 160,000 children to table tennis to date.
September 30, 2026, Istanbul - Hitit, a global provider of software solutions for the airline and travel technology industry, has received the award at the Sustainable Business Awards for its “Rackets Up” social responsibility project, implemented in collaboration with the Turkish Table Tennis Federation (TMTF).
Organized by the Sustainability Academy, the Sustainable Business Awards recognize projects that create economic, environmental, and social impact and aim to highlight best practices in sustainable business. Now in its 13th year, the awards bring together projects across a range of categories, which are evaluated by a jury of academics and independent experts.
“Rackets Up” Reaches More Than 160,000 Children in Eight Years
Launched by Hitit in 2018, “Rackets Up” aims to introduce children, particularly those with limited access to sports, to table tennis, as well as identify talented young athletes at an early age through professional coaching, and support their development. To date, the project has reached more than 160,000 children and 430 teachers across 411 public schools in Çorum, Isparta, Trabzon, Şanlıurfa, Sakarya, and Kırşehir. Following the 2023 earthquake, the project also extended its support to children in container cities in Kahramanmaraş and Malatya.
Driving Impact Through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Bringing together the private sector, civil society, public institutions, and educational organizations around a shared goal, “Rackets Up” was recognized in the “Collaboration – Private Sector & NGOs, Public Sector, Academia” category for its multi-stakeholder approach. Hitit’s project development and funding support, together with TMTF’s expertise in coordination and coach training, has enabled the project to expand its reach across multiple provinces. Collaboration with public institutions and local stakeholders has also played an important role in extending the project’s reach, while contributions from Provincial Directorates of National Education, Provincial Directorates of Youth and Sports, school administrations, and physical education teachers have helped create a lasting impact in public schools.
Commenting on the award, Hitit’s CEO Nevra Onursal Karaağaç said: “At Hitit, we prioritize creating sustainable and measurable impact in social responsibility, just as we do in technology. When we launched “Rackets Up”, our goal was to introduce children, particularly those with limited access to sports, to table tennis and encourage healthy lifestyle habits from an early age. We are proud to see our project, which has now reached more than 160,000 children, recognized at the Sustainable Business Awards. This award once again highlights the power of collaboration between the private sector, public institutions, and civil society in creating meaningful social impact. We would like to thank the Turkish Table Tennis Federation, our coaches, and teachers for their valuable contributions to the project. We will continue to grow “Rackets Up” and reach even more children.”