The TU:KUE töre is the word our members give to one another and to Türkiye. It consists of seven principles: Word, Value, Discretion, Solidarity, Knowledge, Representation and Measure. Every member who accepts the invitation accepts these seven principles.
What töre means
Among the early Turks, töre was the body of law and custom that held society together and passed from generation to generation. In the Orkhon inscriptions it appears as 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰇 (törü).
The Kül Tigin and Bilge Khagan inscriptions tell how Bumin and İstemi, the founding khagans of the Göktürk Khaganate, took the throne and then held and ordered the realm and the töre of the Turkic people. Töre bound not only the people but the ruler as well. A khagan's duty was to protect it and keep it alive.
olurupan türük bodunıŋ ilin törüsin tuta birmiş iti birmiş
“Having taken the throne, they held and ordered the realm and the töre of the Turkic people.”
Kül Tigin inscription, east face, line 1 · 732
TU:KUE carries this idea into today's world of business. Our töre is the word that people who do business together give to one another. It is not a written contract. It is a bond of honour.
The seven principles
Each principle of our töre opens with a short maxim. The explanation beneath it describes what that principle means at the table and away from it.
TÖRE
WordA given word comes before a signed contract.
ValueWe create value in Türkiye and present it to the world as such.
DiscretionWhat is said at the table stays at the table.
SolidarityA door opened for one member opens for all.
KnowledgeWe read, ask and teach. Knowledge grows when shared.
RepresentationWherever we are, we carry Türkiye's good name.
MeasureWe value a lasting mark over display.
𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰇
Törü · Töre · 2026
I
Word
A given word comes before a signed contract.
Trade rests on trust, and trust rests on keeping one's word. A TU:KUE member stands behind the word they give and does not give a word they cannot keep. Contracts are of course signed, but in this circle the real guarantee is the member's own name.
In practice
Agreed dates, figures and terms are honoured.
If a commitment cannot be met, the other party is told early and plainly.
Disagreements between members are first talked through face to face and, if needed, resolved through the mediation of the Founding Council.
II
Value
We create value in Türkiye and present it to the world as such.
Our members carry Türkiye's productive strength, intellect and craft to the world. We choose the processed over the raw, the original over the copy, and the lasting brand over the quick gain. Every bit of value we create adds to Türkiye's weight in the world.
In practice
Every claim about a product's origin and quality is true.
Local suppliers and talent are brought into the value chain by design.
Intellectual property and other people's work and design are respected.
III
Discretion
What is said at the table stays at the table.
Our members come together so that they can speak openly with one another. That openness is only possible with discretion. What is shared at a Sofra, at the Kurultay or in Otağ does not leave the room without its owner's consent.
In practice
What is said in meetings is never repeated with the speaker's name attached.
Members' identities and the member list are not shared without the member's consent.
Commercial information shared by a member is never used against them.
IV
Solidarity
A door opened for one member opens for all.
A relationship one member has built over the years can, at the right moment, clear the way for another. Solidarity means opening doors without expecting anything in return, and using the doors others open with care.
In practice
Members introduce one another to trusted people and protect the reputation of whoever made the introduction.
Members with experience in a market guide those who are entering it.
When a member faces hard times, the circle offers support quietly and with measure.
V
Knowledge
We read, ask and teach. Knowledge grows when shared.
What sets TU:KUE apart from an ordinary business network is the knowledge brought to the table. Our members share their experience, ask before they decide and pass what they have learned on to the next generation. Like Tonyukuk, the wise vizier of the Göktürks, we put knowledge first and the decision second.
In practice
At the Kurultay and at Sofra dinners, members speak from their own experience.
Through the Atabey programme, members give time to the next generation of founders.
Before a major decision, verified knowledge comes first. That is why TU:KUE Bilge exists.
VI
Representation
Wherever we are, we carry Türkiye's good name.
A signature a member puts on paper anywhere in the world represents not only their own company but Turkish enterprise as a whole. That is why we expect our members to respect the laws and customs of every country where they do business, and to carry Türkiye's name with care.
In practice
Laws, tax obligations and the rules of international trade are followed in full.
Employees, partners and competitors are treated fairly.
Only people authorised by the Founding Council speak publicly on behalf of TU:KUE.
VII
Measure
We value a lasting mark over display.
The surest measure of success is the mark it leaves behind. Our members put forward not their wealth but the organisations they have built, the jobs they have created and the people they have raised. TU:KUE membership is never used as a status symbol.
In practice
Membership is not used in commercial promotion or advertising.
Our gatherings are understated and our words measured.
Support for charitable and cultural work is given to leave a mark, not to make a show.
Commitment to the töre
The töre is part of the invitation. Every member who accepts the invitation reads and accepts the seven principles before their first Sofra. Throughout membership, the töre is the ground on which every meeting and every introduction stands.
The töre is not applied clause by clause like a set of regulations. Each principle is a measure left to the members' good judgement. When in doubt, the path that protects one's word and reputation is the one to take.
Breaching the töre
Any allegation of conduct contrary to the töre is reviewed in confidence by the Founding Council. The Council hears the member concerned before it decides. The review may end with a warning or with the end of membership.
The decision is communicated to the member personally and is not made public. How membership ends is explained on the Membership page.
Frequently asked questions
What does töre mean?
In Old Turkic, töre means law, custom and social order. It appears in the Orkhon inscriptions as törü. Among the early Turks, töre was the law that even the ruler had to obey.
How many principles make up the TU:KUE töre?
Seven: Word, Value, Discretion, Solidarity, Knowledge, Representation and Measure.
How is the töre different from the manifesto?
The manifesto sets out what TU:KUE believes and what it aims for. The töre sets out how members conduct themselves towards one another and towards Türkiye.
What happens if a member breaches the töre?
The allegation is reviewed in confidence by the Founding Council. After hearing the member, the Council may issue a warning or end the membership.