After having brought Yildiz Holding Women’s Platform into being to transform the culture of equal opportunities into a stronger and more permanent structure in all its companies, Yildiz Holding has now also signed United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).
Developing pioneering gender equality practices since its foundation, Yildiz Holding has signed United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The signing ceremony was held at United Nations Women’s (UN Women) Regional Office in Istanbul on June 10, Thursday with the attendance of Yıldız Holding Chair Ali Ülker, UN Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Alia El-Yassir and Yildiz Holding Women’s Platform Ambassador Begüm Mutuş. A joint initiative by UN Women and United Nations Global Compact, WEPs constitutes a guide that is designed for the gender equality efforts of the private sector.
Having founded ‘Yildiz Holding Women’s Platform’ to increase the effectiveness of the women employees under its roof and to encourage women’s representation at the level of management and leadership, Yildiz Holding will shape its in-company gender equality policies in accordance with global standards in all its companies on the basis of the commitment it has made to WEPs. WEPs will help Yildiz Holding to continue its successful efforts towards women employees and women’s leadership in an even more systematic and programmed manner.
United Nations Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Alia El-Yassir said: “I would like to extend our appreciation for Yildiz Holding’s efforts towards their commitment to women’s empowerment and equal opportunities at work. Signing United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles provides an important platform for implementing business practices that will enable gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
Ali Ülker: “Each step to be taken by Yildiz Holding will constitute an important example for making women visible in every area”
Remarking that WEPs criteria offer Yildiz Holding a new roadmap for improving gender and opportunity equality, Yıldız Holding Chair Ali Ülker added: “As we maintain our strong growth both in our country and the global arena at Yildiz Holding, we keep in our focus the idea of developing the society we live in and contributing to Turkey’s sustainable growth in every area in all our operations. With this perspective, we assume the mission of setting an example for the society in everything we do and readily participate in every project that will raise awareness about gender equality in particular. We have created an exemplary structure in terms of women’s representation in the business world through Yildiz Holding Women’s Platform which we brought into being this year. Now, we have signed an important commitment to conduct our efforts towards equal opportunities around a powerful program and to adopt United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles Implementation Guide. I hope that each step to be taken by Yildiz Holding in the future regarding women’s labor will constitute a significant example for making women visible in all areas.”
Begüm Mutuş: “We aim to further reinforce the effectiveness of female employees and to encourage women’s leadership”
Highlighting that they prioritize offering a working environment based on trust and collaboration for all Yildiz Holding employees, Yıldız Holding Women’s Platform Ambassador Begüm said: “As one of Turkey’s largest employer brands, we deem it to be our responsibility to lead in improving women’s representation in business life and their presence in higher management and critical roles, as well as establishing equal opportunities in the business world.” Mutuş added: “Through our Women’s Platform, we aim to further reinforce the effectiveness of female employees under the roof of Yildiz Holding and to encourage women’s leadership. To establish equal opportunities and empower women in the business world, we prepared a manifesto through a participatory process, taking into account the suggestions of our employees from Turkey and abroad. With Yildiz Holding Women’s Platform Equal Opportunities and Women’s Empowerment Manifesto, we promise all our employees to offer them a working environment that is guided by a company culture in which they are respected and valued as individuals regardless of their gender. By the same token, the WEPs criteria we have signed will help us address our existing policies regarding female employees and women’s leadership in an even more systematic and programmed manner.”
WEPs criteria secure gender equality
Comprising seven fundamental principles, WEPs aims to contribute to the private sector to reinforce its existing gender equality efforts, develop corporate policies and programs, and analyze key indicators and reporting practices. WEPs are as follows:
1- Establishing high-level corporate leadership for gender equality.
2- Treating all women and men fairly at work; respecting and supporting human rights and the principle of non-discrimination.
3-Ensuring the health, well-being, and safety of all female and male employees.
4-Supporting education and training opportunities for women’s professional development.
5-Implementing entrepreneurial development, supply chain and marketing practices for women’s empowerment.
6- Encouraging equality through community initiatives and advocacy efforts.
7-Evaluating and publicly reporting achievements regarding gender equality.