Our Power Equality Summit took place in Bursa.

The 7th Equality of Our Strength Summit, organized by the UN Global Compact Turkey Women Empowerment Bursa Platform, took place in Bursa.

Established in 2016 under the UN Global Compact Turkey, the Women Empowerment Bursa Platform coordinated by BUİKAD, BUSİAD, and Yeşim Group, with the support of KalDer, focused this year on the topics of “Women Leadership and Equal Pay for Equal Work” at the 7th Equality of Our Strength Summit. The summit was opened with welcoming remarks by Dilek Cesur, Corporate Communication Director of Yeşim Group, Şeyda Şençayır, Chairperson of BUİKAD, Buğra Küçükkayalar, Chairperson of BUSİAD, and Serkan Ürkmez, Chairperson of KalDer Bursa Branch. Following this, Ahmet Dördüncü, Chairperson of the UN Global Compact Turkey, delivered the opening speech.

Ahmet Dördüncü, Chairperson of the UN Global Compact Turkey, emphasized that progress has not been made on gender inequality globally and in Turkey, and that there has even been regression in some areas, stating, “The need to raise awareness about gender equality in the business world is decreasing, but efforts have not yet reflected in the data. Women’s participation in the workforce and representation in leadership positions are still low; we must act quickly. As UN Global Compact Turkey, we continue to support our companies in setting gender equality targets, tracking them, and achieving these targets.”

The summit took place in two separate sections in the form of panels. Speakers shared their organizations’ exemplary practices on gender equality, ensuring equality for all women and men in the workplace, empowering women, and supporting development opportunities under the topics “Women Leadership: Equal Representation and Inclusion at Every Level” and “Equal Pay for Equal Work: Responsibilities of Companies and Best Practices.”

In the panel titled “Women Leadership: Equal Representation and Inclusion at Every Level,” moderated by Şeyda Şençayır, Chairperson of BUİKAD, speakers included Melis Sökmen, Human Resources and Corporate Communications Director of the Türkiye Industrial and Development Bank, and Tolga Görgülü, Human Resources Director of Oyak Renault.

In the panel titled “Equal Pay for Equal Work: Responsibilities of Companies and Best Practices,” moderated by Gaye Sarıoğlu, Deputy Secretary General of UN Global Compact Turkey, speakers included Umut Önen, Talent Management and Employer Branding Director of Kibar Holding, and Havva Köroğlu, Vice Chairperson of Smart Solar Technologies.

Certificates of donation were presented to the speakers and event sponsor Villa Verde for their contributions to the campaign “Contemporary Education Cooperative for Wildflowers to Read.”