Türkiye İş Bankası, which is a signatory of the Women`s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) has committed to providing financial support of TL 100 billion (approx. EUR 3.4 billion) to women entrepreneurs within five years through the Women’s Empowerment Declaration published in March.
Providing TL 20.9 billion (approx. EUR 702 million) in commercial loans to its entrepreneurial customers in 2022, İşbank extended TL 12 billion (approx. EUR 403 million) from this amount to women entrepreneurs. As of August 2023, the total loan amount provided by the Bank to women entrepreneurs was TL 15.9 billion (approx. EUR 534 million), and the loan amount for the SME segment was – TL 7.8 billion (approx. EUR 262 million).
Due to the agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), TL 1.1 billion (approx. EUR 37 million) will be provided to women entrepreneurs.
Due to the agreement signed with the EBRD, the Bank provides USD 76 million (approx. EUR 72 million) within the scope of the “Financing and Consulting Support Program for Women’s Businesses – TurWiB” to those customers who meet the determined criteria within 18 months, starting from August 2022.
İşbank supports women entrepreneurs not only in a financial way but also acts as their companion with training and mentoring. The Bank has provided training to 2,585 existing and future entrepreneurs with the Women’s Power in Enterprise Project, which has been continuing since June 2022 in cooperation with the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
Türkiye İş Bankası Women’s Empowerment Declaration consists of the following 7 items:
• The Bank sustains women’s economic independence and takes an active role in business life.
• It focuses on studies on women’s access to financial services.
• It supports women’s place in economic life through non-financial activities such as experience sharing, training, and collaborations.
• It also demonstrates an attitude toward preventing gender discrimination in marketing and advertising activities.
• The Bank observes gender equality in all its activities and aims to create opportunities to raise awareness on the subject.
• It considers the differing demands and needs of women in human resources policies.
• It carries out practices and collaborations that encourage the increase in the ratio of female employees and managers.
Read our previous news on how Türkiye İş Bankası and Halkbank support women entrepreneurs below:
Source: the Bank`s press release dated September 19, 2023
