Turkey’s local producer of commercial vehicles that marks half a century of its foundation and striding firmly to become a global brand, Karsan took a pivotal step that set a leading example to promote gender equality at work; and signed the Women's Empowerment Principles, a key global initiative of the United Nations.

This pivotal step was taken in the context of Karsan’s joint work with the International Labour Organization (ILO), UN’s specialised agency for labour issues, to achieve gender equality at work.

Making a statement on the issue, Mr. Okan Baş, Karsan’s CEO, emphasised that the “CEO Statement of Support for WEPs” signed today highlighted their resolve on corporate policies to achieve gender equality.
As regards Karsan’s becoming a WEPs signatory, Mr. Numan Özcan, Director of the ILO Office for Turkey, said: “This is a crucial step both for our ongoing collaboration with Karsan and for increasing women’s employment and empowerment in Turkey.”

Offering transport solutions to modern mobility needs at its plant in Bursa, the local producer Karsan took another stride in its work to promote gender equality at work. In this context, Karsan signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) formulated in 2010 jointly by the UN Global Compact and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

Karsan’s CEO Okan Baş also said: “As Karsan, through the ‘CEO Statement of Support for WEPs’ we displayed by our determination to formulate and sustain policies to advance gender equality.”

WEPs highlights key points for gender equality

WEPs is a key global initiative of the United Nations. Highlighting the key considerations for enterprises to achieve gender equality, WEPs provides guidance as seven points (principles). It urges companies to undertake work to establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality; treat all women and men fairly at work, respect and support human rights and non-discrimination; ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers. WEPs also imposes obligations on companies to promote education, training and professional development for women; implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women; promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy; and measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality.

Karsan was awarded for its gender equality works guided by ILO

A protocol was signed in 2019 in Bursa between ILO, Kıraça Holding and Karsan to promote gender equality and women’s employment, under which ILO would provide gender equality training and support for Karsan to formulate and implement gender-responsive corporate policies.

Karsan was awarded the 2018 BUSIAD Doğan Ersöz Prize for its work guided by ILO to enable women to actively participate in all areas of life to promote sustainable economic and social development. At the “Summit for Future” organised last year by the Turkish Federation of Automotive Service Associations (TOBFED), Karsan was awarded the “Women’s Employment Award for its projects and practices on women’s employment and gender equality setting precedents for all sectors”.