Company: HALKBANK
Nomination Submitted by: Business Awards Consulting
Company Description: Halkbank has become one of the steadily growing, well-established, pioneering and respected brands of emerging Turkey, which established in 1938 to support tradesmen, SMEs and to accelerate permanent economic development. Pioneering the development of the Turkish banking sector for 83 years, Halkbank continues its mission of supporting the real sector
Nomination Category: Product & Service Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Financial Services
 Nomination Title: HALKBANK Supports Women Entrepreneurship
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the the nominated new or new-version product or service, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: If this is a brand-new product, state the date on which it was released. If this is a new version of an existing product, state the date on which the update was released:
With the vision of being the "Bank of the Producing Women", Halkbank broke new ground in the banking sector on International Women's Day in 2021 and established the "Women Entrepreneurs Department", the first banking unit structured exclusively for women. The scope of the project mentioned in this application is between 2020-2022
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Describe the features, functions, and benefits of the nominated product or service (up to 350 words):
Total 316 words used.
Women entrepreneurship rate is 30% in the world, it is only 11% in Turkey. In Turkey, only 1/3 of women join the labor force and only 3/10 women in the labor force continue working. In addition, 6% of working-women leave their jobs every year due to their domestic care responsibilities. Especially with the effect of the covid-19 pandemic, gender inequality has increased in Turkey and women's entrepreneurship has been adversely affected.
Halkbank, Turkey's 3rd largest bank, is a public bank operating with the vision of "We are people first, and then the bank". Being aware of the importance of women's economic freedom and the added value they provide to the economy, Halkbank has undertaken the mission of being the "Bank of the Producing Women".
With the vision of being the "Bank of the Producing Women", Halkbank broke new ground in the banking sector on International Women's Day in 2021 and established the "Women Entrepreneurs Department", the first banking unitstructured exclusively for women. As the first and only Banking unit in Turkey that develops exclusive and exclusive products and services for Women Entrepreneurs, it consists of 6 experienced, enthusiastic and excited women.
Financial Supports and Advantages for Women Entrepreneurs:
Halkbank implemented special cash support loans and support packages for women entrepreneurs by applying positive discrimination towards women. These loans, are offered at rates below the standard interest rates in Turkey and with payment deferral options.
Halkbank added a new one to its advantageous banking products for women by launching the Paraf Credit Card for Producing Women on International Women's Day in 2022.
Producing Women Meetings:
It was held in 7 geographical regions of Turkey with the participation of the region's leading women entrepreneurs and community leaders. It was aimed to inspire and encourage women by sharing the stories of successful women at the meetings, which were open to all women and subsequently published on the Halkbank website.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Outline the market performance, critical reception, and customer satisfaction with the product or service to date. State monetary or unit sales figures to date, if possible, and how they compare to expectations or past performance. Provide links to laudatory product or service reviews. Include some customer testimonials, if applicable (up to 350 words):
Total 351 words used. If the word count is more than 25 words over the limit, please deduct one (1) point from your score. Halkbank launched Producing Women Competition in 2022 in order to encourage women entrepreneurship and to highlight successful women entrepreneurs. In the competition, which received a total of 2,494 applications from qualified women entrepreneurs in a short period of 5 weeks, awards were given to the entrepreneurs who ranked high on 2022 International Women's Day, by the Minister of Treasury of the Republic of Turkey.
Producing Women Academy: Halkbank launched the “Producing Women Academy” in 2022 by realizing the development needs of women entrepreneurs in financial literacy. Producing Women Academy can be accessed online with more than 100 video trainings as well as certification trainings lasting 10 weeks with special content for women.
-A total of more than 14 billion TL credit support has been provided to 124 thousand women entrepreneurs
-With the Digital Loan Package for Women Entrepreneurs designed to facilitate women's access to credit, women applied for loans from the Halkbank Digital Credit Platform without even go to the bank. With this package, more than 275 million TL credit support was provided to more than 8 thousand women entrepreneurs .
-More than 2.2 million TL of credit support was provided to 32 women's cooperatives that had difficulties in accessing finance with “Women's Cooperative Support Package ” offered for the first time in the Turkish banking sector. Through, it has been facilitated for women who are disadvantaged in education and who have financial difficulties to achieve success through collective work.
-Despite the difficult economic conditions due to the pandemic and the war in Europe, the turnover of 16.25% of women entrepreneurs who is using loans has improved.
-Women Entrepreneurs Visits were planned at Halkbank branches throughout Turkey, and 7000 women entrepreneurs were hosted at the branches.
-2,494 women entrepreneurs applied to the Halkbank Producing Women Competition, and a total of 1.5 million TL prize was awarded.
-Approximately 150,000 women were reached with 10 Producing Women Meetings in 2021.
-44.3% of Halkbank employees are women. With this ratio, Halkbank is above the average of Turkey, Europe and the world. (Turkey 28.3%, EU 39%, World 39%)
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 185 words used.
Halkbank also stands out with the positive discrimination it applies in purchasing products and services in order to empower women: Women entrepreneurs, women SMEs and tradesmen, and women's cooperatives are given priority in own purchases of the Bank.
Apx-1: Presentation: Halkbank Activities to Support Women in Details
In this presentation, you can find a summary of Halkbank's activities to support women.
Apx2: Video: Halkbank Women Entrepreneur Support Promotional Film
Promotional film featuring the views of entrepreneurial women about the financial support packages offered by Halkbank to women.
Apx3: Video: Halkbank Producing Women Meeting
A summary containing footage from the "Producing Women Meetings" series to raise awareness of women in 7 regions of Turkey and to encourage women entrepreneurs
Apx4: Video: Halkbank Producing Women Competition
Producing Women Competition organized by Halkbank
Apx5: Video: Halkbank Women Entrepreneur Stories
The stories of women entrepreneurs who grew their businesses with the support of Halkbank
Apx5: Video: Halkbank Producing Women Academy Promotional Video
Apx6: Document: Women's Labor Force and Women's Entrepreneurship in Turkey
Information note on women's participation in business life and the current state of women's entrepreneurship in Turkey.
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