Halkbank Supports Women Entrepreneurship

Halkbank, established in 1938 with mission of supporting artisans and SMEs and accelerating sustainable economic development in Türkiye, has become one of the prominent, stable, pioneering, and reputable brands in the rising country. For 87 years, Halkbank has been leading the development of the Turkish banking sector.

Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 1,250 characters):

Women's entrepreneurship remains one of Türkiye's most underutilized economic drivers. As of 2024, women's labor force participation was just 37.5%, and female entrepreneurship stood at 18.2%, far below global average of 34.7%. Despite efforts across sectors, women in Türkiye face persistent barriers in access to capital, visibility, formal training, and scale-up opportunities. In response to this structural gap, Halkbank launched a visionary initiative in 2021 by establishing country's first and only Women's Entrepreneurship Banking Department. Unlike traditional CSR projects or limited-scope credit lines, this department was created as a permanent institutional structure tasked with building full ecosystem to empower women entrepreneurs financially, socially, and professionally. This move was both strategic and symbolic. Strategically, it allowed Halkbank to consolidate and scale a variety of support mechanisms under one dedicated umbrella. Symbolically, it positioned women's entrepreneurship not as a marginal issue but as a national development priority.

Outline the organization's achievements since July 1, 2023 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 1,500 characters):

Over the past four years department has evolved into holistic platform offering tailored credit programs, educational tools, export facilitation and youth-focused innovation now benchmark model, inspiring others adopt gender-responsive frameworks. With institutional commitment growing nationwide reach, Halkbank's women-focused ecosystem continues shape Türkiye's inclusive growth agenda. While Bank continues to lead with its comprehensive loan offerings providing 96 billion TL in credit to 250,000 women entrepreneurs, its real transformation lies in strategic shift from financing to capability building. Pioneered Türkiye's first full range of financial products tailored for women entrepreneurs, from credit cards to insurance, export loans to investment packages. Recognizing sustainable empowerment requires more than capital, Bank shifted focus toward long-term, knowledge-based interventions. In 2024, published Türkiye's first academic research report on women entrepreneurship, in partnership with Istanbul University. Study diagnosed barriers across financing, formalization, exports shaping new product designs, training content and fund criteria. In 2024, Bank launched BİGE- Science&Innovation with Girls, national initiative introducing STEM and entrepreneurship to high school girls. The program featured inspiration sessions, hackathon and an acceleration phase with mentoring, closing with national demo day.

Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 1,500 characters):

Halkbank also scaled the Üreten Kadınlar Academy, offering free training modules, reaching thousands of women with practical, industry-relevant content. These integrated programs reflect Halkbank's evolving role not just as a lender, but as a national architect of inclusive economic development. What sets Halkbank apart is its ecosystem approach. Rather than supporting women entrepreneurs through fragmented initiatives, the Bank has built a multi-layered, permanent, and replicable model backed by institutional structure, scientific data, and real-time market feedback. This model begins with financial inclusion, offering diverse credit and insurance tools exclusively designed for women. But it doesn't stop there. Women also receive support to formalize, brand, digitize, and scale their businesses through trainings, digital infrastructure, and market access programs. Visibility is amplified through national contests, media platforms, and public recognition. In 2024, Halkbank became the first bank in Türkiye to be included in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index(GEI), a global benchmark recognizing transparency and performance in gender-related data reporting. This recognition validates Halkbank's institutional progress in building a diverse and equitable workplace. 46,6% of Halkbank's employees are women, surpassing Türkiye's national average of 30%, and 22% of its Management Board are women, one of the highest ratios in the banking sector.

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 1,500 characters):

According to the Turkish Banks Association's Women Entrepreneur Loans Report 2024: 40% of all financial loans And 70% of women entrepreneurs with ongoing loans obtained to women entrepreneurs in Türkiye came from Halkbank. At the end of 2021, when Halkbank's Women Entrepreneur Department was founded, the female entrepreneurship rate in Türkiye was 11%. By late 2024, it had risen to 18.2%, a 7.2-point increase while the global rate rose only 4 points (from 30% to 34%). Türkiye's increase is 1.8 times higher than the global average, and given Halkbank's 70% share, its contribution is undeniable.

Even amid inflation and macroeconomic challenges, 16.25% of women entrepreneurs who received loans reported increased turnover demonstrating not only inclusion, but true business growth.

Halkbank's commitment to inclusive growth goes beyond financial services, it is embedded in its governance, workforce, procurement policies, and global affiliations. On September 22, 2023, Halkbank's General Manager Osman Arslan signed the UN Women's Empowerment Principles(WEPs), pledging to promote women's participation at all levels of the economy, ensure equal rights, and foster a safe and supportive work environment.