• Publish Date
  12.12.2023
• Subscribe
• Share

Metro Istanbul Receives an Award from PERYÖN in Diversity and Inclusion Field

İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's subsidiary, Metro Istanbul, has been honored with the Diversity and Inclusion Award at the Human Values Awards organized by the Turkish Human Management Association (PERYÖN) for its efforts and accomplishments since 2019.

Turkey's largest urban rail system operator, Metro Istanbul, has added yet another award to its collection for its initiatives in gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity launched in 2019. This year, Metro Istanbul was honored in the Diversity and Inclusion category, among 8 applicants, at the 15th edition of the Human Values Awards organized by PERYÖN.

"The steps taken in Istanbul will resonate across every corner of Turkey"
İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stated, "In the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, which we govern with an approach centered on the human being, we are committed to the principle of equality in all our endeavors. We aim to develop policies that highlight the various dynamics, rich culture, and diversities of our city. Since taking office, we have been focusing on the suitability for the job rather than the identity characteristics of the individuals we employ. Merit is our sole priority in recruitment."
"Receiving the diversity and inclusivity award by Metro Istanbul, which manages the backbone of Istanbul's transportation network through its rail systems, is an expression of our city's commitment to these values. This success also reflects our commitment to providing services aligned with the social fabric of our city. We know that the steps taken in Istanbul resonate and inspire across every corner of Turkey," he stated."
İBB General Secretary Deputy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Metro Istanbul, Zeynep Neyza Akçabay, expressed during the award ceremony, "Metro Istanbul has been a company making a difference since 2019, and it's the first municipal subsidiary to win this award. As a woman serving as the Chairperson of Metro Istanbul, I express my gratitude to our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, who always amplifies the voices of women."
Akçabay stated that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality operates based on the values of equality, diversity, and inclusivity within its institutional culture. She further added, "Our efforts in the realm of equality, diversity, and inclusivity encompass initiatives such as appointing competent women in male-dominated roles, assigning positions suitable for the abilities of people with disabilities, and involving young individuals in internship programs that provide equal opportunities for their development. Managing Istanbul with the right person for the right job policy, we embrace all colors and voices."

"We serve more than 3 million passengers daily"
Metro Istanbul's General Manager, Dr. Özgür Soy, stated, "As Metro Istanbul, we are a significant service provider in urban mobility. Our goal is to ensure that everyone feels safe wherever they see the Metro Istanbul logo and can travel safely at any time of the day. We provide service to over 3 million Istanbulites daily across our 216 stations on our 18 lines. We undertake various initiatives to increase the share of certain passenger groups in urban mobility. For instance, our Night Metro service launched in 2019 has become the first choice for safe travel, especially among our female passengers. We collaborate with disability organizations to improve the service quality for our disabled passengers in our stations and vehicles, which are 100% accessible. Following the principle of 'happy employee, happy passenger,' we assign our disabled employees to positions that match their talents and interests."
General Manager Soy stated, "We've seen that a company's initiatives regarding equality, diversity, and inclusivity are crucial for candidates. Ensuring an environment where our employees feel happy and peaceful is among our top priorities. As part of our corporate culture and company values, we've built a structure that fosters a sense of belonging among our employees by encouraging an inclusive, human-centered approach where everyone can express their thoughts and needs, embracing all employees." 

"The promotion rate for women in Metro Istanbul increased by 60 times"
Dr. Özgür Soy mentioned, "Since June 2019, we have taken numerous merit-based steps without discrimination based on gender, language, religion, or race. Our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, stated during the medal ceremony held in August 2019 at our company, 'We must ensure maximum female participation in every workplace.' Taking courage from our Mayor's words, we initiated a transformation movement in our company regarding gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity. Just four years ago, we had only 8 female train drivers working on a single line. Today, we are talking about hundreds. The ratio of women employees receiving promotions has increased by a staggering 60 times. Doors have been opened for women in all fields, from station supervisors to technicians, shunters, and tram drivers. While the total number of female employees was 175, it has now reached 600. What I am most proud of is that 42% of the job applications we receive at Metro Istanbul are now from women."

In this regard, as a result of our efforts:
•    The proportion of female employees in our company has increased by more than threefold since 2019, rising from 5.8% to 15.7%.
•    The number of female train drivers has increased by more than 36 times. Currently, 30% of our train drivers are women.
•    For the first time in our company's history, we recruited female station supervisors in 2021. We now have 36 female station supervisors across our lines, marking a significant increase from zero in the past and reaching 12% today.
•    In 2021, for the first time in 13 years, female tram drivers started working on our T5 line.
•    The promotion rate for our female employees, which was around 0.64% in 2019, has increased by approximately 60 times to reach 38% today. The count of female managers has risen to 21, bringing our female manager rate to 16%, up from 4% in 2019.
•    For the first time in our company's history, we have a female head in our technical maintenance department, breaking the historical barrier where women couldn't hold positions in technical departments.
•    With the support of our employees, I conducted photo exhibitions promoting women's participation in professional and social life. 
•    As a result, the percentage of female applicants to our company increased from 7% to 42% due to our communication efforts, inspiring all women."
He stated, 'We have implemented a profound change in our living spaces, work styles, job descriptions, career paths, and shift systems.
Besides women employment, General Manager Soy mentioned that they have also undertaken initiatives in disabled employment, programs supporting individuals with disabilities, and generation-based programs. Some of these initiatives include:
•    Establishing charging units for vehicles used by our disabled passengers at 121 of our stations.
•    Offering job opportunities to young individuals aged between 18-23 years old, who have a technical/vocational high school or associate degree and up to 2 years of work experience, through the Young Technicians and Technicians Program.
•    Providing a career opportunity at Metro Istanbul by offering part-time work experiences in accordance with university schedules for 3rd and 4th-year students through the TalentTrain program to learn from industry professionals."

"The biggest source of pride for us is knowing that everyone, regardless of gender, can work at Metro Istanbul"
"If today we can make a little girl think, 'I can also work at Metro Istanbul in the future, and if I can improve myself, I can take on any role without exception,' if we can inspire her to dream, then this is our greatest achievement and pride," he said.
Soy emphasized the significance of rail systems in providing significant opportunities for employment for young individuals. He mentioned, "Considering the planned opening of 80.5 kilometers of rail system lines and the procurement of 1000 vehicles in Istanbul by 2030, we can say that rail systems will be the most important employment area in the near future. We are taking significant steps to encourage our youth to be interested in this sector and receive education in this regard. Through collaborations with high schools and universities, we are opening up Metro Istanbul's fields to young people regardless of gender and physical characteristics, sharing our knowledge and experience. As an employer brand, we listen to our employees, determine strategies together, and work towards a sustainable corporate governance goal by developing projects for our future employees. With the same approach, we offer equal and inclusive services to our passengers."
As a result of all these efforts, we have been honored with numerous awards both domestically and internationally. We are very happy to receive this award from PERYÖN, a nonprofit organization focused on employees and people. Competing as the only 100% domestic company in this category and being the first municipal affiliate to receive this award also fills us with pride. I am proud of the award we received in the "Diversity and Inclusion" category at the 15th Human Value Awards given by PERYÖN, one of the most reputable NGOs in the business world, along with all the employees of Metro Istanbul.
In the category of Diversity and Inclusion, Metro Istanbul became the award recipient by making it to the final alongside brands like Akenerji, Avery Dennison, Borusan Mannesmann, CarrefourSA, Ford Otosan, GSK Turkey, and Mey Diageo. Additionally, in the Employer Branding for Talent Acquisition category, Metro Istanbul was one of the three finalists.

Technology Award for Metro Istanbul

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's (IMM) affiliate, Metro Istanbul, received an award in the Operational Competence Project category with the ...

read more