• Publish Date
  13.12.2022
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Metro Istanbul receives another award from SODEV in the field of gender equality

Metro Istanbul, one of the affiliate companies of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), received the "Best Practice for Gender Equality" award at the Gender Equalitarian Transformation Awards organized by the Social Democracy Foundation (SODEV) with its female train drivers project.

Metro Istanbul carries out its activities in rail systems, which is a male-dominated sector all over the world. Metro Istanbul was deemed worthy of another award for its change and transformation movement for gender equality that it started in 2019.
The Gender Equalitarian Transformation Awards, organized by SODEV in cooperation with the Sweden-based Olaf Palme International Centre, where municipalities across Turkey are rewarded for their efforts to ensure gender equality, found their owners. At the ceremony where awards were given in 13 different categories, Metro Istanbul received the “Best Practice for Gender Equality” award with its female train drivers project. 

“We are proud of showing the success of women to the whole sector”
Deputy General Manager Yıldıray Yedikardes, who received the award on behalf of Metro Istanbul, said, “As a company operating in the rail systems sector, we are proud to show the whole sector how successful women are in all business areas that are defined as men's work in society and are viewed with prejudice and said that women cannot. We created a workforce that prioritizes gender equality through our efforts to increase female employment within the organization, to create equal opportunities for men and women, to prevent gender-based discrimination in job descriptions and positions, to promote women within the company and to encourage women leaders. Since 2019, we have increased the number of our female employees by 100%. Through our work, we have been recognized as a global role model in the fields of gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Today, SODEV and Olaf Palme International Centre deemed worthy us of the Gender Equalitarian Transformation Award with our female train drivers project, which we are evaluated within the scope of these works. I am receiving this award on behalf of the entire Metro Istanbul Family. We will continue to be a role model for the entire industry and our country with our gender equality efforts”.

The number of female train drivers has increased 22 times since 2019
While the number of female train drivers working in Metro Istanbul was only 8 in June 2019, this number increased 22 times and reached 178 as of December 2022.
Metro Istanbul acts with the principle of equal and fair representation of women at all levels of social life. Metro Istanbul was awarded with the European Region Special Award in the category of “Diversity and Inclusion: Gender Equality” by the International Union of Public Transport (UITP) for its efforts in this direction. Turkey Quality Association (KalDer) presented Metro Istanbul as a role model with its gender equality approach and Metro Istanbul was deemed worthy of the Turkey Excellence Award.

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