Gender equality in the Turkish automotive industry
During 2016, the EBRD provided technical support to TOFAS, a leading car manufacturer in Turkey, to improve its human resources policies and practices in the area of equal opportunities with a view to improving women’s participation in the automotive industry.
When it comes to technical jobs and blue collar positions in the Turkish automotive industry, women comprise just over 1 per cent of the workforce. Before the EBRD’s engagement with TOFAS, there were only 19 female blue collar workers in the company (fewer than 0.5 per cent of the blue collar workforce).
At the end of 2015, as a result of the EBRD loan, in an unprecedented move in the industry, TOFAS hired 400 women to fill blue collar jobs in its plant in Bursa; 6 per cent of the blue collar workforce.
Some of the actions adopted by TOFAS to date include improving the physical working environment for female staff, establishing a sexual harassment/bullying complaint mechanism, safer and improved night transport services for female workers and gender-responsive communications and messages to motivate staff.