BACKAs part of its commitment to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women both in the industry and society, BHM has signed the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)—a joint initiative by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact.
In a special signing ceremony, BHM officially pledged to adopt and implement the WEPs, reinforcing its dedication to cultivating a fair, safe, and equal-opportunity workplace culture, backed by over 50 years of knowledge, expertise, and experience in the sector.
The commitments approved by the BHM Board of Directors under the WEPs framework include the following principles:
- Demonstrating leadership at the highest levels of management in advancing gender equality
- Treating all employees—women and men—fairly and with respect, without gender-based discrimination
- Ensuring the health, well-being, and safety of all employees in the workplace
- Supporting employees’ education, training, and career development
- Promoting institutional development, supply chain, and marketing practices that empower women
- Advocating for and supporting equal opportunity through community initiatives
- Regularly measuring and publicly reporting progress on gender equality initiatives
Sharing his thoughts on the WEPs principles, BHM Chairman of the Board, Mr. Haydar BARUT, stated: “We believe that one of the key factors behind our success has been the creation of a fair, safe, and equal opportunity work environment for all our colleagues. As a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, we are fully aware of the critical role of women. Our commitment to these principles is a responsibility we bear to shape the future of our company and to create added value for our society. Our 2023–2025 Human Capital Strategic Plan reflects this commitment.”
UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Sima BAHOUS, emphasized BHM’s role under the WEPs by saying: “We congratulate BHM on taking its first step in the WEPs journey. We see BHM as a key partner in closing gender gaps in the workplace, industry, and society, and in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, Sanda OKIAMBO, expressed her appreciation to BHM with the following words: “For over a decade, the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) have helped companies accelerate gender equality and advance the empowerment of women in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Considering that women represent half of the world’s population yet remain underrepresented in business, WEPs offer a much-needed roadmap to dismantle the barriers to women’s economic empowerment. We welcome BHM to this growing community and thank you for using the WEPs as a guide on your path to sustainability—helping lead and shape a more equal world where women and girls thrive.”
BHM Group Human Capital Director İbrahim Hakan YILMAZ emphasized the importance of the WEPs principles for BHM with the following words:
“At BHM, we aim to provide all our employees with a fair, safe, dignified, and equal opportunity work environment. By committing to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles, we envision a future where gender equality is not just a goal in business life but a fundamental norm.”
On UN Women WEPs website BHM: https://www.weps.org/company/bhm-otelcilik
