Women on Board Turkey Association gave its 3rd Term Graduates
50 more women ready for Boards!
The third term of the "Cross-company Mentoring and Certificate Program for More Women on Boards" which has been carried out by WOB Turkey since 2012 and started in January 2018 and lasts 18 months, was completed.
"Graduation Ceremony" event of the third term (2018-2019) of the "More Women on Boards" Project, Cross-Companies Mentoring and Independent Board Member Certificate Program, supported by the European Union Local NGO's Grant Program, was held.
Certificates were presented to third term graduates taking mentoring from Turkey's business leaders at the ceremony. WOB Turkey, working to eliminate gender inequality and ensure that more women take part on boards, prepared 137 leader women for the Boards in two years. 75 leader women going through this process took place on the Boards of Turkey's leading institutions and organizations.
The origin of the Association is the Women on Board of Directors Program, created in 2012 and became an association beginning 2017. WOB Turkey, which celebrated its second anniversary under the umbrella of the association this year and managed to receive support from the European Union Local NGO's Grant Program last year, celebrated the completion of the third term. Representatives of the business world and non-governmental organizations and academicians participated in the ceremony.
Mentees prepare for Board Membership and expand their network with their mentor's suggestions and guidance within the scope of Turkey's first and only certificate program. Female candidates for Board Membership- the Mentees- receive Mentoring from Turkey's most effective business people and opinion leaders during 18 months with an average of 9 meetings. Mentees work with experienced names of business World and take training, seminar, panel and conferences.
In her opening speech, WOB Turkey President Hande Yaşargil said: "The graduation of WOB Turkey Mentoring and Certification Program means running the first hundred meters of a marathon for us. Until now, with our mentors and training, we have supported the knowledge, experience and vision of female executives who can be Board Member in companies. Yaşargil also stated that they do not stop until they see enough women on Boards. Yaşargil ended her speech by thanking the mentors with whom they walked together on this journey and congratulated the mentees of the 3rd Term Mentees.
Journalist and producer Tuluhan Tekelioğlu, who was the moderator of the ceremony, drew attention to the current data on this subject. She stated that the most fundamental difference observed in the business world is "Achievement is a need for men and a desire for women". She also emphasized that WOB Turkey has made a very significant point by making success, not a desire for women but a necessity.
About Women on Board Turkey Association:
WOB Turkey was founded by Hande Yaşargil and Burçak Güven in 2012 as the first organization that works to increase diversity and women's representation in executive boards in our country.
On January 16, 2017, we changed our status to an association and expanded our activities, and we started to take important steps towards institutionalization. The origin of our association is the Women on Board of Directors Program which Turkey's first and only certificate program in the field of Board Membership, accredited by respected academic institutions. The program provides women board member candidates opportunity to take mentoring from Turkey's business leaders. During every 18 months, our mentors play an important part by working with new female mentees and helping them prepare for their role on Boards of Directors.
Candidates also receive training on different subjects from experienced names from the business and academic world. The Program, which has completed three terms so far, has included 137 women leaders, 40 in the first Term, 47 in the second Term, 50 in the third Term, and 86 mentors, some of whom gave voluntary support all three terms. 75 out of a total of 137 women leaders are currently appointed as Board Members of one or more institutions or NGOs.
As the Women on Board Association Turkey, we continue to implement this unique program while carrying out our activities of communication, cooperation, awareness and information sharing in order to increase the representation rate of women on boards.
Program Objectives:
- The pool of senior executive women candidates in Turkey, having the required level of competence and experience to become Board Members, is enlarged,
- Female executives with high potential are brought together and connected with the decision-makers who elected/appointed members to the Boards,
- with the recommendations and guidance of the Mentors, the mentees are equipped with the right resources for being a Board Member,
- it is ensured that the Chairpersons of the Boards of our country's leading companies get to know female executives with various qualifications and recommend them for appropriate positions.
