Period of implementation of the project: 

Our project started in 2018 and we rounded off our 4th year this year.

Challenge: 

The education in classical music is a very long and challenging process, it is also very expensive. In addition to the schools’ tuition fee, the investment in the instruments, logistics of the instruments, the master-classes which the young musicians attend to develop themselves and the living expenses for the students attending schools abroad are among the challenges which this project is focused on. On the other hand, one of the driving factors of the project has been that the opportunities offered to women in the field of classical music, as in all areas of life, have been behind those of men. Matching the project budget with the right names was an important criterion. We believe that we have developed a successful model with TSKB’s intellectual, moral and financial contribution, the meticulous project management of our esteemed partner, the IKSV, the competent jury and the fair evaluation processes. Although TSKB provided most of the support, synergy was created in which the financial contribution grew even more with the allocation of the Albert Long Hall to our concerts every year from the Boğaziçi University and with the additional revenues obtained from the ticket sales of these concerts. We are therefore delighted to have implemented a long-term project in which talented young girls can gain appreciation and invest in their future.

Solution: 

TSKB is an institution that has focused on areas such as sustainability, climate change and social development for the last 30 years, and has succeeded in transforming its entire banking model in line with globally accepted sustainability principles. As a bank that places the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of its activities, we work with the aim of contributing to all SDGs with our financing opportunities, policies and social responsibility projects. With our loan portfolio, we directly support 7 important SDGs, including SDG-5 (Gender Equality). With our Women’s Employment Loan Program, which is the first in Turkey and includes measurement and  development modules, we contribute to the female-friendly transformation of the companies we extend loans to. Our bank, which observes an egalitarian stance in its HR policies, also maintains a ratio of more than 50% women in management positions. TSKB’s very own CEO is one of the few women to serve as a general manager in the finance sector, and acts as an advocate for this issue. Our bank, which was among the first signatories of the WEPs (the Women’s Empowerment Principles) put forward by UN Women, also holds the Equal Opportunity Model certificate, which is a joint initiative of Kagider (the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey) and the World Bank.  TSKB is also the main sponsor of a digital platform which is published under the name of #EşitAdımlar (#EqualSteps) in order to contribute to the women-friendly transformation of business. We believe that  we have provided a valuable contribution to strengthening Turkish women musicians in the international arena and the development of our country in this field by expanding our focus on gender equality to the field of culture and the arts with the Women Stars of Tomorrow project.

Results: 

With the Women Stars of Tomorrow project, a total of 53 talented young women musicians have been supported in their education process over the last 4 years. To reach our supported musicians: The concerts, which have been fully booked before the pandemic, were broadcast online during the pandemic, with the concert attracting 3,600 ticketed viewers, making it the most popular concert in the music festival after the opening concert. As one of the objectives of the project is to contribute to the recognition of our young musicians and to raise awareness of gender equality in the field of music, the project was published in newspapers and magazines a total of 121 times and in digital news portals 298 times through the press communication carried out in cooperation with the IKSV on the application and concert days. In the same period, a total of 7,252,643 views, 3,734,419 accesses and 700,133 interactions were achieved in the sponsored video messages made from the TSKB social media accounts. These figures reflect a striking performance in terms of classical music in Turkey, TSKB and the IKSV’s stakeholder groups.. Our young women guests from different disciplines had the opportunity to speak to important moderators in the Towards the Concert chat shows. This also raised the project’s emphasis on “women’s empowerment in every field”. Adopted with enthusiasm by TSKB and IKSV employees, the project, which serves both the cultural development of our country and gender equality, stands out with its configuration, being result-oriented, creating direct benefits for people and leveraging awareness.

Category: People

Company: TSKB

About the company: 

TSKB-Industrial Development Bank of Turkey, is a privately-owned development bank in Turkey. Established in 1950, TSKB supports Turkey’s sustainable and inclusive development with a broad array of Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, and Advisory Services that it provides to its customers.

Sustainable Development Goals