VakıfBank, having a reputable and trustworthy position with its operations and
performance, aims to create a respectable business environment to human rights within
the scope of sustainable banking understanding and to raise awareness and consciousness
of its employees, customers and shareholders by extending this understanding.
VakıfBank adopts in principle United Nations Human Rights Universal Declaration and
International Labour Organization in addition to the Labour Law, tries its best efforts to
meet the requirements of the international treaties which Turkey is a party. Within the
framework of the basic principles of the International Labor Organization, VakıfBank aims
to make a difference in the areas of employment, working conditions and provide equal
opportunities to its employees by operating in human rights processes (within the
framework of the basic principles of the International Labor Organization). Within the scope
of the principle of the International Labor Organization that remove the discrimination in
employment and occupation, VakıfBank adopts as a principle to women's employment,
being aware of the progress towards the future with the strength arising from the union.
As stated in the annual report in 2020, VakıfBank's female employees ratio reached
50.62%. As the first Turkish public institution to sign the Women's Empowerment Principles
(WEPs), VakıfBank strengthens its approach in this matter with agreements and
researches, and has been selected for the second time with a higher score in the Bloomberg
Gender Equality Index (Bloomberg GEI) that conducts the largest gender equality research
on a global scale. Observing gender equality not only in employment but also in promotions
within the Bank, 11% of VakıfBank's Board of Directors members and 25.6% of employees
in managerial positions throughout the bank are women.
VakıfBank is attentive to give equal opportunities to its employees regarding both
employment and career development without discrimination. VakıfBank aims to protect the
business environment, enabling female employees who become mother, preserving workfamily life balance and ensuring them to benefit from career opportunities equally.
VakıfBank offers for the women employee unpaid leave up to 1 year after their legal
maternity leave, and part-time work until their children reach the age of five. In addition,
it provides kindergarten assistance to all of its female and male personnel in the provinces
where they work for their children who go to kindergarten.
VakıfBank is against forced and compulsory labor and expects this approach from its
customers within the framework of its declaration on human rights and various policies.
In accordance with the Ethical Principles of VakıfBank and acting respectfully to human
rights, VakıfBank’s employees are obliged to execute its relations with each other and
customers without discriminating in terms of language, religion, ethnicity, gender,
philosophical belief, sectarian, etc and within the framework of sincerity, trust, objectivity
and transparency principles. Additionally, the employees are obliged to avoid
mistreatments and to spoil the business environment.
Bank’s employee can convey all their notifications and complaints via the Ethical Reporting
Line and the Internal Audit Notice Page, which is an internal confidentiality-based complaint
mechanism on Bank's information system page. These complaints are not used against the
person who makes the complaint and the situation is concluded by investigating earnestly.
In case of any confirmed discrimination, harassment or other mistreatment, the Bank is
liable to apply the administrative sanctions to the responsible person.
VakıfBank avoids from all kinds of practices that will cause unfair competition regarding
employee recruitment. As per the Labor Law and provisions of relevant legislation, besides
there is a recruitment contract and freedom of movement, VakıfBank also cares about
employee recruitment to be in a certain extent in order not to prevent services of the other
banks.
In accordance with the Human Rights policy; activities or projects of people or
organizations that are prohibited and restricted by national legislation and international
conventions, which Turkey is a party, and who are found to be employing child labor and
behaving against human rights are not financed by VakıfBank.
VakıfBank signed the “Declaration of Equality at Work” prepared in the leadership of T.C.
Ministry of Family and Social Policies and with the cooperation of World Economic Forum
in 2013. VakıfBank guaranteed to respect voluntarily the principles regarding terminating
discrimination based on gender and leading these principles to extend around the country
with this declaration. VakıfBank currently aims carries out new employee recruitment,
Human Resources practices based on equality of women and men and support labor force
attendance of women. VakıfBank also takes required precautions in order to provide
employees’ health, security, welfare and maintains a business environment ruled by
equality and peace.
The employees of VakıfBank work pursuant to private law provisions and are employed
in compliance with provisions of Labor Law No.4857. The Bank respects unionization and collective bargaining agreement right as a constitutional right. The Bank shows utmost
effort to create a healthy business environment. Employees are the members of the Bank
and Insurance Employees Union (BASS) and the working conditions are determined with
the collective bargaining agreements signed between the Bank and aforesaid
union. Relationship between employees and employer is carried out by the executives and
representatives of the union. In addition, together with taking required precautions
regarding Occupational Health and Safety in the framework of legal regulations, Training
Department provides in-class and/or online training for occupational health and safety
every year.
In addition to the "Occupational Health and Safety" trainings, in-class and online trainings
such as "Basic First Aid", First Aid Updating "," Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime
and Financing of Terrorism "," Fraud in Banking "within the scope of mandatory trainings
It is given to our Bank's employees and related personnel regularly every year. Personnel
designated as "Employee Representatives" are trained.
In the "Basic Training Program" we have prepared for our newly recruited employees at
our Bank, in-class training on "Sustainability and Climate Change" and "Sustainable
Banking and Environment" online training are also assigned through the training portal.
Within the scope of sustainability, “ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
Awareness Training”, “ISO 9001 Quality Management System Awareness Training” and
“Sustainable Banking and Environment” online trainings are offered to all our employees.
VakıfBank attaches great importance to the personal development of its employees as well
as professional and technical development, special training that will support the private life
of our employees. VakıfBank offer solutions for the problems that may arise, support the
physical and spiritual development of employees and their families. In addition, seminars
are also organized by expert psychologists to ensure work/private life balance and help
increase internal motivation.
"Right Approach to Disability" and "Sign Language" online trainings were offered to all
employees in order to strengthen communication with our disabled customers and increase
social awareness of our employees. Within the scope of the video service project, in-class
"Sign Language" training was provided to the relevant employees. In addition to these
ongoing trainings, it is aimed to add trainings programs on subjects such as "Human
Rights", "Positive Discrimination", "Unconscious Prejudice". Wishes and complaints of the
employees regarding their working conditions, employee rights, duties and responsibilities
are conveyed to the employer and monitored by union officers. VakıfBank does not make any discrimination between candidates regarding the processes of both providing services,
appointment and promotion of the employees except for competence criterias.
In compliance with the articles of Labor Law No.4857, issues regarding the overtime in
case of a need take place in Articles 68 and 74 of Employee Regulation and Articles 15 and
16 of Collective Bargaining Agreement.