The Business Against Domestic Violence (BADV) Project is a creation of the Sabanci University Corporate Governance Forum, and the project is designed to implement support mechanisms in the workplace and promote tools, methods and best practices to reduce domestic violence using businesses' managerial and organizational capabilities. The project which aims to raise awareness of women’s rights in the workplace and improve the working environment of women to make it possible for them to be more active in business was launched in 2013 with the support of Dutch Consulate General and UNFPA.

Globally, domestic violence against women, the most common form of violation of human rights, affects a countless number of women who participate in social, economic, political and cultural spheres. Millions of women in Turkey and throughout the world are affected by economic, physical and psychological violence. In Turkey, four out of ten women experience at least one form of violence during their lifetime. Domestic violence against women increases the heavy load of women’s lives and affects their performance as working members of society.

It is important to ensure that women are fully present in business, to establish stronger economies for companies, to create more stable societies, to achieve internationally set goals for human rights and sustainability, and to improve the quality of life of women, families and societies. In this sense, matter of health, safety and welfare of women is included in the Women's Empowerment Principles, which are prepared by the United Nations for the empowerment of women in the workplace and society. Taking measures in the workplace against domestic violence will increase the productivity and motivation of employees, reduce the rate of leaving job and contribute to reducing the risk of violence against women and improving human rights.

The Sabanci University Corporate Governance Forum aims to create awareness of violence against women in the workplace, to foster women’s participation in business and to develop support mechanisms and methods to help women who are subjected to violence. The project’s target audience is the Equality at Work Platform and the United Nations Global Compact signatory companies. To promote awareness regarding this issue, the project office will be in contact with civil society organizations and ministries.

The main stages of the project are planned in the following manner:

  • Investigate best practices and communicate with companies.

  • Implementing a survey to measure the awareness and experience of employees concerning domestic violence in Equality at Work Platform and WEP’s signatory companies.

The survey was conducted in 20 companies in 2014, the list of companies surveyed can be found below. Only companies whose names are wanted to be listed are listed.

Analysis of Survey Results

In the survey study, a special link was created for each company so that the companies could see their own situation. Survey; It is designed to investigate employees' awareness of domestic violence, women's exposure to violence in intimate relationship, its impact on job performance, and the attitudes of companies towards domestic violence. The survey data are evaluated by Sabancı University researchers and the results of each company are shared with the management of the company. You can contact the project team for detailed information about the survey method and survey.

Preparation of the "Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide" for Implementation in the Workplace

After identifying the scope of the problem, the project team next focused on creating domestic violence policy guideline for companies that aim to prevent and address domestic violence. The guide focuses on the violence that women have been subjected to in intimate relationships in the past or today, and the impact of this violence on work and the workplace. The “Business Against Domestic Violence Policy Development and Implementation Guide” includes details and steps about how to develop a domestic violence workplace policy, and also a sample of domestic violence policy is attached for companies use. Companies may use this specific policy or create their own policies by following the instructions given in the guidebook.

Company Implementations

Within the scope of the project, pilot implementations were started as of 2016. This includes the support and monitoring of volunteer companies throughout the process as a pilot company which undertakes to establish a company policy about domestic violence using a pilot guide.

The following action steps comprise the pilot implementation:

1.   Sabancı University makes a detailed presentation of the Implementation Guide and global case studies to the teams of pilot companies that are charged with creating the policy

  • Guide training lasts two hours in total and training is provided at the relevant company.

2.   Two representatives from each company receive trainer's training on Gender Equality by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

  • The training will be limited to the authorized representatives of companies in the pilot study.

  • The purpose of the training is to equip participants with the skills to facilitate Gender Equality trainings to all employees in their respective organizations.

  • Pilot companies create their own policies with the support of the BADV project team on issues presented in the Guide

 

The companies involved in the project works conducted between 2016 and 2019 are listed below for your information: