Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Teknosa aims to create a business culture that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. Through an understanding, safe, creative and synergetic work environment that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion, Teknosa hopes to generate balanced and sustainable added value across the entire organization, aiming to employ people from all walks of life who perform their jobs in the best way possible and retain its current workforce.

 

All units and employees of Teknosa are responsible for implementing and supporting the implementation of this Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, as well as related procedures. The Human Resources Business Partner and Career Senior Department is responsible for periodically updating the policy, while the Risk, Compliance and Business Continuity Department is responsible for monitoring and controlling the implementation of the principles and targets set out in the policy.

 

Teknosa is committed to providing a working environment that values the diversity of its employees and where everyone is respected and feels a sense of belonging. Teknosa considers equal opportunity in all its processes and bases its recruitment, placement, development, training, remuneration and promotion decisions on employees' qualifications, performance, skills and experience. In this system, where performance and contribution to corporate success are recognized, cultural diversity and equal opportunity are also encouraged. The presence of employees from diverse backgrounds who respect diversity and have a sense of belonging to the organization is critical for Teknosa to achieve its business goals. Therefore, the Company strives to attract, develop and retain open-minded talents with diverse backgrounds.

 

Teknosa considers ensuring gender equality and combatting sexist prejudices and stereotyping among its priorities. Strengthening women's position in business life and preserving the gender balance are among the key strategic objectives of Teknosa. The Company attaches particular importance to implementing strategies to increase the employment of women in managerial positions and develops practices to encourage women's participation in the workforce and support work-life balance. In addition, Teknosa actively participates in and supports national and international platforms for women's empowerment with the aim of increasing women's participation in economic life across all sectors and levels.

 

With a view to more effectively structuring the Board of Directors of Teknosa and thus improving the Company's performance, it is essential to encourage diversity and inclusion in the nomination process for Board members, as well as to appoint people with diverse backgrounds, knowledge, experience and qualifications to the Board of Directors.

 

Teknosa believes that promoting diversity and inclusion at all management and employment levels, particularly in the Board of Directors, will boost the Company's performance. The nomination process for Teknosa's Board of Directors is carried out in accordance with the Turkish Commercial Code, Capital Markets Law and other applicable regulations, and in particular the provisions of the Company's Articles of Association. When nominating candidates for the Board of Directors, the Company's culture, areas of investment and operation, financial size, and strategic goals are considered, and candidates are chosen based on their knowledge, experience, and competence, as well as their qualifications to protect the interests of all stakeholders.

 

These candidates are selected from among those who have gained professional experience at national and/or international level in the sector in which Teknosa operates. The candidate pool is designed in a manner to incorporate both technical and strategic experience, such as auditing, risk management, and digital technologies, as well as industry knowledge.

 

Diversity and inclusion are also prioritized during the process of nominating Board member candidates. The Board of Directors aims to ensure diversity in terms of age, race, nationality, ethnic origin, language, disability, political and religious beliefs, sect, gender and sex, cultural background and professional experience. Inclusion is promoted in the composition of the Board of Directors, taking into account the foregoing factors. Within this framework, Teknosa aims to maintain at least 30% female representation on the Board of Directors. During the nomination process, candidates are not asked for information on these issues, unless such information is declared by themselves, as doing so is against the law and/or it is necessary to respect the privacy of individuals. However, a candidate pool shall be formed in a way to ensure maximum diversity from among the persons whose details are known or learned on the basis of their declaration made of their own free will. All kinds of personal data received from candidates are kept in accordance with the relevant legal obligations.

 

The responsibility for identifying candidates and recommending them to the Board of Directors shall rest with the Corporate Governance Committee. If deemed necessary and appropriate, the Committee may receive consultancy and support from an independent organization to identify candidates who meet the criteria it has determined. It is essential that the independent organization proposes a candidate pool in accordance with the principles set forth in this Policy.

 

The Board of Directors also includes independent members who are capable of performing their duties without being influenced in any manner. The number of independent board members must be at least one-third of the total number of members. Members of the Board of Directors are appointed by the General Assembly in accordance with the Corporate Governance Principles. In the event that one of the independent members resigns from his/her position for any reason whatsoever, an independent member of the Board of Directors may be elected through cooptation, provided that the regulations set forth in the capital markets legislation are complied with and that the elected independent member is submitted to the approval of the first general assembly. In order for independent members to be nominated, they must meet the independence criteria set forth in the Capital Markets Board's regulations on corporate governance.

 

Teknosa's recruitment policy is based on the principles of valuing people and knowledge, objective evaluation and equal opportunity. Employees are selected, recruited and supported to develop their potential based solely on their professional competencies and qualifications, regardless of age, sex, race, language, religion, philosophical or political views, ethnic origin, economic status, health status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, disability, appearance, lifestyle, clothing preferences or sexual orientation.

 

Teknosa ensures equal opportunity in selection and placement processes through competency- and talent-oriented assessment and evaluation practices. Adopting an inclusive approach in its leadership culture and management approach, Teknosa supports all employees to realize their full potential by providing them with appropriate training and career development opportunities. Taking into account the opinions and suggestions of employees, Teknosa creates platforms where its employees can express these ideas and encourages the development of a participatory culture. Teknosa also invests in training and development and establishes collaborations in order to train qualified human resources for the industry, and ensures that its employees are competent in managing diversity and inclusion.

 

Teknosa implements initiatives to address the problem of underrepresentation of women, individuals with disabilities, people of different ethnic backgrounds or employees who are underrepresented in management positions. It carries out activities to increase the number of these people in the workforce.

 

Teknosa provides equal opportunity to all employees through its wage and fringe benefit procedures, with no discrimination based on diversity. In line with the principle of "equal pay for equal work", Teknosa provides equal remuneration to all employees who have the same job titles and responsibilities. Teknosa continues to regularly monitor and control its processes to ensure the sustainability of its equal pay policy.

 

The Human Resources Remuneration Unit monitors the average raw wage gap between male and female employees and the implementation of the principle of "equal pay for equal work" at least once a year, at least on the basis of the following segments.

 

- CEO and senior management members directly reporting to the CEO

- First, second and/or third degree subordinates of the CEO on the middle and senior management levels

- All workers regardless of level (without discrimination on the basis of the contract governing the employment relationship and working models).

 

If these ratios are not equal, each company shall set a roadmap for a maximum of 2 years to achieve equality. The roadmap may include measures to be taken regarding wage adjustments.

 

Teknosa supports paid and unpaid maternity and parental leave. Paid maternity leave is applied for a period of minimum 5 weeks, while paid paternity or parental leave is applied for a period of minimum 2 weeks. Managers may not exert any written or verbal pressure on employees to force them not to take these leaves or to shorten their leaves, may not impose any restrictions in this regard, or resort to pressure, retaliation against employees or employ unfavorable work practices due to such leave. Periods during maternity leave are included in bonus calculations and promotion waiting periods, and these periods do not adversely affect wage adjustments. Teknosa monitors and publicly discloses the number and percentage of employees returning to work after maternity or parental leave in specific categories and takes necessary steps to increase these rates.

 

Teknosa increases employee diversity and inclusion through flexible and remote working, creating equal opportunities and employment opportunities for talents with different expectations, constraints and for more vulnerable groups. In this context, practices have been employed to use flexible employment models and to build performance management systems according to the new normal.

 

3.6.1.1. Remote Working: Remote working models and implementation principles have been determined in accordance with the Sabancı Group's Remote Working Policy.

3.6.1.2. Hybrid Remote Working: A hybrid working model which allows employees to work at their company's workplace locations on certain days of the week/month and at remote working locations designated under the Sabancı Group's Remote Working Policy on other days.

3.6.1.3. Remote Working: A working model within the scope of the work organization which allows the employee to perform his/her job performance entirely outside of his/her company's workplace locations, at remote working locations determined within the scope of the Sabancı Group's Remote Working Policy. “Remote Working and Hybrid Remote Working” shall be applicable only for jobs that can be performed remotely due to the nature of the work.

 

Flexible working models are offered for all employees, such as working at hours that they themselves can determine, part-time work, or fixed-term work, if their job allows them to work flexibly, to the extent that their time intervals are compatible with all working modes regulated by the legislation. Teknosa provides its employees with working tools for flexible working models that are required for business. In addition, it also offers orientation on remote and flexible working models and support programs that respond to the employees' needs, if deemed necessary.

 

Anyone who is aware of or suspects a violation of this policy is obliged to report it to their direct managers, or if the situation is related to their direct manager, to the Company Code of Ethics Advisor and/or the CEO/General Manager of the company, and if no action is taken and no resolution is reached, to the Sabancı Holding Ethics Committee.