“Women Workers Need to Be More Represented in the Textile Sector”
Interview: Özge Çağıl Sütcü
Stating the importance of March 8 International Women’s Day for the textile industry and the working conditions of women, Ayla Çuhadaroğlu, Founder and General Manager of Odak Kimya, said: “I believe that women employees should be represented more in the textile industry and should be seen in leadership positions. My advice to women who are new to business life is that they should trust themselves, invest in their professional development and be determined in the face of difficulties.”
The highlights of the interview are as follows:
“We Need to Take a Look at the Past and Set Our Hopes and Goals for the Future”
March 8 provides an important opportunity to raise awareness to encourage and empower women in the workplace around the world. This special day is a reminder to commemorate the 129 women who were burned to death, but also to celebrate women’s achievements, to draw attention to the challenges women face, and to call on both the public and private sectors to develop and implement equitable policies. As a woman who has worked in the textile industry for many years, we need to take a look at the past on this special day, like me, as well as identify our hopes and goals for the future.
“There are still Issues that Need to be Resolved and Improved Regarding the Working Conditions of Women Workers”
March 8 International Women’s Day has a special significance for the textile industry. March 8 Women’s Day is more than a day of commemoration, it is a day of celebration of women’s achievements in social, economic and political life and a day of awareness for further progress. There have been significant changes in the working conditions of women workers in the textile industry over the centuries. When the working conditions of women workers are evaluated from those times to the present day, significant progress has been made in issues such as the regulation of working hours, wage equality, and improvement of health and safety standards. However, there are still many issues that need to be resolved and improved.
“Witnessing the Development of Our Female Employees is Our Source of Pride and Motivation”
As Odak Kimya, we serve the textile industry with color measurement, management and communication solutions, Pantone products and physical test devices. Since color measurement is a critical quality control and production parameter in all sectors, we also serve other sectors such as paint, plastics, automotive, automotive, packaging and printing. I can define the difficulties I have experienced in business life as the general difficulties in the sector. In this process, our learning process continues and we make it easier to meet and manage challenges.
As Odak Kimya, one of the core values of our company is to invest in the professional and personal development of our female employees. It is our source of pride and motivation to witness the development of our female employees in their journey in our company.
“In Turkey, Women Play a Greater Role in Middle and Senior Management Compared to Europe”
I believe that women should be more represented in business life, especially in the textile industry, and should be seen in leadership positions. My advice to women who are just starting out is to have confidence in themselves, invest in their professional development and be determined in the face of difficulties. Based on my personal experience, I can say that women in our country play a greater role in middle and senior management positions than in Europe.
“We are Proud to be a Part of Change Through NGO Projects”
We attach great importance to social responsibility projects. We collaborate with various associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to increase women’s participation in the workforce, support the education of young girls and encourage female entrepreneurship. These projects have the potential to create positive changes in our society, and we are proud to be a part of this change.
Our message for International Women’s Day is that women’s empowerment is essential not only for women but also for the well-being of the whole society. This special day is an opportunity for the whole society, especially women, to remember important values such as equality and justice and to take steps in this direction.