TIM WINGS – Roadmap for Women Exporters program, implemented by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), was hosted by Uludağ Exporters’ Associations (UİB). The ‘Roadmap for Women Exporters Meeting’ held within the scope of TIM WINGS (Women International Networking and Global Sales) project, which aims to increase the competitiveness of women entrepreneurs and enable them to take part more effectively in the export ecosystem, was organized with the participation of representatives from TIM, Türk EXIMBANK, Export Development (İGE) A.Ş., Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) and Bursa Business Women and Executives Association (BUİKAD).
Pınar Taşdelen Engin, Vice President of UİB Coordinator and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Uludağ Textile Exporters’ Association (UTIB), said that comprehensive supports have been implemented to increase the representation of women in exports: “As Exporters’ Associations, while developing projects that will increase the added value of exports, we are also in a great effort to provide national and international resources for these projects. TIM WINGS program is a part of this vision.”
Noting that support mechanisms for women exporters are the key to inclusive growth in exports, Engin said that TIM WINGS offers a special road map for women entrepreneurs: “To date, 29 companies have received the TSE K 645 Women Entrepreneur Certificate, while 6 companies are still in the process. A significant number of these companies have benefited from the financial support offered by institutions such as Eximbank and İGE. A total support package of 13.5 billion TL was made available to our women exporters.”
600 women entrepreneurs reached with trainings
Providing information about the Textile and Apparel P&D Project, which was launched specifically for women for the first time in the history of TIM, Engin stated that they are currently in the needs analysis phase with 25 companies: “We will provide individual consultancy services to these companies and position them more strongly in international markets. In line with our TIM WINGS vision, we have provided significant contributions to nearly 600 entrepreneurs on subjects such as foreign trade, digital marketing and financial literacy with the ‘Exceed the Limits in Export’ training programs we organized in cooperation with Akbank Transformation Academy.”
In the first panel of the meeting, the support mechanisms needed by exporters were discussed comprehensively and information was shared under many topics ranging from TSE K 645 Certificate and certification process to access to financing opportunities. In the second panel, information was provided about the She Globe Trade project carried out by BUIKAD.