Unifree Duty Free, the operator of the Duty Free stores and retail area at İGA Istanbul Airport, is implementing important projects in the field of sustainability with its strategy shaped especially around gender equality, equal opportunity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The "From Women's Hands to Children's Heart" project, designed by İGA Istanbul Airport, is one of the meaningful projects supported by Unifree Duty Free in the field of social sustainability.
The “From Women's Hands to Children's Heart” project is one of the meaningful projects implemented for the people of the region within the scope of the Social Investment Program carried out by İGA Istanbul Airport and to increase the participation of women living in the neighborhoods adjacent to İGA Istanbul Airport in socio-economic life and to contribute to quality and innovative production in the region. It was implemented in 2020 in cooperation with İGA and Unifree Duty Free. Unifree Duty Free supports the project and women's participation in economic life by selling knitted dolls produced by women at Unifree Duty Free stores at İGA Istanbul Airport.
As a result of the Social Impact Analysis carried out by İGA Istanbul Airport for the projects it has implemented within the scope of the "Social Investment Program", including the "From Women's Hands to the Child's Heart" project; It was determined that there was an increase in self-confidence, socialization and emotional well-being of the women participating in the project, and a significant contribution to social sustainability was made. The project, which is in its 4th year, aims to expand the impact area of the project by including women who were earthquake victims this year.
Unifree Duty Free CCO Ceren Tonguç commented on the project: “As Unifree Duty Free, we attach importance to sustainability and develop strategies that will touch many areas of sustainability. In particular, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion are among our core issues. "In this sense, we are very happy to observe the positive effects of the "From Women's Hands to Children's Heart" project on both the female entrepreneur who is the coordinator of our project and the women living in rural areas, and to be a part of this valuable project.’’
İGA Istanbul Airport Sustainability Manager Orhan Gül said: "This project, which we implemented under the title of "Women's Participation in Socio-Economic Life" within the scope of the İGA Istanbul Airport "Social Investment Plan (SYP)", is one of our projects where we produce social benefits by prioritizing the local people of our Airport. Thanks to the training they receive, women can earn additional income. Additionally, by teaching these skills to other women in their immediate circle, they help them participate in production and earn income. We act by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the International Finance Organization Performance Standards in this award-winning work that we have implemented in cooperation with Unifree Duty Free and in which we support women entrepreneurship and similar activities for vulnerable groups. We also closely monitor the effects of the "From Women's Hands to Children's Heart Project" on the participants with the SROI Social Impact Analysis. In this context, the most important change; We are very pleased to see that there is an increase in self-confidence, emotional well-being, and the opportunity to socialize. While we had the chance to talk about this valuable cooperation and its results in the international arena in the women's empowerment panel at the 27th Climate Change (COP) Conference, our project was deemed worthy of the Women-Friendly Brands Award in 2023. "We will continue to work to increase the versatile benefits of our project together with our project partners."
