Gender Equality Plan (GEP)

BUGE Foods is committed to promoting gender equality, non-discrimination, and equal opportunities in all aspects of its activities.

The company aligns with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC for SMEs, and the Horizon Europe Gender Equality Guidelines.

We uphold zero tolerance toward discrimination, harassment, or bias based on gender, ethnicity, religion, age, or any other identity.

This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is a public document, signed by the company’s top management, and will be published on our official website.

To ensure implementation and follow-up, BUGE Foods has appointed:

Dr. Aşkın has served for over 10 years in the TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Board, participated in 8 national-level projects aimed at empowering women in business, and led 3 of them as a project director. She is actively involved in mentoring programs to support educated women entering the workforce and promoting equal opportunities.

The company allocates administrative time and internal resources to maintain gender equality actions, awareness activities, and monitoring.

Zero-tolerance policy against harassment, including sexual or psychological harassment.

Reporting Channels

• Directly to the Gender Equality Officer
• Confidential email: contact@bugefoods.com (to be established)
• In-person or written communication

Procedure

• Reports can be submitted verbally or in writing.
• All reports remain confidential.
• The case is reviewed by management within 10 working days.
• External advisors or legal authorities may be consulted if needed.
• No retaliation is tolerated against individuals reporting in good faith.

BUGE Foods collects and maintains sex-disaggregated data on employees annually.

Indicators monitored:

• Gender ratio among employees and management
• Salary equity
• Participation in trainings and projects
• Reported cases of harassment or bias (if any)

Results will be discussed annually by the management board, with updates to the GEP every two years or upon major organisational change.

BUGE Foods recognises the importance of continuous awareness on gender equality and unconscious bias.

The company commits to:

• Organising its first internal awareness and unconscious bias training session in the second quarter of 2026, followed by annual sessions.
• Engaging external experts or collaborating with institutions when necessary.
• Recording attendance and feedback for future improvements.

Past Initiatives:

In 2023, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Buket Aşkın participated in the “Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Participation” training organised by the Edirne Commodity Exchange, reflecting the company’s proactive stance toward gender awareness.

This document is a public document.

It will be published on the official website (www.bugefoods.com) and made available to all employees and partners.

Hard copies are stored at both company sites (HQ and production facility).