• BT will put CONAF’s principles into action to support women with an entrepreneurial mindset
• Nearly 35% of corporate clients with accounts at Banca Transilvania have administrators who are exclusively women
• In 2020, Romania ranked 26th out of 28 in the European Union on the Gender Equality Index

Banca Transilvania joins the National Confederation for Women’s Entrepreneurship — CONAF. Through this partnership, BT will put CONAF’s principles, aligned with the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, into actions designed to support women with an entrepreneurial mindset in Romania.

CONAF supports and promotes women’s entrepreneurship, gender equality and equal opportunities. The organisation identifies, compiles and proposes solutions to the challenges of the business environment.

Statements:

• Cristina Chiriac, president of CONAF: "We want to build a Romania without gender disparities — a fair partnership that integrates women’s rights and equal opportunities into public policy-making and ensures women’s representation at all levels of decision-making. Within CONAF, we have member companies that support our efforts to close gender gaps and encourage women’s entrepreneurship."  

• Daniel Szekely, Executive Director SME & Microbusiness, Banca Transilvania: "The development of entrepreneurship is driven either by opportunity or by necessity. We want more women with an entrepreneurial mindset to be in the first category, because it is based on the desire to progress. Gender equality, women’s economic independence, and participation in social and family life are essential to the sustainable growth of any economy."

Among corporate clients with accounts at Banca Transilvania, administrators are exclusively women in nearly 35% of cases. Also, around 31,700 companies established in the past two years have accounts with BT.

Global indices on gender equality

• European Institute for Gender Equality’s Gender Equality Index: across the European Union, Romania ranked 26th out of 28 in 2020 on the Gender Equality Index — with a score of 54.4 out of 100 and 13.5 points below the EU average. Our country is in the same position as in 2010. The index measures the full-time employment rate; women in ministerial positions or as members of parliament; access to healthcare; people at risk of poverty; and unpaid carers for children, grandchildren and older people.

• Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs: Romania ranked 40th out of nearly 60 in 2020, with a score of 58.19 — six places lower than in 2019 — indicating less favourable entrepreneurial conditions, with gender gaps in employment, financial inclusion and academic opportunities. The index tracks the impact of the pandemic on women’s participation in work, entrepreneurship and business management, women’s financial inclusion, the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the ease of doing business.

• World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index: our country ranks 55th out of 153. The index covers economic participation, access to education, health and survival, and political representation.