Imge Kaya Sabanci

"An equal world is also healthier, happier, and more prosperous”

Imge Kaya Sabanci is a Ph.D. candidate and an adjunct professor at IE Business School. In her research, she is interested in analyzing entrepreneurial practices from a policy implication, gender and diversity, and social impact creation perspective. She is affiliated with IE Business & Society Research Group comprised of scholars seeking to understand the role and impact of business on society. Prior to IE, she was the Regional Program Director for Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa of Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneurial Winning Women. And before that, she was the Turkey Program Manager of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative. She holds advisory roles in and partnerships with social policymakers, international organizations, the private sector, NGOs, and universities.

RichTopia has listed Imge as one of “The 250 Most Influential Women Leaders” in the World, and Digital Age Magazine of the Capital Group named her in the “Inspiring 30” list of Turkish women leaders inspiring and shaping the digital world. She is one of the co-authors of the book “Le Manifeste travail: Démocratiser, démarchandiser, dépolluer” (A Working Manifesto: Democratize, decommodify, remediate).

Increasing equalities is a cornerstone and a prerequisite for communities and economies to thrive and for the planet to be safe and protected. An equal world is also healthier, happier, and more prosperous.

A Working Manifesto: Democratize, Decommodify, Remediate

Working humans are so much more than “resources.” This is one of the central lessons of the current crisis. Caring for the sick; delivering food, medication, and other essentials; clearing away our waste; stocking the shelves and running the registers in our grocery stores – the people who have kept life going through the COVID-19 pandemic are living proof that work cannot be reduced to a mere commodity. Human health and the care of the most vulnerable cannot be governed by market forces alone. If we leave these things solely to the market, we run the risk of exacerbating inequalities to the point of forfeiting the very lives of the least advantaged. How to avoid this unacceptable situation? By involving employees in decisions relating to their lives and futures in the workplace – by democratizing firms. By decommodifying work – by collectively guaranteeing useful employment to all. As we face the monstrous risk of pandemic and environmental collapse, making these strategic changes would allow us to ensure the dignity of all citizens while marshalling the collective strength and effort we need to preserve our life together on this planet.

We cannot celebrate life unless we celebrate its many voices. And it is only possible with inclusive models of governance that effectively tackle inequalities, including the ones women face so painfully.

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