Epicentr K company: "We strive to support Ukrainian women's entrepreneurship"
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Production of the Inter White company, which produces socks under the TM Cool Socks, LUNA, and Maxx Pro. Photo: courtesy of Epicentr K
Women founded half of all businesses opened in the past two years. In 2024, they opened 61% of all newly created individual entrepreneurial ventures. However, in medium and large companies, management positions are predominantly held by men. The team at the Epicentr chain of shopping centers aims to address this issue by spotlighting the contributions of Ukrainian female entrepreneurs.
The Epicentr chain of shopping centers is a leader in the Ukrainian retail industry. Following the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, the company committed to supporting the Ukrainian economy, with a particular focus on local manufacturers, including those led by women. In April 2024, Epicentr recognized 21 of the top Ukrainian manufacturers who supply its retail network with the Epicentr Awards. Out of these winners, only three were female-led businesses. In response, the Epicentr team decided to highlight these businesses to inspire other female entrepreneurs to start their own ventures or grow their existing ones. This initiative is part of the company’s commitment to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) signed last year.
"Over the past three years of full-scale war, Ukrainians have faced numerous challenges and significant losses. However, this period has also prompted us to reevaluate our values. Our strength lies in unity and in supporting our own — our defenders and domestic producers. Epicentr collaborates with more than 2,500 Ukrainian suppliers. This collaboration inspired us to launch a large-scale project aimed at introducing consumers to our manufacturers, showcasing their achievements and resilience during wartime. Our goal is to encourage people to choose Ukrainian products and support local businesses," says Iryna Shynkarenko, Deputy Head of “Epicentr K” LLC in communications, advertising, marketing, and media.
Iryna Shynkarenko, Deputy Head of “Epicentr K” LLC in communications, advertising, marketing, and media. Photo: UN Women/Stas Kartashov
One notable company is Inter White, led by Svitlana Polyvana. Since 2017, the company has been manufacturing socks under various brands, primarily Cool Socks, along with collections for Epicentr under the LUNA and Maxx Pro labels. Svitlana has dedicated half her life to producing reinforced concrete products and managing a large factory, but she always aspired to create something beautiful. After several months of exploration, she decided to focus on sock production. Although the journey started with challenges and sleepless nights, the team at Inter White persevered. Their goal was to create high-quality and stylish socks, and they ultimately succeeded in achieving it.
Svetlana Polyvana (in the centre), head of the Inter White company, with the team. Photo: courtesy of Epicentr K
The challenges and trials of the full-scale Russian invasion did not go unnoticed by Inter White. Many male employees enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Tragically, Svitlana's brother, who was the driving force behind the family textile business, was killed near Bakhmut.
"We kept working for the sake of the future. It was important not to let our partners down, especially Epicentr, who trusted us to produce socks under its LUNA and Maxx Pro brands," says Svitlana Polyvana.
Today, the company has expanded from six machines to forty and has developed into a fully operational factory. In the future, Inter White plans to increase production and boost turnover, including through collaboration with Epicentr.
"Epicentr often serves as a catalyst for small business growth, and it is encouraging to see many of these companies are women-owned," concludes Maryna Bevziuk, Director of Deko Galleries at Epicentr.
Maryna Bevziuk, Director of Deko Galleries at Epicentr. Photo: courtesy of Epicenter K
This article is prepared as part of the initiative "Empowering Women in Business" within the UN Women’s project “Transformative approaches to achieving gender equality in Ukraine” with financial support from Sweden and in cooperation with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.