A bank and real estate company in Singapore were among 104 companies recognised in Bloomberg’s global index
Two Singaporean firms, DBS Bank and City Developments Limited (CDL), were among 104 recognised for their gender-equality efforts in the 2018 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index launched last week.
DBS and CDL said in a separate press release that Singapore companies made up one-third of the six Asian companies, excluding Japan, in the index.
Firms on the index submitted a survey and scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect disclosure and the achievement or adoption of "best-in-class statistics and policies", it added.
"We believe that when you achieve a critical mass of women across all levels, this will make a difference in an organisation’s ability to succeed and contributes to our ability to consistently punch above our weight," DBS CEO Piyush Gupta said in a press release.
In Singapore, women form 60% of DBS’s overall workforce, 40% of its senior management and 30% of its Group Management Committee, which sets the bank's strategy and direction, reported Channel NewsAsia.
"By harnessing the diversity of our talent pool represented by different genders, age groups, ethnicities, cultures, geographies and backgrounds, it has given us a strong strategic advantage when it comes to decision-making and operations,” said CDL CEO Sherman Kwek.
Kwek stated that women make up about 70% of CDL’s workforce and 40% of its department heads.
The index measures gender equality across internal company statistics, employee policies, external community support and engagement, and gender-conscious product offerings, Bloomberg said in a press release.