10% of SGX-listed firms' directors are women

But half of the boards of the firms are all-male.

In 2017, 10% of Singapore-listed companies' directors are women. This slightly improved from 2016's 9.9% participation rate, Singapore's Diversity Action Committee (DAC) revealed.

According to its study, the top 100 listed companies achieved 13.1% women's participation on their boards, up from 10.9% by end-2016.

DAC said the number of women board appointed is "small but encouraging."

About 40% of directors appointed to boards of both top 100 and SGX-listed companies over the past three years go to first-time directors. However, most seats were filled by men.

The rate hit almost 70% for top 100 companies and more than 80% for all SGX-listed companies.

However, there were fewer all-male boards. About 32% of top 100 company boards are all-male, a reduction from 38% in 2016. Half of the boards of SGX-listed companies are all-male, a reduction from 53% in 2016.

The study added that 41% of top 100 companies have at least one independent director that had served at least nine years, with 101 such directorships.

Similarly, 45% of SGX-listed companies have at least one independent director serving nine years or more. There are 648 of such directorships.