HR News Update – March 2023

Recruitment Agency Singapore

Progress in Gender Diversity in Singapore. Latest Update for EP Applicants

In the month of March, we celebrate International Women’s Day, recognizing the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women all over the world. Additionally, find out the progress in gender diversity Singapore have made and advice from female leaders in Asia.


Employers Required to Verify Educational Qualifications of EP Applicants, from 1 Sept 2023

Employers in Singapore must obtain third-party verification of the diplomas and higher qualifications of Employment Pass (EP) applicants. This is to prevent the issuance of work passes based on falsified credentials.

This coincides with the launch of a new points-based framework called Complementarity Assessment (Compass) for EP applications. Qualifications will be a factor in determining their Compass score and the likelihood of being granted the work pass.

EP Renewals

For EP renewals, Compass and the verifying of qualifications will apply from September 1,2024.

Source: Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) (mom.gov.sg)


Improvement in Gender Diversity. Record Breaking Percentage of Female Appointed Board Directors at Top100 Singapore Listed Firms in 2022

The proportion of women appointed directors to the boards of large listed companies in Singapore reached a record high of 36% in 2022, the highest percentage since 2013 when such data was first collected. In 2021, female board appointments was 23%. The study covered around 1,300 organisations.

First-time directors

In 2022, 21% of female board members in the top 100 listed companies were new appointees, while male first-time directors accounted for 26% of all boardroom appointments during the same period. There has been progress compared to 2021, with women first-time directors comprising 14% of board appointees, while men accounted for 45%.

Source: Women make up record 36% of appointed board directors at top 100 S’pore listed firms in 2022  (straitstimes.com)


10 Leaders in Asia Sharing Ways to Improve Equity For Women in Their Sectors

Here is a snippet of some advice given by female leaders in Asia to improve equity of women in the workplace: 

Hillary Tjioe, COO, ReCasa Living

“As a business owner, I prioritise encouraging and supporting women in my office to take on bigger roles and pursue growth opportunities. By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, businesses can improve their outcomes and attract diverse talent.”

Nicole Yo, Head of Flavour Creation Asia-Pacific & Principal Flavorist, ADM

“We recognise that a common challenge for many women is to balance the responsibilities of family and work, so we actively promote a flexible and healthy work-life balance to support them.”

Stefanie Leong, Head of Development, Asia Pacific, The International Baccalaureate (IB)

“Organisations need to create more diverse opportunities and nurture an environment for women to feel comfortable voicing out opinions and effect changes.”

Source: 10 leaders in Asia share their ways to | Human Resources Online (humanresourcesonline.net)


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