There is little doubt that Singapore is forward-thinking when it comes to boardroom gender diversity ("Women stepping up in S'pore boardrooms "; March 1).

However, there is little evidence that boardroom gender diversity delivers above-normal shareholder returns.

There is also no significant relationship found between boardroom gender diversity and market value and return on equity.

That being the case, companies should probably not focus so much on gender diversity in the boardroom as on gender diversity in the workplace in general.

There is no reason to deny women who have the skills, expertise and experience to lead or to fill a position the opportunity to do so, whether it is in the company boardroom or not.

In Singapore, where everyone counts, we can achieve much leverage and synergy by doing so.

And in this age of the socially aware and socially responsible enterprise, this would be the right way forward indeed.

Woon Wee Min