It is a sad irony that despite the business advisory role that accountancy firms set out to fulfil and compelling evidence that gender diversity at companies leads to markedly better performance, progress in achieving better partner-level gender diversity across the largest firms is at best slow and at worst non-existent.

Accountancy analysis confirms not only that gender parity remains a lofty goal, but also attempts to redress the balance are falling woefully short. Just eight across the Top 25 report female partner numbers, but as they extol the virtues of their data reporting and IT expertise, is it really so hard to extract that information from their systems? Or does the stony silence of the majority conceal a far harsher reality?

Just one Top 25 network, Fiducial International, hits the 30% recognised as the critical mass needed to make a difference. It is small consolation that the remaining seven to provide figures all hit double figures, from 11% at DFK to 19% at Grant Thornton International.

Only two of the Big Four, Deloitte and PwC, actually report female partner numbers with EY continuing to provide no details. KPMG’s breakdown of partner numbers by gender is conspicuously absent from its 2016 submission after providing figures last year.

Is it really so hard to extract the data on numbers of women partners from systems?

Success in addressing the gender diversity issue is geographically patchy and not even a priority for all the largest networks globally. While KPMG will not say this year how many of its global partner numbers are female, in the UK, by contrast, it was the first firm to publish its gender targets externally. 

‘It is a source of frustration,’ admits Stephens. ‘We need strong leaders who make policy decisions and implement strategies to make a difference. It is up to us collectively to make accountancy an inclusive place.’

It is easy to be fobbed off with platitudes about the profession’s commitment to diversity and in the absence of hard numbers, many firms lay claim to little more. Increasingly the progress of women in the profession is a business imperative. Baby boomers at firms are retiring and growth is at risk if a significant portion of the profession is not maximising its potential.

The rise in female business owners and decision makers means firms require more diverse teams and their inability to create family- and gender-friendly environments is detrimental to the retention of both staff and clients.

Further reading

Click here for 2017 accounting networks and associations survey, including report and league tables