Glass ceiling still intact, as figures show macho ethos in accounting

Published on Wednesday 6 June 2007 01:10

SCOTLAND'S leading accountants came face to face with the stark reality of the "glass ceiling" as ICAS revealed their research on women reaching the top of the profession.

Seated in front of at least 40 female chartered accountants, the "Big 4" managing partners, PwC's Frank Blin, Craig Anderson at KPMG, Hwyel Ball at Ernst & Young and Ian Steel from Deloitte sat back for a grilling. As Professor Elizabeth Gammie unveiled her statistical research, which began in 2003, for the four firms who pride themselves on equal opportunities, the reality was wide of the mark.

Despite increasing numbers of women qualifying as chartered accountants in recent years, only 13 per cent of ICAS partners in accountancy firms were female, according to data for 2006. The Big 4 firms employed six female partners in Scotland, with 15 in the rest of the UK from a total of 220.

The challenges for females working in accountancy firms remain, with several of the audience admitting to experiencing sexual harassment from clients but unwilling to report it for fear of losing clients or jobs.

PwC's Frank Blin said any inappropriate conduct from clients or staff would not be tolerated, a view echoed by the three other managing partners. KPMG's Craig Anderson said all firms had strong disciplinary policies and he added that he had personally investigated three complaints of sexual harassment.

Gammie's research showed partners worked on average for 55 hours a week, excluding business related social activities and the larger the firm, the greater the hours worked. The majority of the women questioned agreed "in order to succeed you need to work long hours".

She added: "Long hours were symptomatic of the environment and whilst flexible working was available, this was perceived to be damaging to career progression."

Blin, Scottish leader of the UK's largest firm with a fee income of about 1.8 billion, said there is an acceptance of a macho culture and long working hours, but there was also an urgent business imperative for change.

"We have a dramatic and business need to bring women into partnership, they bring different talents. This is a massive challenge but it's something we take seriously. Maybe we are not making enough progress or it's not working as well as it needs to, but please don't be under any illusion that it is because we don't want to promote women, because we do."

Just over 40 per cent of women were employed part-time in professional accountancy firms, but only 10.9 per cent of these have reached partnership. Ian Steel, from Deloitte, said it was not just women that wanted part-time work or a better work-life balance.

"People want a better work-life balance or they will leave, regardless of gender. It's that simple. We need to seek out flexibility for our businesses to grow. If we don't find solutions, then our businesses will fail."

Hywel Ball, from Ernst & Young, agreed and said if the accountancy profession was to excel in serving its clients, then it needed a diverse workforce that reflected both the diversity of clients and society.

"Steps have been taken in recent years but more can be done. If attitudes are really to be changed, then business leaders need to take the lead and set the agenda from the top.

"However at the same time, it is important that businesses don't just jump on the bandwagon of the whole diversity issue, make a few changes and think they have ticked a diversity box, and that women and minority groups aren't used as tokens in ticking that box."

ICAS president Isobel Sharp, a partner in Deloitte and only the second female ICAS president in 123 years, said chartered accountancy was a more attractive career to women than when she qualified during the 1980s.

She said: "Indeed, there is now a broadly equal gender split in the students that we have studying for their CA qualification, compared with female students making up only 10 per cent of the total numbers 25 years ago. However, what this research suggests is that the firms themselves have a greater role to play in creating a culture where female chartered accountants feel they can progress to partnership without sacrificing their family life."

Gammie made several suggestions aimed at trying to change the "macho" culture and addressing the needs of women, such as partners promoting flexible working packages to their employees irrespective of gender, setting up mentoring schemes and female networks.

"If our recommendations are taken on board then women should increasingly find they do not experience a 'glass ceiling' and they progress to the top in a manner more consistent with their male colleagues," added Gammie.