Accounting Women

Why hasn’t anything significantly changed for women in public accounting leadership roles?

Provided by the ICPAS Women’s Executive Committee

For seven years now, the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS), through its Women’s Executive Committee, has explored the role of women CPAs in Illinois public accounting firms. And perhaps frustratingly, i t s r e c e n t l y r e l e a s e d s e v e n t h s u r v e y f i n d s that little has changed over the years

The survey was distributed to 90 Illinois firms with 15 or more professionals Its goal is to track the percentage of women at three levels of leadership partner/principal; senior manager/manager; and senior/staff as well as the percentage of women holding firm-wide leadership positions The survey also gauges the effectiveness of initiatives a n d p r o g r a m s s p e c i f i c a l l y t a rg e t e d t o women, with findings based on responses from both individual women CPAs (all are ICPAS members) and their respective firms Assessing the success of these initiatives and programs prov i d e s a n e v a l u a t i o n o f b e s t p r a c t i c e s f o r r e t a i n i n g a n d promoting women CPAs.

The Numbers

While the percentage of women entering public accounting firms has decreased from 54 percent in 2003 to 49 percent in 2009, the number of women being retained at the senior manager/manager and partner/principal levels has slowly climbed from 40 percent to 43 percent and 15 percent to 18 percent, respectively, over this same time period (See Figure 1 opposite for 2009-2006 data ) Admittedly, this is a slow climb, but a climb nonetheless

T h a t s a i d , a l t h o u g h t h e number of men and women i n t h e m o s t s e n i o r p o s i t i o n s b o t h increased in this year ’s survey, the number of men continues to far outweigh that of women in the partner/principal positions. (See Figure 2 opposite.)

Leadership Positions

There is a bright spot, however The percentage of women in managing partner and executive management positions is a strong indicator of the growing acceptance of women CPAs in leadership roles among today’s firms In this year ’s survey, women represented 12 percent of firm/office managing partner positions, an increase of 2 percent from the previous year, which had been the high point of a steady 1-percent annual increase since the first survey was conducted in 2002.

The number of women in the most senior firm-wide leadership positions (namely, firm or office managing partners and execu t i v e m a n a g e m e n t ) r o s e t o 1 9 p e rc e n t , compared to 18 percent last year and a 10 to 13 percent range during the prior 5 years. For the second year in a row, this leadership percentage is actually higher than the percentage of Illinois women currently in partner/principal roles The increase over last year is due in large part to the rising number of women in the firm/office managing partner category (See Figure 3 opposite )

Although changes in management structure may cause some data inconsistencies from year to year, the increase in women h o l d i n g e x e c u t i v e m a n a g e m e n t r o l e s i s a step in the right direction.

Women’s Initiatives

Firms were asked to indicate which of nine workplace initiatives are currently in place at their firms, and to rate their effectiveness. Separately, women ICPAS members at the same firms were asked to respond to identical questions and to identify which programs they would like to see implemented at their firms

Eighty-two women and 52 of the 90 surveyed firms responded to these questions

Both groups rated the following four initiatives as the most effective in retaining and promoting women:

Of these four programs, flexible work arrangements and mentoring programs continue to be the most in demand among women working at firms that currently do not offer these initiatives The discrepancy between the firms’ ratings of flexible work arrangements and the women CPAs’ ratings of the same initiative is particularly interesting, since it reveals a significant gap in perception between the two groups

The following initiatives were in place at only 26-38 percent of the firms that took part in the survey: childcare assistance, womenspecific mentoring programs, and programs to develop women as partners on high-profile client assignments Forty-three percent of the firms taking part in the survey had “part-time partner track” in place; this initiative continues to be the most sought-after among the women surveyed

The retention and promotion of women within public accounting firms continues to have a huge impact on the industry, and it’s disappointing to see so little movement after seven years of surv e y s . T h e Wo m e n ’s E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e w i l l f o c u s i t s f u t u r e efforts on identifying and spotlighting firms that are making real progress in retaining and promoting their women professionals Perhaps their success can be a roadmap for other firms in Illinois

Turn the page for more stati sti cs from the 2009 Rol e of W omen i n CPA Fi rms survey

W e si ncerel y thank the fi rms and women that responded to our survey and wi l l i ngl y shared thei r i nformati on wi th us Thi s cooperati on i s appreci ated and necessary as we stri ve to advance the rol e of women i n publ i c accounti ng fi rms

Illinois CPA Society's 2009 Survey on the Role of Women in CPA Firms - Professional Personnel Who Office In Illinois - Percentage of Women by Position

*All information was provided by the firms. Surveys were sent to 90 Illinois firms that had 15 or more professionals as listed in the Illinois CPA Society's Peer Review or Membership Database and the 2008 Crain's Chicago Business list of Chicago's largest accounting firms. Surveys were mailed in January 2009 and firms were asked to provide the most recent available data, but to not use data earlier than December 31, 2008.

***Firm did not provide information for this year. NA = Information Not Applicable

(a) First included in survey population in 2009. (b)First included in survey population in 2008.

(c)First included in survey population in 2006.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for all years: FGMK LLC; Gimbal Abrams & Singer; Scheffel & Co.; Sleeper Disbrow Morrison Tarro & Lively.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005: Chunowitz, Teitelbaum & Baerson, Ltd.; Morrison & Morrison, Ltd.; Pasquesi Sheppard LLC

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006: Brook Weiner LLC; Medical Business Consultants - Midwest, Ltd., CPAs; Professional Business Consultants.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008 and 2007: Friedman & Huey Associates, LLP; L. J. Soldinger Associates; UHY LLP

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009 and 2008: Ahlbeck & Company; Mulcahy Pauritsch Salvador & Co, Ltd.; Wermer Rogers Doran & Ruzon, LLC.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009: BIK & Co.; Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond Ltd.; Michael James Liccar & Co.; Mowery &

Illinois CPA Society's 2009 Survey on the Role of Women in CPA Firms - Percentage of Firm-wide Leadership Positions Held by Women

*All information was provided by the firms. Surveys were sent to 90 Illinois firms that had 15 or more professionals as listed in the Illinois CPA Society's Peer Review or Membership Database and the 2008 Crain's Chicago Business list of Chicago's largest accounting firms. Surveys were mailed in January 2009 and firms were asked to provide the most recent available data, but to not use data earlier than December 31, 2008.

***Firm did not provide information for this year. NP = Information Not Provided

(a) First included in survey population in 2009. (b)First included in survey population in 2008.

(c)First included in survey population in 2006.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for all years: FGMK LLC; Gimbal Abrams & Singer; Scheffel & Co.; Sleeper Disbrow Morrison Tarro & Lively.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005: Chunowitz, Teitelbaum & Baerson, Ltd.; Morrison & Morrison, Ltd.; Pasquesi Sheppard LLC

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006: Brook Weiner LLC; Medical Business Consultants - Midwest, Ltd., CPAs; Professional Business Consultants.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009, 2008 and 2007: Friedman & Huey Associates, LLP; L. J. Soldinger Associates; UHY LLP

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009 and 2008: Ahlbeck & Company; Mulcahy Pauritsch Salvador & Co, Ltd.; Wermer Rogers Doran & Ruzon, LLC.

The following firms declined to participate in the survey for 2009: BIK & Co.; Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond Ltd.; Michael James Liccar & Co.; Mowery & Shoenfeld LLC; Smith, Koelling, Dystra & Ohm, P.C.