Women in accounting: belief, support and success
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, we talk to leaders in Praxity member firms about empowerment, progress and what it takes to achieve your goals.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is more than just a day. It’s a movement for positive change which impacts every man and woman across every profession.
IWD encourages us all to challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion.
It was first honoured in 1911, when more than a million men and women in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland attended rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. It is now a global phenomenon celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”
Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist
We ask four female Partners in Praxity member firms to share their thoughts and insights on IWD and the steps their firms are taking to support women in the workplace and help achieve equality and equity across the profession.
Jane Parry, Managing Partner, PM+M
“Understand what your strengths are and play to them.”
1. What does International Women's Day mean to you?
Although it goes without saying that women shouldn’t need just one day to feel empowered, IWD provides an important reminder for us all. It is not just about celebrating women in business but encouraging progression and confidence in all areas of life – having an equal voice and being listened to. From a business perspective, IWD helps share awareness of the vital need for equality, and diversity in all its forms, in all industries - the very best teams are those that are diverse and inclusive, meaning clients and employees benefit from different perspectives and, therefore, better outcomes are achieved.
2. How does your firm celebrate this day?
We will be celebrating with some social media posts and a podcast from some of our senior women discussing their experience of being female business leaders. We have also been asked to be a guest panellist of strong female leaders for a local business event.
3. Who are your female role models?
I have huge respect for Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand Prime Minister from 2017-23) for the way she has led her country with integrity, calmness and fairness and not a lot of personal ego. Michelle Obama is also hugely impressive for her energy, drive and strong ethical principles, she really embraces the human side of life, and as first lady, I think she made the biggest impact.
4. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Believe in yourself and be kind to yourself. We can often be our own toughest critics and, particularly for women in business, there can be a drive to be seen to be perfect at everything. Everyone makes mistakes, just make sure that you learn from them. You don’t need to be perfect all the time, you’re pretty great as you are. Understand what your strengths are and play to them, whilst building a team who can complement and support you. You will have challenges and you will have set backs but believe in your own power, keep your dream and stay focused on your dream. Success has never come without hard work and persistence, put your heart and soul into it, then you can acknowledge that you have done your best to make it happen.
5. How does your firm champion/support women generally?
With a female Managing Partner and a number of other female Partners and Directors, all who act as role models for our growing ambitious team, we have a great gender balance within PM+M. We are lucky at PM+M to have the best male colleagues and as a team we share respect for each other regardless of gender or any other factor. We offer considerable flexibility and family friendly policies to all our team to allow people to balance career and family successfully. We also have mentoring programmes to help our people achieve their very best. We continue to build an even more inclusive culture and educate and upskill our people, we actively support their career progression by making sure they have early leadership opportunities and by striving to offer a workplace where women, and indeed everyone, can continue to succeed.
Amanda Anderson, Director and Chief Operating Officer, William Buck South Australia
"we can use our influence to help make change for women less fortunate.”
1. What does International Women's Day mean to you?
It’s a day to celebrate women in all different walks of life. It’s a time to acknowledge those women that have set a path for us towards equality and to be reminded of our individual responsibilities to keep moving forward.
2. How does your firm celebrate this day?
One of the things as a firm we do is to invite women associated with the firm to a lunch or breakfast for International Women’s Day. It’s a great opportunity to enable networking and hear from inspirational speakers. There is always a social responsibility aspect that we can learn about and we can use our influence to help make change for women less fortunate.
3. Who are your female role models?
I have many amazing women in my life that I learn from every day. During my career though, on reflection, I haven’t had many professional female role models. I’m a relative newcomer to my firm and throughout my career my leaders and mentors have been mostly men. This inspires me to be that role model to women around me. I make sure I am accessible, an advocate and provide coaching and mentorship.
4. What advice would you give to your younger self?
The first thing that comes to mind is to be yourself. You don’t need to be like anyone else and mimic other’s behaviours. Women and men are different and that’s important. Each brings important qualities and ideas around the table.
5. How does your firm champion/support women generally?
Our leadership team promote, mentor and support the women in the firm. We work on strategies for each individual to promote progression through the firm. We hold focus groups with women to listen and understand the areas where added support is required. Not only do we focus on our female team members we also make a concerted effort to engage with our female clients, providing events and educational activities to promote them and build stronger relationships.
Xiaoying Li, Group Management Committee Chairperson, SW China
"Do not discourage yourself from making an effort because you are a woman.”
1. What does International Women's Day mean to you?
It's an exciting holiday for me. I always feel delighted when this holiday comes even though I will most likely be working as usual that day. I can feel a strong sense of holiday atmosphere when I go to restaurants or other public places on this special day for career women, and I always feel touched by it.
2. How does your firm celebrate this day?
Our firm gives all the female staff a half-day off, and the staff committee also prepares some gifts for us. For example, female staff will be able to collect a bouquet or other type of small gift at the reception desk. The small rituals of our firm signify that 8th March is a special day, and the firm cares about and values all our female staff.
3. Who are your female role models?
My role model from childhood until today has always been Marie Curie, the Polish-French physicist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. I believe that women are born with a language advantage and an emotional mindset, but it is difficult for women to achieve in scientific research. Marie Curie's tenacity, meticulousness and dedication have always been an example for me to strive to learn.
4. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Do not discourage yourself from making an effort because you are a woman, and do not demand special care because you are a woman. As a wife, mother and female leader in the workplace, I, like many other female professionals, have to devote more time and effort to balance caring for my family and working in the workplace. Honestly, it's not easy, and it can be hard work. But my experience has taught me that being fully engaged in a career I love and having a warm family environment, comforts me and supports me in many difficult moments. This is perhaps the most beautiful moment in life. Choose what we love most and stick with it, just like Marie Curie did.
5. How does your firm champion/support women generally?
I think the profession is one that respects individual effort and everyone communicates by virtue of our professional knowledge. Although it is not easy, it is truly a case of "you reap what you sow". I have been in the profession since I graduated 30 years ago, and I do not feel any gender difference in the firm's human resources policy and working environment. Otherwise, I would not have been in the profession for this time and become a partner after working for just seven years in the industry. In my firm, women are paid the same as men for equal work and are valued equally in terms of promotion. Currently, 31% of all partners in our firm are women, and we are encouraging more talented female staff to lean in and step into management positions.
Amanjit Lidder, Senior Vice President, Tax Services, MNP
"Stop asking for permission and instead take up space."
1. What does International Women's Day mean to you?
International Women's Day holds a significant meaning to me. It's a day to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in various fields, including business, politics, science, arts, and education. It's a day to recognize the progress we have made in terms of gender equality and women's empowerment, but also to acknowledge the challenges that still exist.
International Women's Day is an opportunity to advocate for change and promote gender equality. It's a day to call for policies and practices that support women's rights and empower them to reach their full potential. It's a day to raise awareness of the issues women face globally and encourage men and women to work together to address them. I feel a sense of responsibility to use my platform and influence to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace. I believe that when women have equal opportunities, we can contribute to a stronger, more prosperous, and sustainable world.
2. How does your firm celebrate this day?
At MNP, International Women’s Day is recognized and acknowledged from the top with support from our CEO, Jason Tuffs, and activated at a grassroots level by our regional offices. Every MNP office coast-to-coast is empowered to celebrate International Women’s Day in a way that best reflects and resonates with their local team members and community. This approach ensures that our celebrations directly celebrate the achievements and leadership of women at a local level. For the most part, International Women’s Day is celebrated at MNP through live panel events featuring external speakers, clients, or MNP team members; networking events or presentations educating on the history of International Women’s Day; team gifts purchased from women-owned businesses; and much more.
3. Who are your female role models?
I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by many smart, empowered and strong women. I carry their wisdom and experience with me wherever I go. The most influential role model in my life is my mom. My mom faced discrimination not only because of her gender but also because of her race, culture and ability. She valued education and advocated for her four daughters to obtain a post- secondary education as she knew an education would change our experience in the world and how the world experienced us. The leadership team at MNP, specifically Tanya Knight and Diana Render – who are both Executive Vice-Presidents at the firm – are two great role models for me. Their leadership, drive, compassion, intellect and ability to connect with others has been inspirational. I appreciate how both Tanya and Diana embody the values of MNP.
4. What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to stop asking for permission and instead take up space.
5. How does your firm champion/support women generally?
I’m really proud of the fact that of more than 8,000 MNP team members across Canada, 58% are women (as of September 2022). Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion has spanned our entire firm and is woven into our values, culture, and business strategy. Terrific value comes from women, not only as leaders, but from the diversity of thought women can provide. As a firm, we support women in the following ways:
- Inspiring role models: Our leadership team has a number of role models who inspire women to pursue careers of their choice, showing women do not have to choose between work and life; women can build careers while growing their families or nurturing other life aspirations. Our team members mentor and coach others, creating a ripple effect of support for women in the places where we live and work.
- Work-life integration: MNP has thriving teams with a large portion being women. We walk the talk when it comes to providing systems, policies, and processes to support women with a focus on work-life integration and flexibility.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy with a focus on women: We research, track, and analyze data to continually improve MNP’s practices of hiring, retaining, and developing female talent at all levels of the Firm.
- Impactful partnerships: We have proudly partnered with organizations and initiatives that mutually value the advancement and inclusion of women, including The Scotiabank Women Initiative™, StrikeUP, DELIA, and Women Get on Board.