Women less than one-fifth of senior management worldwide
Women still represent only 22 per cent of corporate leaders globally, and a further 33 per cent of firms worldwide have no women in senior management at all, according to Helen Brand, CEO of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
A news release from ACCA, which described itself as “the leading body globally for chartered accountants”, said it uncovered inequality in the working trends of young women in finance careers in an 18,000-strong global survey titled ‘Generation Next’.
The survey found that women are more likely to pursue a long-term career in finance and accounting, with 47 per cent of respondents preferring to stay in the career for more than five years compared to 40 per cent of men.
“In addition, women are more likely than men to stay with their current employers in their next role, 42 per cent compared to 37 per cent for men,” the news release said.
“By contrast, the survey found that men were more likely to pursue entrepreneurial ambitions, with 84 per cent signalling a desire to start their own business, either as a next career move or later in their careers. The figure for women was 74 per cent,” the news release added.
“For the inequality these statistics are sure to become a thing of the past, organisations must build supportive environments and work to eliminate conscious and unconscious bias right across the corporate structure,” the release quoted Brand.
The ACCA said that at present it has 480,000 students around the world studying to become professional accountants. Fifty-four per cent of them are female, a percentage that is growing year-on-year. Almost a quarter of a million women are working towards a professional qualification.
In order to close gender gap, Brand recommended that people find a role model. “Having one can help you see where the breadth and depth of female talent is in the organisation and spur you on,” she said.