Voices

Accounting MOVE Project offers list of best firms for women

Ten accountingfirms with top-notch retention and advancing programs for women have been namedthe Best Accounting Firms for Women by the American Society of WomenAccountants and the American Woman’s Society of Certified Public Accountants.

The listwas part of The 2010 Accounting MOVE Project, a joint creation between the twoSocieties along with Wilson-Taylor Associates, a research firm that measuresthe advancement of women.

The firmsthat made the list in alphabetical order are: BDO in N.Y., Berry Dunn McNeil& Parker in Portland , Maine ,The Bonadio Group in Pittsford , N.Y. , CCR in Westborough , Mass. , Hood & Strong in San Francisco , Jone & Roth in Eugene , Ore. , Moss Adams in Seattle, Rothstein Kass inRoseland, N.J. William Vaughan Company in Maumee , Ohio and Wiss & Co. inLivington, N.J.

Twentyfirms were interviewed for the MOVE Project, which included a report thatpinpoints barriers and solutions to women’s advancement in the accountingprofession. The report digs deep into why women in accounting keep hitting theglass ceiling and offers some insightful recommendations on how to reverse thetrend of women leaving the profession.

Keyfindings include:

·Seniormanager is the level at which most women abandon public accounting firms.

·Metricsare weak to nonexistent for women’s initiatives.

·Womenare an often overlooked resource for gaining and retaining clients.

·Flexibilityis one solution, not the solution.

·Careerpath and success strategies are opaque to women staff and managers.

For moreinformation or to download the report go here.

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