Advancing gender equality in the big 4 accounting firms: exploring the potential of improved public reporting

Gender inequality persists in many organisations, including the big four accounting firms (Big 4). This research project proposes one possible avenue for organisational change with regard to progress on gender equality: improvement to public gender reporting. The public gender reports and broader corporate social responsibility (CSR)/sustainability reports by the Big 4 have received limited attention in the literature to date, even though these firms advise and assure such reports produced by corporate clients. The aim of the thesis is to investigate how the quality of public gender reporting by the Big 4 might be improved. This study conceptualises quality reporting from a feminist perspective. A qualitative content analysis is used to assess the quality of public gender reporting, including content on Australian and global websites and in reports by the Big 4. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former staff and partners, including the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of these organisations to understand reporting practices and processes, including the drivers of and barriers to good-quality reporting. The findings reveal that the quality of public gender reporting by the Big 4 is limited in that it focuses on gender equality and positive trends, while many aspects of workplace gender inequality remain invisible, serving to conceal continuing gender disadvantage. The Big 4 voluntarily report on gender primarily according to the needs of the firm, rather than the needs of women employees or civil society. This indicates that the regulators and policymakers need to find a means of encouraging greater accountability to these stakeholders and facilitate reporting on issues of importance from a moral stance, which may not align with the business case benefits for the firm. This study contributes to the academic literature in four key ways. First, it contributes to the extant literature in the field of gender in the accounting profession. This is the first study to examine the quality of gender reporting by the Big 4 and to identify areas for improvement. Second, the study contributes to the literature on gender reporting, which is part of the broader arena of CSR/sustainability reporting. With reference to feminist theory and literature the study develops a Feminist Quality Reporting Framework (FQRF) for gender reporting, which includes detailed subcategories and performance indicators that are industry-specific for professional service firms, to enhance understanding of quality reporting. This FQRF is used to analyse the quality of current gender reporting by the Big 4. Third, the study contributes to knowledge of reporting practices by including the perspectives of both those at the lower ends of the hierarchy and senior partners, including CEOs, and chairpersons revealing their different perceptions of the quality of gender reporting and how it could be improved. Fourth, the study provides support for mandatory requirements that promote more reporting on gender inequality and accountability to stakeholders. Finally, this project contributes to practice through the provision of recommendations to the Big 4 and the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).