As we celebrate International Women’s Day here at Adams + Miles, it’s not only an opportunity to acknowledge the progress our industry has made towards greater gender balance and representation, but how the public accounting sector in Canada has changed in only a matter of years.
At Adams + Miles, for example, nearly half of our Partners and managers are women, while our team is highly diverse. Like many firms, our leaders were mainly men until only a decade ago. Our industry still has a long way to progress, but the shift has been swift and remarkable. Our workplace policies and best practices around everything from flexible work hours to mentorship have moved forward, as well. These are welcome, positive changes that have benefited us all.
As we take a step back to acknowledge this forward momentum—and how we can take it a step further—we asked some of our female Partners to weigh in with their views on the importance of International Women’s Day, what it means to their personal and professional growth and what needs to be done to maintain progress in support of their younger colleagues. Here’s what they had to say:
Shanon Hawkshaw, Partner, Accounting and Assurance Practice
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
I look at International Women’s Day as a chance to celebrate women’s achievements both personally and in the workplace.
How do you think the accounting industry has changed for women since you began your career?
I think the introduction of a flexible work environment has provided a great opportunity for all staff and partners, both male and female, to enjoy a balanced workday and schedule their commitments accordingly. Our A+M team is very supportive and encouraging. We share in our successes and support each other through challenges.
What do you think women leaders in our industry can do to help young women build a successful accounting career?
I think we can provide a strong example as leaders and teammates. We can demonstrate that we can have a seat at whatever table we choose and welcome and invite everyone to participate. I try to do that by sharing my experiences, encouraging young women and continuing to support them as they succeed.
Leanne Mongiat, Partner, Charities and Not-For-Profit Organizations Practice
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
I’m very aware that I’m lucky to be a woman here in Canada. But I also know that there are many women both from across the world and in marginalized communities in Canada that are not as lucky. I like to think of this as a day to celebrate how far we’ve come and to remind us that there is work to be done. It’s easy to forget this as we go about our daily lives.
How do you think the accounting industry has changed for women since you began your career?
It definitely has changed over the years. When I first started at Adams + Miles after graduating from university, the firm’s partners were five men. Today we have nine partners, four of whom are female, while our Director of Operations is also female. I think many women were always drawn to the accounting profession, but many had to leave as they started families due to the demands on both their professional and personal lives. I think today we’re breaking down these obstacles and people are realizing you can have both, resulting in more women rising to the top of the accounting profession. That said, we still need to do a lot to improve in this area. I think some women tend to leave the public accounting profession at the manager level due to the professional demands and feeling they must choose between work and family life.
What do you think women leaders in our industry can do to help young women build a successful accounting career?
Mentorship is always important. I think how women interact is different than men, so young women need to see this and know that it’s OK to ask for support. It’s also about showing them that you don’t need to sacrifice a full, balanced life to be at the top of your field, including in the accounting profession.
Ninette Bishay, Partner, Charities and Not-For-Profit Organizations Practice
What does International Women’s Day mean to you, both personally and professionally?
I see International Women’s Day as a celebration of women being able to choose to fulfill their goals in life, whatever those may be, in comparison to a time when that wasn’t possible. It’s about not taking for granted the fact that women have opportunities today to live life as they choose, compared to a time, not too long ago, when those choices simply weren’t available to them.
I think it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what, as women, we need in terms of support and attitudes to enable us to show up as our authentic selves—along with how we can create paths forward for other women coming after us.
How do you think the accounting industry has changed for women since you began your career?
Earlier in my career, it was almost the foregone expectation that when women had children, it was more likely than not that they would either reduce their hours at work or leave public accounting altogether—either because of a shift of life focus, or because the demands of a public accounting career were unmanageable as moms.
Technological advancements that gave both men and women the opportunity to work from home to meet work demands, coupled with a significant shift in the industry’s attitude towards flexibility in where and when the work is completed, have been a game-changer in giving women the opportunity to choose for themselves how they can do both: motherhood and a career in public accounting.
What do you think women leaders in our industry can do to help young women build a successful accounting career?
I think we can be authentic about the challenges that we’ve faced and how we’ve learned to navigate those issues.
Christina Ajith-Brandford, Partner, Condominium Practice
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
I see International Women’s Day as a reminder of the female companionship that I have with other women in the industry who share similar personal and professional perspectives. I think it’s a chance for us to band together and support each other.
How do you think the accounting industry has changed for women since you began your career?
I would say that that from my perspective, the female voice in leadership has become stronger. At Adams + Miles, for example, we have more female partners than ever before, which is fostering a better understanding of work-life balance needs for women at all levels as they balance competing priorities.
What do you think women leaders in our industry can do to help young women build a successful accounting career?
I think we can work to share our perspectives with younger women in the workplace who are facing the same challenges that we encountered in the early stages of our careers, while providing mentorship whenever possible. It’s important for us to support young women and advocate for them when necessary so they can advance in their careers.
The Adams + Miles team
For assistance with your tax, accounting, advisory and assurance needs, contact a member of the Adams + Miles team today.
