International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8th, serves as a global platform for recognising the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women worldwide. This year’s theme, "Accelerate Action for Gender Equality," challenges organisations across industries to move beyond words and take meaningful, measurable steps towards achieving gender equality.
Dains are committed to marking International Women’s Day with inclusive impact that will celebrate and raise awareness this weekend but also continuing to take meaningful action towards gender equality all year round.
The Gender Equality Challenge in Professional Services
The gender imbalance across professional services firms remains a persistent issue.
According to recent studies, while women represent a significant portion of entry-level employees, they remain underrepresented in senior leadership positions. In a sector that thrives on expertise, the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles not only undermines the diversity of thought and innovation but also perpetuates a cycle where women’s potential is underutilised. As women face systemic challenges in progressing their careers, ranging from biases in recruitment and promotion to unequal access to networking and mentorship, the profession loses out on diverse perspectives that drive both creativity and performance.
The gender distribution at Dains Accountants is largely female, with 57.2% identifying as female and 39% as male. A small percentage identify as other genders (0.5%), prefer not to disclose (1.1%), or did not respond (2.2%) to our survey. Our recruitment data from the last three years also shows an over 200% increase in the number of females we have onboarded across the Group. Whilst this shows progress, this is not the end of our attempts to improve gender equality within Dains and the professional services sector.
Rachael Dagger, ESG Manager, shares “Whilst we reflect on these statistics to showcase our growth, it is important to also listen to the stories the data tells. Strength in numbers does not always equate to strength in equality, and I’m delighted that Dains are committed to seeing beyond the numbers and creating meaningful opportunities for women to use their voice and take a seat at decision-making tables.”
Accelerating Action
Dains recognises that change is needed to accelerate action towards gender equity, and we acknowledge action to date whilst setting goals for the future. Some of the ways we will approach this are:
Building on our current disclosures of gender diversity to include voluntary gender pay gap reporting data to hold ourselves accountable and remain transparent to our key stakeholders
Reinforce gender-neutral job descriptions and unbiased interview processes to remove gender stereotyping in traditionally male dominated roles and positions, especially at senior levels, and ensure we hold the door open for the very best talent to join Dains.
Continue to deliver the Career Development Pathways, which offers transparency over training, coaching and sponsorship opportunities that can help women navigate the perceived barriers that may prevent them from rising to senior positions whilst giving everyone an equal opportunity to progress within the firm.
Expand our ‘smart working’ model, to build on our existing flexible and remote working options and enhanced parental leave benefits to help us retain our top female talent and boost career satisfaction that comes from empowering women to find balance in their personal and professional aspirations.
Establishing a dedicated Women’s Network, led by employees with full support from leadership, to help drive impactful change and shape the reality of gender diversity at Dains.
Moving Forward
International Women’s Day offers a timely reminder that gender equality should not be a distant goal but a continuous journey. In professional services firms, women must not just be included in the workforce but also empowered to lead and innovate. To accelerate action for gender equality, firms must implement bold strategies, hold themselves accountable and create environments where women’s contributions are not only recognised but also valued at every level of the organisation.
Richard McNeilly, Chief Executive Officer, reflects, "On International Women's Day, we celebrate the incredible women who help drive Dains forward and make a difference in both our community and to our clients. Many people may not be aware that the majority of our team are female and IWD is a reminder of the progress we've made and the work still ahead to ensure equality, opportunity, and empowerment for our women. Together, let's continue to produce an environment where every woman can thrive, lead, and reach her fullest potential."
By embracing diversity, organisations position themselves to thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape, benefiting from greater creativity, stronger performance and a more inclusive society. As we reflect on the importance of gender equality this International Women’s Day, let’s commit to turning this conversation into action that shapes a more equitable future for women in the professional services industry.
You can find out most recent group diversity report here.