Why isn't the accounting profession more diverse? Research points to the real levers of change

For several decades, universities, employers, and professional organizations have invested in mentoring programs, scholarships, and student support initiatives to increase diversity in fields like accounting. It was assumed that by helping talented students overcome barriers, representation would improve. Accounting is often seen as a profession that offers stable jobs, financial security, and upward social mobility.

However, despite more students entering universities, building a successful career in accounting has proven harder than just obtaining a degree. The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report (2025) indicates that at the current pace, achieving full gender parity remains 123 years away. The gap is evident when comparing educational attainment with career progression. Although women now outperform men in tertiary education globally, they hold only 29.5% of senior management positions with tertiary qualifications.

The pace of progress has slowed since 2022, with similar trends observed in South Africa. To understand these disparities, researcher Joanne Sopt and the author reviewed 81 studies on how minority students worldwide have been supported from university entry to professional accounting practice. They discovered that early initiatives primarily focused on helping students overcome perceived individual shortcomings through tutoring, scholarships, and mentoring.

While these programs remain crucial, the review revealed that the main challenge lies not just in preparing students but also in fostering inclusive environments.

More recent research indicates that success is shaped equally by the environments students enter and their own abilities. Across countries, evidence shows that meaningful support extends beyond financial assistance. It includes having visible role models, culturally responsive teaching, strong mentoring relationships, and institutions that acknowledge and value students' diverse experiences. These solutions must be tailored to each context, considering local histories, identities, and institutional realities.

The findings have broader implications beyond accounting. Universities, employers, and professional organizations must create environments where everyone has an equal chance to thrive. The next phase of transformation should focus on changing institutions to better serve the people they were created to serve. The review of 81 peer-reviewed accounting research articles highlighted a shift in understanding inequality from viewing underrepresentation as an individual problem to recognizing the need for inclusive environments.

Many students who pursue accounting are attracted by the promise of good jobs, yet they often feel they do not belong. They encounter language barriers, limited access to professional networks, few role models sharing their backgrounds, and institutional cultures assuming everyone enters university or the workplace with similar experiences and resources.

Some interventions, such as joining professional associations, using accessible exam formats for students with dyslexia, and incorporating inclusive language in recruitment materials, have shown positive results. However, the most significant finding is that many barriers professionals face are rooted in organizational culture, informal expectations, psychological safety, and the pressure to conform to dominant professional norms.

These challenges are not easily addressed by additional scholarships or mentoring programs alone. Worldwide, organizations are questioning why decades of diversity initiatives have not yielded the desired transformation. The authors suggest that while mentoring, scholarships, and student support should remain integral to a broader strategy, efforts should also focus on restructuring institutional culture, recruitment practices, promotion systems, curriculum design, and everyday experiences to foster true inclusivity and diversity in accounting professions.