Online articles
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers'
terms of use.
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Busting myths about women in the workplace
This article challenges three common myths about women in the workplace. It reveals that women's ambition has actually increased during the pandemic, with a majority desiring promotions. It also dispels the notion that workplace flexibility is primarily desired by women, as both men and women see it as beneficial. The article also addresses the specific challenges faced by women of colour and the negative impact of microaggressions on women's careers. The authors encourage leaders to take action and advise young women to persist and challenge structural obstacles.
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Women in accounting: Practical tips for leadership advancement
Advice on how women in the accounting profession can promote their personal brand and leadership persona. Topics include prioritizing education, advocating for oneself and increasing your visibility within your organization.
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Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc says sexism is 'amplified' in finance
Aviva CEO Amanda Blanc has testified before British lawmakers about the prevalence of sexism in the financial services sector, stating that it is worse than in wider society. She shared testimonies she received, ranging from sexual harassment to women being excluded from key meetings. Blanc and Nishma Gosrani, a financial services partner at consultancy Bain & Company, discussed the Women in Finance Charter, a voluntary initiative aimed at promoting gender diversity in the industry.
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Women trust employers less than men
The article discusses the reasons that women employees tend to trust the company they work for less than their male counterparts. The authors relate various ways in which women are treated differently than their male colleagues, even when it comes to equity and inclusion programs designed to redress such inequities. They outline three strategies that may help increase trust in female employees.
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Investment and career insights from women in asset management
Five women from BMO's Global Asset Management team provide insights from their paths into a career in asset management. Although they come from different career backgrounds, they have a mutual love of the pace, excitement and learning opportunities the industry offers. Here they share their top tips for success in asset management.
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JPMorgan exec says 'Wall Street 2.0' will be better for women
Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO of asset and wealth management at JPMorgan, delivered a keynote speech reflecting on her career in finance at American Banker's 'Most Powerful Women in Banking' Conference 2023. The article gives quotes from her talk, which discussed the advantages of remote working for women in the workplace, as well as the importance of being curious and becoming a subject matter expert.
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Tailored flexibility
There is no one blueprint for cultivating a female-friendly workplace, as the top firms on Accounting Today's 2023 Best Firms for Women list emphasize, but as accounting practices attempt to sketch out a better culture for attracting, retaining and advancing women, lessons can be learned from the list's winners. The article features quotes from the top three ranked firms from the 2023 Best Firms for Women list, providing insights into how they are successfully fostering an inclusive workplace for women.
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Fortune's Most Powerful Women in business (MPW) 2023
Article celebrating the top 100 women in business in 2023. The list's new global scope and bigger scale recognize the international nature of top executives' work - as well as the near-record number of women who are leading companies in the US Fortune 500 and the Fortune Global 500, the largest companies in the world.
eBooks
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our
Help and support advice or contact
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It's not a glass ceiling, it's a sticky floor: free yourself from the hidden behaviours sabotaging your career success
Professional advancement for women in the workplace.
Exclusive
Woman's place is in the boardroom, A
Details the advantages of having women on the board of directors.
Exclusive
Woman's place is in the boardroom, A: the roadmap
Guide to promoting women in the workplace.
Exclusive
Women in business: the changing face of leadership
Describes the process of increasing gender diversity in leadership positions.
Exclusive
Women in finance
A chapter on career development for female finance professionals who want to progress in senior roles.
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Women leading
Describes the role of women in leadership positions.
Legal Alert
Legal Alert is a monthly checklist from
Atom Content Marketing highlighting new and pending laws, regulations, codes of practice and rulings that could have an impact on your business.
Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
The collection of the ICAEW
Library & Information Service includes a collection of articles and books on women in leadership roles. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Beauty queen: inside the reign of Avon's Andrea Jung
Former Avon vice president Deborah Himsel uses Jung's story as a case study for two timeless leadership questions: What makes great leaders great? And what makes them fail? The book explores Jung's charisma, inclusive style, and brand building acumen that led to early success, as well as the missteps that arguably led to her downfall, including her failure to attend to the evolving needs of Avon's representatives; the erosion of trust that occurred as a result of frequent decision reversals; and her naivete about operations, infrastructure, and finance. Through interviews with other CEOs, Avon executives past and present, and leadership experts, Himsel explores the unique challenges Jung faced as a female Fortune 500 CEO.
Lean in: women, work and the will to lead
Examines why women's progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential. Sheryl Sandberg is a former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook/Meta.
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.
2024
FTSE Women Leaders Review
Successor report to the Hampton-Alexander Review and the Davies Reviews. Reports on progress for women serving on boards, and for women in the two senior management layers below the board in 400 companies. Previous reports for 2022 and 2021 are also available.
Women in Work Index 2024: Closing the Gender Pay Gap for good
Annual update to PwC's Women in Work Index which combines key indicators of female economic empowerment into a single comparable index for 33 OECD countries.
2023
Women in business 2023: The push for parity
Annual report from Grant Thornton tracking the global progress of women in senior management. It includes insights into how mid-market businesses can support women in business. Previous reports are also available including:
Women in the workplace 2023
Annual study by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org of women in corporate America. This latest report debunks four myths about women’s workplace experiences and career advancement and provides recommendations to companies for supporting women. Previous reports also available via the site.
2019
FTSE women leaders: Hampton-Alexander Review
The fourth report of the Hampton-Alexander Review assesses progress in adoption of the five key recommendations aimed at increasing the number of women in leadership positions of FTSE 350 companies that the original review published in 2016.
2018
FTSE women leaders: Hampton-Alexander Review
The third report of the Hampton-Alexander Review assesses progress in adoption of the five key recommendations aimed at increasing the number of women in leadership positions of FTSE 350 companies that the original review published in 2016.
2017
Maximising women’s contribution to future economic growth
Women’s Business Council Progress Report 2017.
2016
Gender salary reporting
Brief guide from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to new legislation which requires large employers to measure and report on how they pay men and women from April 2017. Also includes results of the CMI and XpertHR's Gender Salary Survey 2016.
Women in Finance Charter
Details of HM Treasury's 'Women in Finance Charter' which asks financial services firms to commit to implementing 4 key industry actions to improve gender balance within the industry. Published in March 2016.
2015
Maximising women’s contribution to future economic growth - Two years on
Follow-up report from the Women’s Business Council published in June 2015. Outlines further recommendations for changing business culture to better use the talents of girls and women as they participate in the workforce at every stage of their lives.
Organizational strategies: retaining and developing women leaders
Guide published by AICPA in 2015 to help accountancy firms develop and implement strategies that facilitate career progression for women.
2014
Maximising women's contribution to future economic growth: One year on
Follow-up report from the Women's Business Council published in June 2014. The report gives recommendations for businesses and policymakers, updated statistics on women's participation in the economy and a talent management checklist for employers.
2013
Maximising women's contribution to future economic growth
Report published by the Women's Business Council in June 2013 examining areas of work with the greatest potential economic benefit and providing recommendations with a clear economic case for action.
2011
Unwritten rules: Why doing a good job might not be enough
This series from Catalyst provides access to reports and tools on how to learn, leverage and communicate an organisation's own unwritten rules which exist alongside formal talent management and performance review programmes. The research examines the impact of these unwritten rules and emphasises that those, often women, ‘who do not have the tools to access this maze of unwritten rules and the important knowledge these rules provide remain left out, no matter how competent they are’.
The gender dividend: Making the business case for investing in women
This report was published in 2011 by Deloitte as the first in a series of reports aiming to examine successful models for investing in women. The report ‘lays out the rationale behind why governments and organisations must look to women as key to their economic growth’.
2010
Representation of women and men in business and government: Public attitudes and perceptions
Results of a survey published by the Government Equalities Office in March 2010. The aim of the survey was to explore public attitudes in the UK towards the representation of women and men in public institutions and in business.
2009
Inquiry into sex discrimination in the finance sector
Research report from the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission published in March 2009. The study surveys the pay, policies and practices of organisations within the financial services sector.
2007
Women of ICAS reaching the top: The demise of the glass ceiling
Research published in 2007 which evaluates the extent the glass ceiling remains a phenomenon for female Scottish chartered accountants.
Organisations and networks
1230 The Women's Company
Network of meetings, events and podcasts for business women to help and support each other to grow their businesses.
Catalyst
Organisation working globally to expand opportunities for women and business. The website provides access to research reports on a range of gender and diversity issues.
Government Equalities Office
Department of the Home Office responsible for equalities legislation and policy in the UK. Site includes research, publications and statistical information on women in work.
Prowess: Women in Business
Network of organisations and individuals aiming to support the growth of women's business ownership. Access case studies, useful facts and figures, newsletters and publications (registration required to view some content).
Women in Rural Enterprise
Network and club for business women in the rural sector. Access news, information about events and the WIRE directory which details members' businesses, success stories, regional contacts and useful links.
