Campbell, CA (November 2, 2023) – Abbott, Stringham & Lynch (ASL) was named to the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance 2023 Best CPA Firms for Equity Leadership list, in addition to the 2023 Best CPA Firms for Women list, based on the Accounting MOVE Project.
In the 2023 Accounting MOVE Project report, a talent-starved profession receives a fresh influx of strategies and inspiration for investing in the women it must attract and retain to achieve short goals and survive long-term. With nearly 75% of accounting firm leaders eligible for retirement, and accounting degree college enrollment continuing to drop, the profession is at a crossroads. It is more important than ever for firms to find ways to attract and retain employees to not only meet increasing client needs, but to simply survive. So, what are firms that are outpacing the industry doing differently?
Abbott, Stringham & Lynch ranks among the upper echelon of MOVE firms for its percentage of female partners. The firm provides professional support across all levels, crafting a roadmap that shows how to encourage participation and bolster career trajectories for women and diverse talent.
The Accounting MOVE Project report finds firms embracing the new super skill of career sustainability are rising to the occasion. For women, career sustainability addresses the capacity to maintain motivation and energy at every step, while rebalancing the personal and professional with each engagement. For firms, it engenders a leadership culture, defining new capabilities, qualifications, and measurements for unmapped growth. Through it all, mutual respect and collaboration remains paramount, the inescapable legacy of the workplace upheaval brought on by changes over time.
Integrating mental and social health with training and internal events signals a deeper shift at Abbott, Stringham & Lynch, as well as other leading firms. ASL puts training and wellness on an equal plane, retooling its training programs as holistic experiences that foster overall personal development.
Abbott, Stringham & Lynch has redefined “succession planning” as a firm-wide framework for every level. As they coach younger colleagues in the fine art of replacing themselves, managers gain leadership skills, mentoring, and strategic experience.
About Abbott, Stringham & Lynch (ASL)
Founded in 1977, ASL offers a wealth of experience in delivering high-quality services and specialties to its clients. The Firm works with emerging- and middle-market privately held businesses to help them thrive in their markets. It also partners with high-net-worth individuals – owners, founders, and executives – to help them protect and grow their wealth. ASL identifies untapped opportunities, challenges, and solutions, enabling clients to make the effective and timely decisions today that lead to a fuller and more secure tomorrow.
Designed to facilitate quality decisions, ASL’s services cover corporate tax planning and compliance, assurance and accounting, estate and gift tax planning, litigation support, succession planning and valuation. The Firm’s services are contextualized by its specialties in real estate, construction, technology, family wealth and individual tax, emerging businesses, manufacturing and distribution, nonprofit organizations, renewable energy, and recreation and entertainment.
About the Accounting MOVE Project
The Accounting MOVE Project is based on the MOVE methodology, developed by research partner Wilson-Taylor Associates, Inc., which investigates the factors proven to be essential to women’s career success:
- M – Money: fair pay practices
- O – Opportunity: advancement and leadership development
- V – Vital supports: work-life programs that remove barriers
- E – Entrepreneurship: operating experience for managing or business ownership
The Accounting MOVE Project is the basis for two recognitions of excellence for women in the accounting and advisory profession, both awarded by the AFWA:
- Best CPA Firms for Women: To earn a spot on the list, an employer must have both a proportionate number of women at most or all levels of management and proven success with the MOVE factors. An employer cannot win by having a rich array of programs but few women in leadership. We believe that if a firm’s MOVE factors are effective, it will have a healthy and growing proportion of women in its leadership pipeline.
- Best CPA Firms for Equity Leadership: This list recognizes firms with at least 31% women partners and principals, as roughly a third is the widely recognized “tipping point” or members of any identity group to have individual impact. The Equity Leadership list recognizes firms that have achieved that milestone through any combination of culture, programs, initiatives, and growth.
Methodology
Since 2010, the Accounting MOVE Project has measured and supported the advancement of women at accounting and consulting firms. MOVE is the only annual benchmarking project that both counts and advocates for women in the profession.
The MOVE Project advisory board includes leaders from association partners the Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance, founding sponsor Moss Adams and supporting sponsor, SAPRO.
MOVE is made possible by support from its sponsors and by administrative fees paid by participating firms. Firms receive benchmarking reports based on the MOVE Project. See the archives of MOVE Project reports at MOVE Archives.
About the Accounting MOVE Project Partners
- At Moss Adams, we believe in the power of possible. A business and personal advisory firm with more than 100 years of experience and 4,400 professionals across 30 markets, we work with clients to meet the rising challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. Discover how we can help you go where you want to be next. Upward. For more information, visit Moss Adams.
- National Sponsor SAPRO is a global talent outsourcing firm providing expert professionals in tax, advisory and assurance, aligning optimal resources for sustainable growth. SAPRO is dedicated to investing in and placing world-class talent, ensuring that our clients and candidates achieve continuous growth and success. Through our data-driven approach and global capability, we bridge the gap between the supply and demand of professional talent, driving exceptional results and streamlining operations. For more information, visit SAPRO.
- The Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance promotes the professional growth of women in accounting and finance. Members of the association benefit from opportunities to connect with colleagues, advance their careers, and become industry leaders. For more than 85 years, the organization has proudly upheld its mission to enable women in all accounting and related fields to achieve their full potential and to contribute to their profession. Visit Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance for more information.
- org offers an easy-to-use platform for knowledge sharing and idea exchange through the marketing and presenting of the most up-to-date educational content and developments important to the accounting profession. On CPAacademy.org, members have access to the highest quality webinar presentations by thought leaders in the profession. Visit CPAacademy.org to learn more.
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