Nearly a quarter of internal partner promotions at the Big 4 accountancy firms involved women this year, it has been revealed.
According to Accountancy Magazine, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) came out top by promoting 17 women out of a total of 58 appointments (29 per cent), while KPMG elevated eight women out of 31 (26 per cent).
Ernst & Young promoted eight women out of 36 (22 per cent).
Deloitte came in last with only seven women promoted out of 42 appointments (17 per cent) but the firm insisted the issue was important to it and was trying to improve the figures.
Heather Hancock, Deloitte partner and diversity champion, said: "It really matters to us but we're trying to make sure we're taking the right long-term steps."
Fleur Bothwick, director of diversity and inclusiveness at Ernst & Young said the company hoped to achieve 20 per cent female representation at partner level by 2011.
PwC announced this week the appointment of two new female partners to its government and public sector practice.
Amanda Kelly is joining the firm from Deloitte and will lead business development in the children's and adult care services, while Claire Hall will focus on PwC's work with the Ministry of Defence.
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