Despite the proliferation of formal initiatives and policies to promote diversity in the workplace, only a minority of Britainís accountants are convinced that they are anything more than what one described as a ìglorified PR stunt.î

According to a survey carried out for the financial recruitment specialist, Hewitson Walker, only 35% of those questioned thought that formal diversity programmes were having a real effect on the companies they worked for.

ìWeíve got a programme, which is supposed to ensure that weíre recruiting people from all different types of backgrounds and ethnic groups,î says one chartered accountant, working for a major investment bank, ìyet practically everyone at senior level is still white, middle class and male. Whereís the diversity in that?î A female part-qualified management accountant in another bank had a similar jaundiced view. ìThereís supposed to be a level playing field here, but the only women who really get on are those who are willing to forego a family and commit completely to the bank,î she says. ìThere are a few at senior level with children but if they ever get to see them it must be a minor miracle.î

When asked why employers set up diversity programmes, 54% believed that it was to generate good PR and 73% thought that it was because they feared prosecution under discrimination laws. Only 29% believed that companies had a genuine commitment to creating a diverse workforce at all levels.

However, despite their apparent cynicism about progress towards it, the majority (85%) of the 170 accountants questioned thought it was a highly desirable aim.

ìThereís obviously a degree of cynicism about how committed large companies are to diversity because power in these institutions often still resides in the hands of a markedly un-diverse group,î says Hewitson Walkerís Phillip Attenborough. ìHowever anyone who thinks that they are not committed to changing this in the medium to long-term is kidding themselves. Organisations of this size and scope arenít doing this for any fluffy, altruistic reasons. They know that there is a compelling business case for mirroring an increasingly varied customer-base. And they also know that if they want to recruit and retain the best people in the market they need to be fishing from the widest possible pool of talent.î