Auditing while black: Revealing microaggressions faced by black professionals in public accounting

Abstract

SUMMARY: Despite efforts of the AICPA and public accounting firms, Black professionals remain underrepresented in public accounting. To better understand the experiences of Black accountants, we interviewed current and former auditors and collected their personal stories of inequality and microaggressions. We also collected the interviewees’ suggestions about how to improve the retention of Black professionals. We hope these stories and suggestions help advance the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives of public accounting firms. They can also be used by academics to stimulate discussions about DEI issues and motivate research.