KPMG in the News

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Although KPMG LLP, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, a former female Senior Manager, Donna Kassman, filed a $350 million class action discrimination lawsuit against the company on June 2, since the numbers tell a different story entirely. Women comprise about half of KPMG’s employees, but are conspicuously absent from the top leadership positions. The Company’s 20-member global executive team and 24-member global board each have only one female representative. Similarly, women are only 18% of all KPMG Partners compared to nearly 50% of all employees.

Questions:

1. Where is KPMG headquartered? What were the company’s global revenues for 2010?

2. What is Ms. Kassman seeking in the suit? How long had she been with the firm?

3. Do you think that Ms. Kassman or KPMG will prevail in this suit?  Explain your assumptions.

Source:

Staff (2011). Accounting Giant KPMG LLP Faces $350 Million Gender Discrimination Class Action, PRNewswire, June 2 (Retrievable online at http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/accounting-giant-kpmg-llp-faces-350-million-gender-discrimination-class-action-123021028.html)