Strategy firm McKinsey boosted the proportion of full-time women in its local management from 16 per cent to 24 per cent last year as it looked to increase diversity in its top ranks but the equity partnership remains male-dominated.
The proportion of female equity partners at McKinsey was only 17 per cent in 2016, up from 9 per cent in 2014, according to filings with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).
This means seven out of the firm's 42 partners were women as of last year, up from three out of 35 in 2014. No data was available for 2015.
​McKinsey has a target of women making up 25 per cent of the firm's governing body, which in effect refers to its local partnership, by 2018.
The firm's managing partner in Australia, John Lydon, said it was a personal goal for him to increase gender equity at the firm.
"As a partnership, we are very conscious that we have a lot more work to do, and we're continuing to drive several priority initiatives to make sure we have an environment which enables more women to advance to partner," he said.
Mr Lydon said that tailored flexibility was important, with about a quarter of the firm's consultants currently taking advantage of the firm's flex programs.
"Personally, I believe sponsorship is also critical and it's something we cultivate and monitor to make sure our women consultants have all the support they need on their journey to partner," he said.
At rival the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 20 per cent, or six out of the thirty partners, are women, and the firm wants to reach a target of 30 per cent by 2020. Similar partner data was not available for the third of the major strategy houses, Bain.
The progress made by the strategy houses into gender equity is telling, as they are the same firms that sell their expertise about women in the workplace, drivers of gender parity and how to fix the gender gap.
An underlying challenge is that the work, especially at these globalised professional service firms, can involve long hours and frequent travel, but some companies are proving they can set up an environment that makes it work for men and women alike.
The 30 per cent partner target, a commonly-cited target at professional services firms in consulting, law and accounting, is proving to be a challenge for many outfits despite the rhetoric.
The fitful progress comes as ASX-listed firms ratchet up the pressure by aiming for workforces that are 50 per cent female.
In terms of management, BCG is on a similar footing to McKinsey with women making up about one in four of the permanent full-time managers, while at Bain the proportion is one in five.
The percentage of women in full-time permanent roles as professionals in McKinsey fell from 41 per cent to 29 per cent between 2015 and 2016. This compares to BCG, where the equivalent percentage is 43 per cent and at Bain where it is 38 per cent.
The data, which was updated last November, is based on the standardised way WGEA classifies ranks across all companies which is based on management and non-management occupational categories, plus a special section about equity partnership that many firms do not fill.
