A new report by CIPR, which explored the gap of nearly 4,000 women in England and Wales that left the profession mid-career, has highlighted inequality felt by women in the PR industry.

The report The Missing Women Study, released ahead of International Women’s Day (9 March) and based on a survey of 230 respondents, found 56% felt they did not have equal opportunities for advancement compared to male colleagues.

Report author, Stephen Waddington, director at Wadds Inc, founder and director at Socially Mobile and former CIPR president said: "We identified a culture within practice that exhausts women through constant pressure to prove their worth, manage impossible expectations, and navigate gendered double standards. It impacts not just individual careers but also shapes the entire industry’s approach to leadership, value and measures of success."

“There isn't a single answer, if there was, the countless interventions over the past 50 years might have been more successful. Meaningful change requires cultural and organisational transformation in all areas: leadership, flexibility, life stage support, behaviour change, and structural and organisational reform.”

The study identified systemic barriers such as a "boys' club mentality”, devaluation of public relations work, limited development pathways, and societal caregiving expectations as key factors driving women out of the profession.

It also highlighted the extent of gender-based discrimination and harassment, as 63.5% admitted to experiencing this in their career, while only 18.9% rated gender equality in their workplace as excellent.

The data, sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Research Fund and builds on the CIPR's 2024 PR Population report findings, highlighted the following top career challenges:

• Burnout (53.2%)

• Limited advancement opportunities (47.2%)

• High-pressure work environment (46.8%)

• Poor workplace culture (46.8%)

• Lack of mentorship (44.2%)

• Work-life balance issues (38.6%)

• Lack of diversity in leadership (33.9%)

• Unequal pay (29.6%)

CIPR president, Advita Patel added: "This groundbreaking research should be a wake-up call to industry leaders to ask what they are going to do to change the experience of women working in public relations for the better. In a profession built on its people, losing nearly 4,000 professionals isn’t coincidental, it’s a systemic failure. Every departure drains the industry of invaluable experience and weakens its future potential. This not only pushes experienced women out but also deters emerging talent. The time has come to dismantle these barriers and create a truly inclusive environment that benefits everyone in our field."

Read the full report here