ABI, the Italian banking organization, reported that the accounting and finance industry is composed of 547 companies, including 301 banks and 246 financial services companies. Together these companies employ 300,000 people. In general, the number of financial sector employees has been falling constantly since 1998, with the exception of 2000, when ABI registered a 1.0 percent increase. This decline is due to the restructuring carried out in the sector over the last few years. Women account for more than 35 percent of employees in the banking and financial sector, but are generally paid less than their male counterparts in Italy. The amount of agreed wages paid out to Italy's financial sector employees has increased by 12 percent since 1998, according to ABI.