MCA and CMI formally launch Chartered Management Consultant Award
A new accreditation to grant consultants Chartered status is set to officially launch in the United Kingdom.
Unlike the law or accounting professions, consulting does not have a protected status – something which is a concern for some clients trying to differentiate between players in the crowded marketplace.
Against this backdrop, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) – the chartered professional body for management and leadership – joined forces with the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) – UK’s representative body for consultants – in 2017 to launch a new professional accreditation.
The Chartered Management Consultant Award (ChMC) aims to raise the professional standards in UK’s consulting industry, and act as a process of quality assurance to help clients find trusted consultants that fit their project – and has been taking cohorts of consultants to test it out in the three years since.
By the end of 2020, over 350 management consultants had been awarded Chartered status, while over 1,500 consultants from 20+ firms are currently on the journey towards achieving the same thing.
Following this successful pilot phase, the CMI and MCA are now taking their award to the next level. Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the MCA, explained, “After many months of work and preparation by the industry and the CMI, we are looking forward to launching this award formally in front of key clients from across the private and public sector.”
With demand for consulting services forecast to grow by 9% over the next two years, it is important for consulting buyers to use individuals and firms that have independently recognised high levels of professional competency and achievement.
This is where the ChMC certification comes in, said Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the CMI. “The ChMC Award can only be achieved when consultants can evidence and demonstrate not just their skills and expertise but also their behaviours, professionalism, management and leadership attributes. We’re driving and supporting these pioneers to set and deliver the gold standard level.”
