ChMC celebrates three years of chartered consulting excellence
Three years have passed since the UK management consulting industry’s chartered award officially launched – giving consultants a way of guaranteeing the quality of their work for the first time. To celebrate the successes of the Chartered Management Consultant award, the Management Consultancies Association and the Chartered Management Institute have hosted an event in Central London.
The idea for a chartered award for the consulting industry was first announced in 2017 – and the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) and Chartered Management Institution (CMI) officially launched the accreditation in 2021. In the time since, the Chartered Management Consultant award (ChMC) has gone from strength to strength, as firms recognise it as a differentiating mark of quality that can help assure current and future clients of their offering.
To date, 1,170 professionals have obtained chartered status with the ChMC, and more than 50 of the UK’s leading consultancies are now involved in the scheme. This ranges from the largest advisory brands of the country, such as Big Four firms PwC and KPMG, to SMEs such as Cadence Innova – which recently saw its entire board gain ChMC credentials.
Commenting on the growth of the ChMC, Tamzen Isacsson, CEO of the MCA, said, "After so much hard work and effort by so many people building and shaping this new important award for our industry it’s such a proud moment to see the success that everyone has achieved. The evidence shows the impact of this award benefits clients, individuals and firms raising standards and providing a reassurance of quality and expertise. Our thanks must go to all the MCA firms, consultants and industry stakeholders who have been on the journey with us and the CMI for their unwavering commitment to produce these new standards for our industry. Thank you to our colleagues at the CMI for our brilliant partnership in delivering this award.”
After 60% growth in ChMC adoption in 2023, the MCA and CMI have celebrated the rapid progress of the ChMC with a gala in London. Over 100 industry leaders, government guests and stakeholders gathered for the event, at which guest speakers included Hywel Ball, UK chair of EY, who emphasised the growing value of professional accreditation in shaping a trusted and ethical consulting landscape; and Gareth Rhys Williams, the government’s chief commercial officer, who highlighted the government's acknowledgement of ChMC's role in elevating industry standards. In his address he said:
In his speech, he added, “I am delighted to mark such a significant milestone in the growth of the CHMC award. There is great work being done by firms and individuals, driving up professional consulting standards through training and accreditation. Doing this benefits your people, your organisation and your clients, who in particular benefit from knowing that their organisation’s code of ethics is being upheld.”
Ann Francke, CEO of the CMI, meanwhile added, “CMI is very proud to work in partnership with the MCA on the Chartered Management Consultant Award. We are delighted with the fantastic reception the award has received from the industry to date. We look forward to seeing the award go from strength to strength as more organisations support their consultants to recognise and celebrate their knowledge and experience.”
The event also saw many recently chartered consultants in attendance. That included Elicia Mollineau-Lowden, a senior manager at EY – who explained what the accreditation has done for her.
“The ChMC journey, while challenging, has been incredibly rewarding,” said Mollineau-Lowden. “It has helped me to reflect on my accomplishments and experience as a consultant to date and consider how I can continue to develop my career in the future. The ChMC framework offers participants a structured approach which applies your skills and fosters continuous professional development. For me, this has been a transformative accreditation.”
