MCA adds ten new consulting firms to member network

The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) has continued the growth of its member network with the addition of ten new firms.

Since its inception in 1956, the MCA has as its mission to promote excellence in the consulting industry. The trade association also serves as the voice of the industry, promoting the value of consultancy work to business, the public sector, media, and the public.

With the latest intake of new firms, the MCA now has over 90 members of all sorts and sizes, including multinational groups such as BearingPoint, Cognizant, and Deloitte, internationally operating homegrown players such as Baringa, BJSS, and Efficio, as well as dozens of medium-sized, boutique, and niche firms.

The largest of the newest members is Capgemini Invent, the consulting arm of Paris-headquartered Capgemini. Alpha meanwhile is a London-headquartered consulting firm dedicated to the financial services industry, with over 900 consultants operating from offices in 17 major financial centres worldwide.

The other fresh members are: AAR Group (marketing), Chesamel (human capital and marketing services), Continuate (finance consulting), Cowry Consulting (behavioural economics and change), Hood & Woolf (public relations and communication), Leading Resolutions (IT strategy and technology implementation), OutForm Consulting (consultancy to the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors), and Sharing in Growth (business transformation).

The MCA said in a statement that all ten members came through a rigorous selection process, which includes a check if they uphold high standards for client services and internal operations (the MCA calls this ‘Consulting Excellence’).

In addition to ethical behaviour, client service and value and professional development, firms must promise to ensure diversity and inclusion within their workforce by supporting industry efforts to improve progress, implementing best practice and monitoring diversity & inclusion over time. MCA member firms also commit to ensure that they operate in an increasingly sustainable way and strive to ensure that sustainability is considered by their clients in their work with them.

“By joining the MCA, consulting firms demonstrate their commitment to upholding the highest standards of Consulting Excellence as well as contributing to our key work of promoting the value we deliver to clients, the economy, and society and sharing best practice across the profession,” said Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the MCA.

MCA Awards

Becoming a member of the MCA comes with another notable benefit. The firms will now be considered for the MCA Awards, an annual competition that celebrates excellence of firms and individuals. The awards competition is open exclusively for MCA members, explaining why the likes of for instance McKinsey & Company or Boston Consulting Group have never received an award.

McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group meanwhile rank highly in two other awards competition in the UK’s consulting scene: The UK’s Leading Management Consultants (by FT) and Top Consulting Firms in the UK (by Consultancy.org). The prior is based on a survey of clients and consultants conducted by Statista, the latter is based on client / consultant surveys and a capabilities assessment.

Judged by a high-profile roster of judges, the next edition of the MCA Awards will see a total of 40 consultancies battle for the circa 25 available awards. The ceremony will take place mid-October at a black-tie event in London.