Mason Advisory – Leading the way as the first ChMC ‘External’ accreditation holder
By Romilly Gleave, Head of People and Talent
At Mason Advisory, our commitment to excellence drives everything we do. As a consultancy of around 120 people, we’ve always been passionate about professional development and innovation. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to be the first consultancy to achieve Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) accreditation via the newly launched external route—a significant milestone that reflects both our pioneering spirit and our dedication to supporting our people.
Why accreditation matters
For our consultants, the ChMC accreditation represents a mark of professional excellence. It provides clear career pathways, enhances credibility with clients, and fosters a culture of continuous learning and ethical practice.
For clients, the accreditation is a reassurance that they are working with highly skilled, trustworthy consultants who are committed to delivering value and building strong, impactful relationships.
For the industry, being the first to achieve ChMC accreditation through the external route sets a precedent, encouraging smaller firms to embrace professionalisation and strive for higher standards.
Breaking new ground with the ChMC external accreditation
While several firms have achieved ChMC accreditation, we are the first to do so through the external route introduced by the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) in 2023. This option was specifically designed to support smaller consultancies like ours, who may lack the internal resources of larger firms to deliver an entirely in-house programme. The external route enables us to combine the best of both worlds: leveraging our in-house expertise while working with external providers to address gaps in our offering.
This approach not only opened the door to achieving accreditation but also allowed us to deliver a high-quality, tailored programme that aligns with the ChMC competency framework. By being the first to take this path, we hope to inspire other smaller firms to explore how this model can help them enhance their Learning & Development (L&D) capabilities and achieve professional accreditation.
Leading the way for smaller firms
The MCA and CMI launched the external accreditation route to ensure that smaller consultancies like Mason Advisory could access ChMC without the resource burden of delivering everything in-house. Our success proves that this route is not only viable but also transformative.
We are proud to lead the way, demonstrating that with the right approach, smaller firms can achieve big results. Our story shows that professional excellence is not limited to size—it’s about commitment, creativity, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.
The Journey: Building a programme from the ground up
When we embarked on this journey, we had no formal L&D programme or structured competency framework in place. Starting from scratch, we mapped our consultant competencies to the ChMC framework—an intensive exercise that required us to evaluate our existing resources, identify gaps, and find creative solutions to address them.
The external route allowed us to collaborate with third-party providers to fill these gaps while simultaneously building a 26-module in-house programme. This modular approach is flexible, serving both those pursuing ChMC accreditation and those seeking targeted development.
As part of this journey, we also overhauled our competency framework. Co-designed with our consultants, the new framework is modern, user-friendly, and aligned with ChMC standards. It’s interactive, practical, and resonates with our team, making it a valuable tool for both professional growth and accreditation.
Unexpected benefits: beyond accreditation
The ChMC journey has had a transformative impact on Mason Advisory. Beyond achieving accreditation, we now have a formalised L&D offering, a revamped competency framework, and a strengthened people team. These outcomes have elevated our internal capabilities and positioned us as a consultancy that rivals much larger firms in terms of professional development.
The investment we made in building our People team and collaborating with the business has paid off in ways we didn’t anticipate. The programme is now fully embedded, and its structure ensures that ongoing delivery is efficient and sustainable.
A foundation for the future
Becoming the first consultancy to achieve ChMC external accreditation is a milestone we celebrate, but it’s also just the beginning. This achievement provides a solid foundation for us to continue growing, innovating, and delivering exceptional value to our clients and colleagues.
We’re excited to share our journey and encourage others in the consultancy industry to explore how ChMC accreditation can elevate their teams and their businesses. At Mason Advisory, we believe that investing in people is the key to unlocking potential and driving positive change—for our clients, our industry, and our world.