MCA AWARDS 2026: ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE UK’S LEADING CONSULTING AWARDS

Entries are now open for the MCA Awards 2026, the UK consulting sector’s annual celebration of excellence. Open to small, medium, and large firms, the awards recognise outstanding achievements delivered in partnership with clients across the UK and internationally.

The launch event introduced all project and individual award categories, as well as the respected judging panel, drawing wide interest from across the consulting sector. MCA member firms are encouraged to enter all categories, while the ‘Best New Consultancy’ award is open to any firm in the industry who can demonstrate exceptional client focus, delivery excellence, and a strong commitment to their people.

Now in its 27th year, the MCA Awards have become a key fixture in the UK consulting industry. The awards ceremony brings together consultants, clients, government representatives, and media to celebrate the transformative impact of consulting on business and society.

The MCA Awards are a rigorous and independent process. Each submission is assessed by a panel of over 60 judges drawn from academia, government, media, and the private sector. Judges follow a strict code of conduct and a structured marking and interview process. The MCA does not participate in selecting winners, focusing solely on setting categories, defining judging criteria, and recruiting the panel.

Among the judges for 2026 are Paul Terrington CBE MCMI ChMC, former PwC UK Board Member, and Maryam Moshiri, Chief News Presenter at the BBC.

Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the MCA, commented:

“The MCA Awards are a sector-wide celebration of the value consulting brings to clients in the UK and globally. Firms planning to enter should carefully review the entry terms and conditions and prepare submissions with clients well in advance, as the process is highly competitive. We look forward to receiving entries from individuals at all levels in the consulting industry.”

In 2025, the awards saw record participation from over 50 leading consulting firms and 100 client organisations, and will culminate in a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000 guests, including government and media representatives.

The 2026 Awards will feature 24 categories, including 9 individual awards and 12 project awards, alongside accolades for ‘Best New Consultancy’, ‘The Times Consultant of the Year’, and ‘Project of the Year’. Interviews with shortlisted consultants, firms, and their clients will take place in June and July. The MCA Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday 12th October 2026.

To support transparency, a new video featuring judges discussing the code of conduct is available at https://www.mca.org.uk/mca-awards/judgingpanel.

For the MCA Awards 2026, the timeline is as follows:

For more information on the awards, please go to www.mca.org.uk/mca-awards . Further details including how to apply as well as details of sponsorship packages can be obtained from Natalie Mendez.