MCA AWARDS 2026: LESS THAN ONE MONTH TO ENTER THE UK’S LEADING CONSULTING AWARDS

There is now just less than a month for entries 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 MCA Awards are an important event in the UK consulting sector calendar. The ceremony gathers consultants, clients, government officials, and media to recognise how consulting is transforming businesses and society.  

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. 

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. Firms have until Friday 6th February to purchase an entry. 

The MCA Awards are a rigorous and independent process. Each submission is assessed by a panel of over 50 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 and to support transparency, a new video featuring judges discussing the code of conduct is available at https://www.mca.org.uk/mca-awards/judgingpanel. 

Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the MCA, commented: 

 “The MCA Awards are a brilliant opportunity for consulting firms to demonstrate the exceptional results they achieve in partnership with their clients, both across the UK and internationally. We strongly encourage all firms, regardless of size, to enter and share the stories of their work. By highlighting the value and innovation delivered with clients consulting firms not only celebrate their achievements but also inspire excellence across the sector. We look forward to seeing a diverse range of submissions that truly demonstrate the power of consulting to drive meaningful change.” 

In 2025, the awards saw record participation from over 50 leading consulting firms and 100 client organisations and culminated in a ceremony attended by over 1,000 guests, including government and media representatives, at the Grosvenor Hotel, London. 

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.