Boxwood (7 April 2011) won the overall Platinum Award in the 2011 MCA Awards, in association with The Times. The consultancy won for its work in building a cost-conscious culture at Carphone Warehouse. In just twelve months, Boxwood helped achieve in-year savings of £60 million and created a new operating model which led to a further £30million in savings the following year.
The MCA Awards 2011 dinner took place at the Lancaster London Hotel in front of over 600 guests. Other awards included The Times Award for Best Client/Consultant Team, won by Arup for their work with De Montfort University (DMU). Arup assisted DMU as it developed a pioneering approach to analysing and improving its environmental impact – giving it a leading position amongst higher education institutions.
The prestigious MCA Awards are organised by the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), and run in association with The Times. The 2011 Awards recognise the very best projects and individuals and focus on the value that consultancy generates for clients and the economy as a whole.
Alan Leaman, Chief Executive of the MCA, said:
“This year’s awards highlighted the value that management consultants provide to clients in both private and public sectors. The winning case studies – entered by clients and their consultancies – detail some extraordinary achievements. This sort of skilled work will play a central role in helping the UK to build its economic recovery.”
Individual consultants of the year are:
- Change Management Consultant of the Year – Olivier Fusil, Accenture
- HR Consultant of the Year – Robert Bolton, KPMG
- IT Consultant of the Year – James Cockroft, Xantus Consulting
- Marketing Consultant of the Year – Nick Turner, Deloitte
- Performance Improvement Consultant of the Year – Melinda McKinley, Deloitte
- Strategy Consultant of the Year – Andrew Nevin, PricewaterhouseCoopers
The full list of project winners in the MCA Awards 2011 are:
Change Management in the Private Sector
Boxwood/ Carphone Warehouse
Change Management in the Public Sector – sponsored by BLT
Ernst & Young/ NHS Direct
Customer Engagement – sponsored by CSC
Navigant/ Skandia
Environment
Arup/ De Montfort University
Finance and Risk Management
Novo Altum/ Northern Rock
Innovation – sponsored by Rostrum Communications
Bluerock Consulting/ Barclaycard
International
Moorhouse Consulting/ BT
Operational Performance in the Private Sector – sponsored by Mindbench
Boxwood/Trader Media Group
Operational Performance in the Public Sector
KPMG and Deloitte/HMRC
Outsourcing
Ernst & Young/ National Grid
People
Navigant Consulting/ Skandia
Strategy – sponsored by Investgo
Xantus Consulting/ United Utilities
Technology
Winner: Deloitte/ Metrobank
The Times Award for Best Client/Consultant Team
Arup/ De Montfort University
Platinum Award
Boxwood/ Carphone Warehouse
Platinum Award Winner – Boxwood
In the face of a severe economic recession, Carphone Warehouse identified the need to reduce costs substantially – and immediately. They engaged Boxwood to help them simplify the business and reduce costs. The target was an in-year saving of £48million (around 15% of operating costs) – whilst protecting core competencies and creating a leaner, more effective organisation. This ambitious target was not only achieved but exceeded, with in-year savings of £60million.
Paul Davis, UK Finance Director, Carphone Warehouse said:
“The programme run by Boxwood transformed CPW UK’s operations and culture in only six months. Operating costs were slashed by 15 per cent during the year and the operating model was radically changed. The most impressive part of this achievement is that it was done in a business whose processes and culture was set up for growth rather than control and cost reduction.”
The Times Award for Best Client/Consultant Team – Arup/De Montfort University
De Montfort University commissioned Arup to calculate baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to highlight key carbon hotspots, and identify both quantitative and qualitative interventions. Arup identified quantitative savings of £350,000 and 800tCO2e (tonnes of CO2 equivalent) per year and also wrote a detailed action plan to enable DMU to meet Level 3 of the Government’s procurement Flexible Framework and achieve qualitative organisational benefits.
For more information on all of the winning projects please contact Stephanie Mitchell at the MCA on 0207 321 3995 or email stephanie.mitchell@mca.org.uk. Detailed studies are available.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact the MCA’s PR Consultant:
David Pippett
Director
DWP Public Relations
Tel: 01225 459676
Mobile: 07899 798197
Email: david@dwppublicrelations.co.uk
Notes to editors
Judging Panel:
The distinguished panel of judges included:
- Virginia Bottomley – Chair of Board Practice, Odgers Berndtson
- Anna Mallet – Controller of Business Strategy, BBC
- David Noble – Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
- Gianvito Lanzolla – Reader in Strategy, Cass Business School
- Sharon Spear – Deputy Director, Department for Work and Pensions
- Mark MacGregor – CEO, Connect Support Services
- Paul Collins – Managing Director, Equiteq
- Stefan Stern – Director of Strategy, Edelman
- Peter Walmsley – Head of Procurement Performance, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Sandra MacLeod – Group CEO, Echo Research
- Paul Webster – Private Finance Unit, Department of Health
- Duncan Angwin – Professor of Strategy, Oxford Brookes University
- Simon Atkinson – Assistant Chief Executive, IPSOS Mori Loyalty
- Fiona Driscoll – Govenor, Nuffield Health
- James Edsberg – Partner, Lighthouse Global
- Vicky Pryce – Senior Managing Director (Economics) FTI Consulting
- Victor Smart – Director of Communications, CIMA
- Tim Morris – Professor of Management Studies, Said Business School
- Greg Smith – Principal Consultant, Read Smith Consulting
About the Management Consultancies Association
The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) is the representative body for management consultancy firms in the UK. Our sixty member companies comprise around 70% of the UK consulting industry, estimated to be worth £9bn in 2008, employ more than 40,000 consultants and work with over 90 of the top FTSE 100 companies and almost all parts of the public sector.
The MCA’s tough entry criteria and rigorous Code of Practice mean that MCA member companies are widely acknowledged to provide high quality services to their clients. Many of their achievements are recognised in the annual MCA Management Awards and the Consultant of the Year Awards.
The MCA informs and influences public debate on topical issues, and provides authoritative data on the industry. It commissions research and policy analysis and represents the industry in discussions with Government and other stakeholders. The MCA also facilitates networking and the sharing of best practice within the industry through events, publications and initiatives such as the Young MCA.