MCA STATEMENT ON CONSULTING EXCELLENCE PRINCIPLES

Following extensive media coverage on the management consultancy sector working with Government during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) has issued the following statement:  

 Member firms of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) agree to the Consulting Excellence principles and use them to demonstrate their own standards. The principles cover ethical behaviour, client service and value and professional development including clear diversity and inclusion opportunities, and members must demonstrate how they support these principles. The aim of Consulting Excellence is to help address reputational challenges in an open and transparent way and provide a hallmark of quality which distinguishes MCA Member management consultancy firms, highlights value as well as sustainable and clear client outcomes. Overall, consulting excellence demonstrates the contribution and value of the UK Management Consulting Sector to society and the economy in the UK. 

These Consulting Excellence principles apply to both work in the public and private sector and since the outbreak of COVID-19, a number of MCA Member firms, both large and small, have been brought into support critical government projects which has required people with expertise in digital technology, supply chain, logistics, procurement and in delivering major government initiatives.  All MCA Member Firms used by government in this period have been procured through competitively tendered Crown Commercial Service frameworks which evaluate bidding firms against quality and cost criteria and, as part of these contracts, firms are required to upskill civil servants and transfer knowledge to increase capability for the future.  Our member firms have highly stringent governance procedures which ensure staff working on public sector projects meet the highest standards in ethics and are held to account to ensure the public interest is being served. 

Firms specialising in the public sector have been helping the NHS with logistical operations since the outbreak. This includes: 

  • Helping to set up the Nightingale hospitals as well as modelling expected patient numbers and planning the health resources required including new testing laboratory’s    
  • Assisting clinical trials with the provision of subject matter expertise in health data and processes. This includes producing solution overviews, data access request, data acquisition and management with data source management information   
  • Roll out of online and video consultations by doctors in practices 
  • Setting up a rehabilitation centre for patients that no longer needed acute care but could not yet go home 

All our members commit to acting ethically and with integrity by being responsible and good citizens; conducting business ethically and foster an ethical culture as well as ensuring: 

  • We commit to providing excellent consulting services which deliver the outcomes client seek and need and we are always striving to improve the value we can deliver to clients   
  • Our firms earn trust with their clients because of the results they deliver  
  • Upholding that trust is MCA Member Firms key responsibility   
  • MCA Member Firms work collaboratively with clients to deliver tangible results and impact  

If you would like a briefing on how the Government framework for MCA Member Firms and the procurement process works or any further information, please contact the MCA.