The Institute of Management Consultancy (IMC) is the Professional Body for Management consultants. It therefore sets, maintains and indeed raises the standards of both professionalism and competence for the profession.

It does this by first ensuring that its members work to the Institute's professional code of conduct and secondly by providing an assessment procedure whereby consultants may become certified. The award gained through this process is the Certified Management Consultant which is the only internationally recognised award for competence in the UK. It is in addition recognised in all the 40 countries which along with the UK belong to the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI).

In a largely unregulated profession this is very important as it provides the profession with a means of better regulation through competence. In this way the profession as a whole can address the need to ensure consultants can and do what they say they can do. This applies equally to large and small practices as it is about how individuals work wherever they are employed. 

The IMC is undergoing considerable change in order to better serve the profession. In January 2005, IMC merged with the Chartered Management Institute, retaining its identity and individualism at the same time as benefiting from the strength of the Chartered Institute. IMC has developed a new membership proposition for both individuals and practices and are developing a new business proposition based on its intellectual capital.

As the professional body for management consultancy in the UK, the IMC offers consultants a structured professional development framework to support ongoing learning and development. As part of this framework, the Institute has launched two new professional qualifications. Highly relevant for all those with an interest in consultancy, they are suitable for newcomers to consultancy as well as experienced individuals wanting a formal structured qualification.

The qualifications have been developed by combining the established professional standards of the IMC with the qualifications expertise of the Chartered Management Institute. Recognised by Royal Charter, with over 250,000 individuals working towards management qualifications and 300 Approved Centres, the Chartered Management Institute is an ideal delivery partner and a prestigious awarding body in its own right.

Times are changing in consultancy and IMC is working to better serve the profession in these changing times.