Brussels (9 November 2011) - Management consultancy services contribute substantially to the European economy and the European Union wants to create a ‘borderless’ market for services - good reasons for stakeholders of management consulting services to create a European Service Standard.

EN 16114 applies to all management consultancy services providers, whatever the area of specialisation or size of the business. The standard however does not prevent management consultancy providers from using own methods and approaches which will encourage innovation and differentiation. The latter are important values of the management consultancy service providers’ proposals.

A European service standard

The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI) and the European Federation of Management Consultancies (FEACO) took the initiative to develop a European Standard within the European Standardization Committee (CEN). Together with other representatives of the management consulting services sector, the CEN/TC 381 Project Committee started its activities in 2008 and published the standard in September 2011 with the reference ‘EN 16114’,

Improve transparency and understanding between service providers and clients

The implementation and application of EN 16114 will improve transparency and understanding between clients and management consultancy service providers - a challenge expressed often by both clients and industry representatives. The standard intends to enhance the effectiveness of the European management consulting industry and accelerate the development of the profession.

Better procurement of management consultancy services

This service standard is an easy-to-understand guidance document. Based on good practice from the management consultancy industry in Europe, the standard includes recommendations to improve the specification, execution, acceptance and closure of management consultancy services.

“The European Standard EN 16114 - Management consultancy services is an essential step for our industry. In the light of the current economic situation there is a growing demand for a recognized framework and effective tools to assess and monitor management consultancy services and their results. The commitment of all stakeholders involved in the development of the standard was driven by the prospect of more professionalism, better results from consultancy projects and reduced barriers to cross-border trade in management consultancy services”, said Mrs Dr Ilse Ennsfellner, Vice Chair of ICMCI – International Council of Management Consulting Institutes) and Chairperson of CEN/TC 381 Project Committee.

"Management Consultancies have always implemented high standards of quality and transparency. Companies in our sector work together with clients to continuously improve the outcomes of projects. Management Consultancy companies' competitiveness is based on innovation and differentiation. Companies have their own processes, tools, frameworks, and knowledge, which the standard advocates. FEACO welcomes this recognition of our core values. We encourage public procurement authorities to take advantage of this European Standard", Mr Gil Gidron, Chairman of FEACO pointed out.

The initiators of the standard underline that the standard EN 16114 Management consultancy services is of voluntary application and does not require any certification. It focuses on the outputs and outcomes, quality-criteria, responsibilities and results.

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ABOUT:

CEN - The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) is a business catalyst in Europe, removing trade barriers for European stakeholders such as industry, public administration, service providers, consumers and other stakeholders. Its mission is to foster the European economy in global trading, the welfare of European citizens, and the environment. Through its services, CEN provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other specifications.

CEN’s 31 National Members work together to develop voluntary European Standards (ENs) in various sectors to build a European Internal Market for goods and services and to position Europe in the global economy. By supporting research, and helping disseminate innovation, standards are a powerful tool for economic growth. More than 60.000 technical experts as well as business federations, consumer and other societal interest organizations are involved in the CEN network that reaches over 480 million people.

For further information, please visit: www.cen.eu

ICMCI - The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI) is the authoritative global organization for the development of world-class professional standards in management consulting. Founded in 1987, ICMCI has over the years established better working relationships between Member Institutes, provided a common communication platform, instituted a code of ethics, and established a minimum standard for quality.

ICMCI today has constituents in over 44 nations, from all the continents.

For further information, please visit: www.icmci.org

FEACO - The European Federation of Management Consultancies promotes and develops the profession of Management Consultancy in Europe by providing support to its constituent National Association membership in those areas where a collective voice is stronger than the sum of its individual members. The Federation operates from Brussels, in close cooperation with the member associations and member firms.

For further information, please visit: www.feaco.org