IMC USA Earns ISO Accreditation for its Certification Process of US Management Consultants

Washington, D.C. – September 9, 2010 – The Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA), the certifying body and professional association for U.S.-based management consultants and management consulting firms, has earned the prestigious International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO/IEC 17024:2003 accreditation for its Certified Management Consultant™ (CMC^®) certification process.

IMC USA is only the third institute to gain ISO recognition which further substantiates the high professional standards and ethics IMC USA has set as a benchmark for its certification process and the CMC, a competency-based certification awarded to those management consultants who have met global professional standards of competence, professionalism and ethics.

"This comes at a significant time when American business demands proven experience and ethical behavior,” said Dr. Drumm McNaughton, Chairman and CEO of IMC USA. "Organizations can be confident that consultants with CMCs have a history of excellent performance in delivering results, have met world class standards of competence, ethics and client satisfaction and have maintained a level of professionalism through education and periodic certificate renewal.”

IMC USA is the only U.S. entity to provide certification for individual management consultants and management consulting firms (CMC Firm™) which conforms to the international standards of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes. The ICMCI sets the global standards for consulting competence and professional conduct for consultants and firms in more than 47 nations; and therefore, CMCs are eligible for reciprocity in all 47 countries. There are 10,000 CMCs worldwide.

The CMC certification is awarded by IMC USA to those consultants who have met global professional standards of performance that include technical and consulting competencies, ethics knowledge and application, client and project management skills and professional and personal conduct. A CMC candidate must submit to a rigorous vetting process including the submission of blind satisfaction surveys from clients, taking in-depth examinations covering consulting competencies and ethics, and sitting for a panel interview conducted by senior CMCs.

CMC Requirements

IMC USA certifies CMCs through a rigorous process. Members of the IMC USA in good standing applying for CMC designation must meet requirements including:

· Experience: Three years in practice as a full-time consultant, with engagement management responsibility.

· Education: A degree from a four-year college or significant experience in consulting to management.

· References: Five satisfactory references from officers or executives of client organizations.

· Client Case Histories: Written descriptions of five client engagements, including problems addressed, solutions provided and results achieved.

· Competence: A qualifying written examination and an oral review conducted by senior CMCs to demonstrate proficiencies in areas of specialization and applied experience in a range of consulting disciplines.

· Ethics: A written examination and oral interview on the IMC Code of Ethics and ethical aspects of consulting.

· Ongoing Education: Commitment to ongoing professional education

· Renewal of certification every three years.

ABOUT IMC USA

Since 1968, the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC USA) has set the standards for competency, professionalism and ethics for the consulting profession in the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the nonprofit IMC USA is a charter member of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), a 47-nation body that sets global standards for competence, professionalism and ethics for management consultants. IMC USA has approximately 2,000 individual members and 21 chapters throughout the country. IMC USA’s certification process has earned the prestigious ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation.

For more information on the Institute of Management Consultants USA or the CMC^® designation visit IMC USA’s website at http://www.imcusa.org

ABOUT ISO

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide federation of 145 standards bodies. Globally accepted as a the gold standard for organizations that certify processes worldwide, the ISO is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland and is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards.