Management consulting industry reshapes itself

Consultants in the audit, fiduciary and consulting industry support companies and entrepreneurs in all economic matters and throughout the entire corporate life cycle - from formation to liquidation. In doing so, different disciplines and special fields of consulting work closely together. In order to take this into account in the best possible way, and to meet the requirements for competence development and certification, as well as for consulting quality, the Association for Management and Corporate Consulting ASCO - as already communicated on the occasion of the annual meeting in September 2022 - integrated into EXPERTsuisse as of January 1, 2023 (in the area "Consulting & Business Services"). In this context, the new platform "Consulting Network Switzerland" has also been developed and went live at the end of 2022 (www.consulting-network.ch). This also gives the industry a face and creates identity.

Digitization and sustainability require new consulting skills

In order to make the best possible use of the major trends of digitalization and sustainability as an industry and for the economy, complementary competencies are needed. Building and certifying these competencies among young professionals and the profession is the core mission of EXPERTsuisse. "As client-oriented consulting and holistic management are gaining importance in this context, the integration of ASCO into EXPERTsuisse is an important step in the association's development," says Marius Klauser, Director and Delegate of the Association's Board of Directors. The previous cooperation with ASCO will become a full integration, providing consultants of both associations with an attractive networking, qualification and positioning platform and strengthening themselves as a profession throughout Switzerland. The Consulting Network Switzerland (EXPERTsuisse) is now also a nomination partner for the Digital Excellence Award and the Green Business Award, where the "Return on Consulting" can be experienced in concrete companies.

Important contribution to a strong Swiss economy

Important elements of the integration are the new expert commission Management Consulting, the certificate course on consulting competence, the certification commission "Certified Management Consultant" (CMC) and the code of conduct for CMCs. The goal is to register 1,000 Certified Management Consultants throughout Switzerland by 2030. In addition to the integration of ASCO, EXPERTsuisse is also entering into a cooperation with the Swiss Umbrella Organization for Business Succession (CHDU), which focuses on the formation and certification of competencies in the field of holistic succession consulting. This will further strengthen the consulting ecosystem. "Together, we are making an important contribution to a strong Swiss economy. Consulting competence is the basis for future-oriented decisions and their effective implementation," Marius Klauser continues.

Management consulting industry in upheaval

"The consulting industry is in transformation and supports transformations. The members of ASCO see the integration into the expert association, which is as rich in tradition as it is innovative, as an opportunity to better organize and support the consulting profession throughout Switzerland and to represent it vis-à-vis politics and business," says Jürg Hodel, Co-Chairman of the Consulting Advisory Board of EXPERTsuisse, President of the Management Consulting Commission and Managing Director of Staufen.Inova AG. At the New Year's event of EXPERTsuisse on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, association president Peter Ritter emphasized the importance of this step and wished the co-chairs Jürg Hodel and Marius Klauser as well as Luzia Hafen, Managing Director of Consulting Network Switzerland, every success in implementing the various measures.