A vast subterranean network of disused coal mines spans the length and breadth of our country. It has long been envisaged that the naturally warmed water could provide a potential source of clean, renewable energy to heat our homes and business. Could our industrial past hold the key to our low-carbon future?
Deloitte, working with the government’s Mine Remediation Authority, took us a step closer towards realising that vision when it undertook a national effort to test and map mine water heat sources across the UK. Their findings were striking: the potential exists to heat at least 600,000 buildings. More than just a report, Deloitte delivered a roadmap to bring this potential to life, a project now recognised alongside 50 finalists in the upcoming Management Consultancies Association (MCA) Awards 2025, judged by an independent panel of experts and journalists.
A project such as Deloitte’s could reduce one of this country’s biggest sources of emissions, and, in doing so, tackle climate change and reduce energy bills. It is a prime example of how UK consulting’s impact goes far beyond our economy, and the extent to which the benefits of the sector’s work are felt by wider society.
Time and again, consulting firms are the trusted partners that help turn bold goals into practical outcomes. Governments can set policy and companies announce strategies, but it is consultants who help deliver results. From technology to healthcare, energy security to climate action, the sector brings deep specialist expertise and experience to some of the most complex challenges facing our country.
Take healthcare. The Health and Care Act 2022 tasked NHS Integrated Care Boards with ensuring that palliative and end-of-life care met population needs. But how could they measure whether they were succeeding? KPMG worked pro bono with the charity Marie Curie to create a robust framework to assess progress, bringing clarity to one of the most sensitive areas of care.
Or consider energy. When National Grid sold a majority stake in its gas transmission and metering business, National Gas was born. The task? Separate two intricately connected IT systems without disrupting energy supplies, during a period of heightened concerns over energy security. EY stepped in to design and deliver a fully independent, resilient and scalable IT ecosystem. The project not only met deadlines and budget; it is now seen as a model for other complex
IT transformations.
Then there is artificial intelligence, for which UK consulting has become the go-to sector for its knowhow and transformational capabilities. In 2023, the UK government set up the AI Safety Institute, the first state-backed agency of its kind. Its success depended on securing top-tier talent. Capgemini Invent applied its experience in human resources and technology, ensuring the organisation is staffed with the brightest minds working in AI today in an exceptionally competitive skills market.
Infrastructure is another key area. Network Rail stood on the cusp of huge modernisation of its track maintenance, moving from manual gauges and using pens and paper and visual inspections to a system employing a state of the art robotic laser device. But the robot, named FELIX, would need to be fully adopted and staff would need to be trained. Moorhouse came in to lead this process, improving safety and efficiency across our railways.
When we talk about the impact of UK consulting, much of the focus is on its economic benefits. That is right of course. Not only do we turbocharge Britain’s economy – working with the majority of the FTSE 100, bringing innovation and generating jobs – but we’re also expanding in our own right. In the past five years, the UK’s world-beating consulting industry has doubled in size and exports have trebled. It is no surprise that government has identified us as a growth-driving sector, central to its industrial strategy.
However, we believe it is important that UK consulting is appreciated not only for its economic value, but its social value. When a consulting firm overhauls processes in the NHS, enabling significant funds to be reinvested back into patient care, or generates productivity for a manufacturer, or improves efficiency in the transport network, millions of people benefit. Every life in our country is touched by the work of consultants, without most people even knowing it.
Of course, it is vitally important that this is achieved efficiently, ethically and with accountability. That’s why our Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) accreditation is gaining traction with consultants across the sector, from specialist SMEs to the “Big Four”. It is setting new standards of quality and integrity at a time when public trust and value for money are paramount. Indeed, that is why it is important that every single MCA member firm signs up to “Consulting Excellence” principles, which ensures they meet and surpass the highest standards. As we celebrate this year’s MCA Awards finalists, we’re recognising consultants not only as economic enablers, but trusted agents of social change. And we’re looking to a future where, through innovation, ethics and excellence, UK consulting helps to shape a better, fairer and more resilient country for us all.
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