Zurich / Accra, August 2026 – The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), has successfully concluded a major pilot project aimed at strengthening the professional capability of business advisers supporting enterprise development and sustainable agri-business in Ghana.
Delivered under UNIDO Project No. 210255, the initiative formed part of the wider programme to expand the Kaizen initiative through enhanced sustainable agri-business in Ghana. The project established a structured framework for the development, training, assessment and certification of enterprise management consultants.
A key achievement was the development of the UNIDO–ICMCI Competence Framework and Code of Conduct, together with the UNIDO–ICMCI Certified Enterprise Management Consultant (U-I CEMC) Certification Scheme, aligned with ISO/IEC 17024:2012. The project also included a comprehensive gap analysis, training needs assessment, onsite and online consultant training, and a dedicated Training of Trainers programme.
Sixteen Ghana Enterprises Agency consultants participated in the capacity-building programme, while seven were selected for Trainer development. Successful candidates subsequently received U-I CEMC certification, with achievements formally recognised during the Kaizen Award Ceremony in Accra in July 2026.
This collaboration demonstrates the importance of investing not only in enterprise improvement tools, but also in the professional capability of the advisers who support businesses on their development journey. By combining Kaizen and enterprise development expertise with internationally recognised management consulting standards, this initiative has created a strong foundation for sustainable capacity building in Ghana.
The project has strengthened the capabilities of our business advisers and provided an important pathway towards internationally aligned professional recognition. The knowledge and skills developed through this programme will support our continuing efforts to improve the quality and impact of advisory services provided to Ghanaian MSMEs and enterprises.
Nicholas Warn, ICMCI Chairperson commented that "ICMCI is proud to have worked alongside UNIDO and the Ghana Enterprises Agency on this pioneering initiative. The project demonstrates how internationally recognised competence standards, practical capacity building and credible certification can be brought together to create lasting professional capability. We believe the model developed in Ghana has significant potential for wider application in supporting enterprise development internationally."
The successful completion of the pilot has established a foundation for future expansion, including further development of the certification scheme, the establishment of local certification capacity and, subject to future funding, a wider rollout of the programme across Ghana.
The initiative provides a transferable model for strengthening enterprise advisory services by combining international professional standards with local expertise, institutional capacity building and sustainable certification pathways.
About ICMCI
The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI is the global organization representing management consulting institutes and professional bodies worldwide. Through the Certified Management Consultant (CMC®) designation, international standards, professional development programs, and thought leadership initiatives, ICMCI promotes excellence, competence, ethics, and professionalism across the management consulting profession.
For more information, visit www.cmc-global.org