The Certified Management Consultant (CMC^®) designation is awarded to a select group of consultants (only 10,000 worldwide) who have demonstrated that they produce substantive results, adhere to the IMC USA canon of ethics, and manage their practices professionally. The CMC designation represents the standard of competence and ethics that is accepted in 44 countries, including the U.S.

The CMC program is a service for the general public by the Institute of Management Consultants. The Institute has established high standards of technical competence, character, and experience for certified consultants who provide professional advice to clients. The CMC program was established to ensure that certain individuals have been tested and found to meet or exceed those standards. The certification enables users of management consulting services to select consultants or employees with greater confidence in the quality and reliability of the services they will receive. It is also a formal recognition on the part of his or her colleagues, acting through the Institute, that an applicant is considered well qualified to carry on the work of a management consultant.