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Top Page Title Art Squares

Why Ethics Must Anchor Consulting Work—Ethics First: Why Consulting Must Be Bound by Conscience, Not Contracts

What recent controversies reveal about the ethical fault lines in global consulting—and how the industry must respond

In today’s world of increasingly complex geopolitical crises, the role of management consultants has expanded beyond boardrooms and corporate restructurings. Consultants are now active participants in public-sector reforms, humanitarian logistics, and post-conflict recovery. As their influence grows, so too does the imperative for ethical accountability. This reflection aims to examine the ethical responsibilities of management consultants, especially in politically charged or high-stakes humanitarian contexts. Recent events—most notably the dismissal of two senior BCG partners over their involvement in the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—have exposed troubling questions about how major consulting firms operate in fragile regions. While perspectives on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict vary, the controversy reveals a larger, more urgent truth: consultants must be guided by professional ethics, not by political allegiance or client pressure.

At OHK Consultants, we believe that neutrality, transparency, and respect for international norms are not optional—they are foundational to our work. This article outlines the ethical frameworks that should govern consulting behavior, including principles set forth by the United Nations, the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), and other international bodies. It also explores the risks of neglecting these standards—both to the communities affected and to the integrity of the consulting profession itself. Ultimately, this piece is a call to action: for consulting firms to adopt clear ethical codes, for consultants to speak out when lines are crossed, and for the industry to place human dignity above short-term opportunity. Ethics must be a compass, not a checkbox—and it must guide us no matter where in the world we work.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the positions of any individuals, organizations, or entities referenced herein. All references to specific events and consulting firms are based on publicly available information, including reporting by The Financial Times, The Washington Post, and official statements by BCG. This article is intended for professional reflection and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, formal allegations, or endorsement of any political position. OHK Consultants supports ethical discourse and upholds international standards of neutrality, integrity, and transparency in all contexts.

Reading Time: 40 min.

The Ethical Void and the Consequences of Silence

In a time of increasing global polarization, the role of management consultants has never been more influential—or more scrutinized. Whether advising governments, structuring aid delivery, or shaping public sector reforms, consultants sit at pivotal intersections of policy, strategy, and implementation. Regardless of one’s position on the geopolitics of the Middle East, this case presents a wake-up call to our profession: we must recommit to an ethical compass that ensures our actions promote integrity, neutrality, and human dignity.

At OHK Consultants, we believe ethical standards in management consulting are not aspirational ideals—they are foundational obligations. Our clients rely on us not only for strategic insight but for judgment, discretion, and integrity. To preserve that trust, we must apply consistent standards wherever we work—whether in Silicon Valley, Sub-Saharan Africa, or conflict zones in the Middle East. In the BCG case, the firm initially framed its engagement as pro bono support for humanitarian logistics. But leaked documents later revealed that consultants helped design the strategic, operational, and even demographic underpinnings of a system criticized for forcibly displacing vulnerable civilians. This wasn't just a procedural failure—it was a breach of professional ethics with real human consequences. That two individuals could direct such a sensitive project without full disclosure, and that systems failed to stop it in time, suggests something deeper: a structural weakness in how large firms apply ethical oversight under conditions of political pressure and opportunity. The lesson is not to vilify individual consultants, but to ask a more urgent question: What ethical standards should govern the work of all management consultants, especially in contexts of humanitarian sensitivity or conflict?

Ethics Is Not Neutrality — It’s Moral Clarity: International Frameworks That Must Guide Consulting Ethics

Critics sometimes argue that management consultants must remain “neutral.” But neutrality does not mean amorality. In fact, true neutrality requires moral clarity: the ability to see when a system violates human dignity or exacerbates harm, and to choose not to enable it—regardless of how lucrative or politically advantageous the project may be. Our role is not to impose politics or ideology. But neither should we hide behind process or client confidentiality when ethical boundaries are being crossed. When the United Nations and prominent NGOs publicly denounce an operation as a “fig leaf” for ethnic cleansing or forced population transfer, no amount of strategic design or PowerPoint polish can sanitize that context. Fortunately, we do not have to reinvent the ethical compass. Clear, internationally recognized standards already exist—many of which should be integrated into consulting firms’ codes of conduct and risk evaluation protocols.

Why the ICMCI Code of Professional Conduct Must Be a Non-Negotiable Foundation for Ethical, Independent, and Transparent Consulting in Every Political, Humanitarian, or Business Context

The ICMCI Code of Professional Conduct, developed by the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes, provides a globally recognized ethical framework that outlines the minimum standards for professional behavior. These principles—integrity, independence, avoidance of conflict of interest, and transparency—are not aspirational; they are foundational. Formed in 1987, the ICMCI was created to harmonize professional standards across the growing global consulting profession. Its Code of Conduct was designed to safeguard the integrity of consultants and protect clients, the public, and the consulting profession itself. As consulting firms took on larger and more sensitive roles—particularly in the public sector and international development—the need for enforceable ethical guidance became increasingly urgent. Key Principles of the Code:

  1. Act with integrity and independence: Consultants must not allow external pressures or private interests to cloud their advice or actions.

  2. Avoid conflicts of interest: All engagements should be evaluated for risks of bias, dual loyalty, or incompatible objectives.

  3. Refuse work that involves dishonesty or harm: No contract or client mandate should justify contributing to unethical, unlawful, or socially harmful initiatives.

  4. Ensure transparency and disclosure: Clients must be informed of risks, scope, and any potential limitations to objectivity.

These principles were put to the test in recent controversies—most notably, BCG’s involvement in the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Reports indicate that consultants designed core operations and logistics for a politically sensitive aid mechanism criticized by the UN for undermining humanitarian neutrality. BCG later acknowledged internal failures and disavowed the project, stating the involved partners had acted outside company protocols. Had the ICMCI Code been applied rigorously—with true independence and conflict-of-interest screening—it is likely the engagement would have either been flagged or refused altogether. This underscores the Code’s practical value—not just as a set of moral ideals but as a decision-making tool in complex geopolitical environments. By contrast, positive examples of the Code in action can be seen in firms that refuse engagements in conflict zones without multilateral alignment or those that voluntarily disclose their methodologies and data sources in politically sensitive reform efforts.

As management consultants assume increasingly powerful roles, from restructuring aid delivery to advising national governments, their responsibility to operate within an ethical framework grows exponentially. The ICMCI Code of Professional Conduct offers a stable, globally accepted foundation for that responsibility. Upholding it ensures not only the credibility of our work but the safety, dignity, and trust of the people and institutions we serve. In every context—whether humanitarian, commercial, or political—this code must remain our professional North Star.

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: A Non-Negotiable Standard for Consultants

The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011, serve as a global baseline for corporate responsibility—including for professional service providers like management consultants. While originally developed to guide multinational corporations, the UNGPs clearly extend to all business enterprises, explicitly stating that “responsibility to respect human rights applies to all enterprises regardless of their size, sector, operational context, ownership and structure.” This includes consulting firms that play a crucial role in shaping government policy, corporate strategy, and even humanitarian logistics. The Three Core Responsibilities Under the UNGPs:

  1. Avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts
    Consultants must not knowingly design, recommend, or support activities that lead to harm—whether through direct implementation or structural enablers (such as supply chains or aid systems).

  2. Conduct human rights due diligence
    This includes identifying potential risks to human rights, assessing the severity of those risks, and taking steps to prevent or mitigate harm—especially in conflict zones or politically sensitive engagements.

  3. Provide remediation when harm occurs
    If a consulting project contributes to human rights violations, the firm should participate in remediation efforts, including public acknowledgment, corrective action, and institutional learning.

The recent example of the GHF, where consultants allegedly helped design a controversial aid structure criticized by the UN for displacing civilians, highlights the relevance of these principles. According to reporting by The Financial Times and The Washington Post, the consultants involved did not fully disclose the scope or risks of their work. As the aid system became linked to military operations and political strategies, the project drew global condemnation—and the consulting firm disavowed the effort after internal and public backlash. Under the UNGPs, saying “we were just advising” is not a defense. Facilitation or design of harmful systems—even without direct implementation—can constitute complicity in rights violations. The principles require that firms conduct due diligence before accepting projects and establish internal controls to stop work if violations are discovered. Some consulting firms have built internal human rights screening mechanisms, decline to work with clients under sanctions or conflict warnings, and publish transparency reports outlining their ethical engagement processes. These are best practices that align directly with the UNGPs.

Consultants are no longer passive advisors—they are strategic architects in high-stakes environments. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights make clear that with influence comes responsibility. To protect affected communities, uphold professional integrity, and maintain public trust, consulting firms must embrace these principles not as constraints—but as a moral and operational framework.

In the U.S., McKinsey & Company was at the center of controversy after court documents revealed it had advised Purdue Pharma on how to increase sales of OxyContin at the height of the opioid epidemic. The firm proposed marketing tactics to target high-prescribing doctors and boost dosage rates. These internal strategies came under fire as the public health crisis escalated. In 2021, McKinsey reached a $573 million settlement with 47 U.S. states, without admitting wrongdoing. [Source: New York Times, U.S. Department of Justice, court filings]. This case demonstrates that even advisory work—when misaligned with human rights principles—can result in measurable societal harm and legal accountability.

In the Absence of Licensing, IMC USA’s Ethics Code Is an Essential Framework for Trustworthy, Honest, and Morally Responsible Consulting in the United States

Unlike medicine or law, management consulting in the United States is not a licensed profession. Anyone can call themselves a consultant, regardless of training or ethical standing. This regulatory vacuum creates both flexibility and risk. In response, professional organizations like the Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA) have developed voluntary ethical standards to safeguard professional conduct and protect the public interest. IMC USA is the American affiliate of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI) and offers the Certified Management Consultant (CMC®) designation. Its Code of Ethics provides a structured framework for consultants to act with honesty, independence, social responsibility, and legal awareness. These standards are especially vital given the expanding role of consultants in public-sector reform, international development, and crisis response. Three Core IMC USA Ethical Expectations:

  1. Honesty in representing capabilities and intentions
    Consultants must accurately describe their qualifications and capacity to deliver. Misrepresentation erodes trust and can have damaging consequences.

  2. Avoiding engagements that violate law or ethical norms
    The Code requires consultants to decline work that could reasonably lead to harm, even if technically legal.

  3. Accountability for social and economic impact
    IMC USA emphasizes the importance of understanding how consulting advice affects broader communities and public systems.

Some firms that embed IMC-aligned screening into project intake, ethics training, and transparency practices are better equipped to avoid ethical failures. In an unregulated field, voluntary standards like those of IMC USA serve as essential guardrails. This includes requiring project leads to evaluate not only the legality but also the potential ethical fallout of a project before work begins. Others provide ethics training and encourage internal whistleblowing to prevent misconduct. In a country where anyone can offer consulting services without a license, voluntary ethics frameworks are essential guardrails. They help define what responsible consulting looks like—and remind us that doing what is right is just as important as doing what is legal. At a time when consultants operate in increasingly sensitive domains, adherence to these standards is not just good practice—it’s a moral obligation. We should also learn from the more mature ethical regimes in adjacent professions: accountants have fiduciary duties to the public good; architects and engineers must certify that their designs meet safety and welfare standards; and lawyers are bound by strict conflict-of-interest rules. Given that management consultants often influence billion-dollar projects and shape public policy, there is no justification for holding them to lower ethical standards.

The Responsibility to Say No

Ethics in consulting is not only about doing good—it is equally about refusing to do harm. In complex political or humanitarian environments, what consultants choose not to do can be just as impactful as what they do. Saying “no” is a moral decision, and one that must be institutionalized, not left to individual courage alone. Consulting firms must embed rigorous ethical screening into every stage of client onboarding and project design. This is more than a compliance exercise—it’s a deliberate effort to protect the integrity of the firm, its consultants, and the communities impacted by its work. That process should begin by asking essential, values-driven questions: Does this engagement align with internationally accepted principles of neutrality, inclusion, and transparency? Are any clients or collaborators implicated in documented abuses, repressive regimes, or unethical corporate behavior? Will the likely outcomes of this engagement reinforce inequality, marginalization, or displacement—even if unintentionally?

These questions cannot be treated as checkboxes. They must be central to the decision-making process. Moreover, staff at every level—especially junior consultants and those closest to day-to-day operations—must be empowered to raise red flags without fear of retaliation or career risk. Whistleblower protection, internal ombuds processes, and open-door policies are critical in cultivating a culture of accountability. Refusing ethically compromised work may come with short-term financial trade-offs, but it builds long-term credibility. It tells clients, funders, and the public that the firm’s principles are not for sale. In a world where strategic advice can shape the course of nations, consultants must adopt a posture of ethical vigilance. The choice to say “no” is not weakness—it is professional integrity in action.

A striking example of the failure to apply ethical due diligence occurred during McKinsey & Company’s engagement with South Africa’s state-owned power utility, Eskom, between 2015 and 2017. McKinsey partnered with Trillian Capital, a firm later linked to the politically connected Gupta family, central to the country’s “state capture” corruption scandal. South Africa’s Public Enterprises Ministry and Auditor General raised concerns about the contract’s irregularities and the lack of proper vetting of Trillian. After public pressure and government investigations, McKinsey repaid over $70 million in consulting fees. [Source: Bloomberg, Reuters, McKinsey official apology statement, 2018]. This case illustrates how ethical blind spots—especially in politically sensitive partnerships—can damage both institutions and public trust.

Our Pledge at OHK Consultants

As a firm operating across the U.S., Africa, and the Middle East, OHK Consultants is frequently called upon to advise on projects in high-stakes, sensitive environments. We understand the weight of that responsibility. Our work often touches national policy, public-sector reform, infrastructure, and humanitarian programming—domains where people’s lives and rights are at stake. That is why we are committed not only to excellence in delivery, but to ethical clarity in decision-making. We pledge never to participate in projects that undermine the neutrality or independence of humanitarian aid. Aid must be needs-based, impartial, and shielded from political manipulation. When we are asked to support operations in conflict-affected regions, we carefully assess whether the structure and strategy of the engagement align with humanitarian principles, not just our client’s goals.

We will also refuse any engagement that we believe risks marginalizing, displacing, or endangering vulnerable populations—no matter how lucrative or prestigious the opportunity. This includes projects that may seem benign on the surface but which, upon deeper analysis, reveal impacts on housing access, displacement patterns, or exclusionary service delivery. Our internal governance is aligned with globally recognized frameworks, including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the ICMCI Code of Professional Conduct, and the fundamental humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. We invest in internal training to ensure that our consultants are not only strategic thinkers but also ethical practitioners. Each member of our team is encouraged to bring moral reasoning to the table, especially in ambiguous or complex contexts. This is our ethical pledge—and we stand by it with transparency and resolve.

A Call to the Industry

Recent events are not am isolated incident—it is a symptom of a broader vulnerability within our industry. Too often, management consultants are drawn into morally ambiguous engagements under the guise of strategy, innovation, or public-sector reform. But strategy without ethics is a dangerous tool. It risks enabling injustice through technocratic language and operational design. What happened demonstrates that existing ethical safeguards are not enough. We must confront a hard truth: consulting firms are increasingly operating in “gray zones,” where legality and morality do not always align. These include engagements in conflict zones, work with governments under sanctions, or advising on projects that may shift access to land, infrastructure, or resources in ways that disadvantage marginalized populations.

In these situations, it is not enough to be “smart.” Consultants must also be principled. Ethics should not be retrofitted into PR statements after things go wrong—they must be embedded from the start. That means clearer red lines, stronger due diligence, public-facing transparency commitments, and leadership that rewards ethical decision-making as much as commercial success. Let us reaffirm that management consulting is a profession, not just a business. And like all professions—medicine, law, journalism—it must be guided by an ethical code that transcends profit. The future of our industry depends on our ability to act with courage, conscience, and clarity.

Final Thoughts: Ethics Is the Foundation, Not the Finish Line, for Consultants

Ethics is not a luxury or a marketing slogan—it is our profession’s license to operate. Without it, we risk becoming technocratic enablers of injustice, rather than trusted advisors for sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development. At OHK Consultants, we hold ourselves to a higher standard, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. In a world marked by conflict, polarization, and increasing inequality, consultants are often called upon to bridge gaps, design solutions, and bring stability. This gives us enormous influence—and influence without ethics is dangerous. We believe that consultants must act as stewards of trust, not simply vendors of advice or growth. We are part of global systems, and our work has ripple effects we cannot afford to ignore.

We call on our peers in the consulting industry to adopt, enforce, and live by meaningful ethical standards—from the UN Guiding Principles to the ICMCI Code to their own firm-specific commitments. We must invest in training, transparency, and institutional courage. It is time to measure success not only by deliverables and revenue, but by the impact of our decisions on communities, justice, and human dignity. How we work—and who we choose to work with—matters as much as what we deliver. Our reputation, and more importantly, the well-being of the people affected by our work, depend on our ability to get this right. We at OHK are committed to this path, and we invite the rest of the profession to walk it with us.

Let ethics lead—because strategy without a moral compass to guide our choices, strategy risks harming the very communities consultants are meant to serve and support.





At OHK, we are a hybrid consulting firm—combining management consulting, spatial planning, and international development into a unified practice that spans sectors and disciplines. While our work touches land policy, infrastructure investment, and governance reform, we see our management consulting ethos as all-encompassing. It informs everything we do—from designing spatial and economic strategies to advising on institutional reform. We help governments, development institutions, and private sector leaders navigate ethically complex environments by embedding accountability, transparency, and human impact into every strategy. We ensure that our recommendations uphold international norms and center on long-term social value. Contact OHK to learn how our economic modeling capabilities can help you make smarter, data-driven decisions for the future.







 

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