ISO20700-2017 - A Quick Guide for Consultancies

A Quick Guide to ISO20700 for Consultants

2nd September 2025

Clients hire you for your expertise, but they also buy the confidence that you can deliver it professionally. As an independent consultant, demonstrating a structured, reliable process can be a powerful differentiator. ISO 20700 is a set of guidelines for management consultancy services that provides a global benchmark for quality. It is not a certification you must obtain, but a framework you can use to refine your delivery and build client trust.

While ISO 20700 is still relatively new to many consultancies in New Zealand, it is becoming increasingly recognised across the Tasman. In Australia, alignment with ISO 20700 is more widely expected by corporate and government clients, particularly in formal tender processes. Adopting its principles now positions New Zealand consultants to meet those expectations and makes cross-border work easier. It also helps raise the professional standard locally, showing clients that boutique consultancies can match the discipline and consistency of larger firms. 

Importantly, you can self-certify against the standard, demonstrating that your firm follows recognised best practice without the cost or complexity of full accreditation. 

Using its principles shows clients you are serious about professional standards. It gives you a shared language for discussing project governance, especially with larger organisations that value formal processes. Adopting a structured approach based on this standard moves your practice from relying on individual talent alone to operating with a system that ensures consistent, high-quality delivery. This protects both you and your client.

Ignoring formal processes can lead to inconsistent project outcomes, scope creep, and client disputes. You risk appearing less professional than larger firms and may be overlooked for contracts that require evidence of structured delivery. The reward for adopting these principles is significant. You build stronger client relationships through clear communication and transparent governance. You reduce project risk, improve efficiency, and create a clear point of difference in a competitive market.

Steps to Build into Your Practice

You can integrate the core principles of ISO 20700 into your work by focusing on ten key areas of your delivery process.

• Formalise Your Contracting: Ensure every engagement starts with a clear agreement. Define the scope, objectives, deliverables, roles, and responsibilities before any work begins.

• Structure Your Execution: Document a simple plan for how you will deliver the work. Outline key phases, milestones, and review points to keep the project on track.

• Implement a Closure Process: Formally close every project. This should include delivering the final outputs, collecting client feedback, and ensuring all knowledge is transferred effectively.

• Define Your Governance and Ethics: Be explicit about your professional standards. Communicate how you handle conflicts of interest and make decisions transparently.

• Assess Your Capability: Before accepting a project, honestly assess if you have the required skills and resources. Be prepared to identify any gaps and explain how you will fill them.

• Plan Your Communication: Establish a clear communication plan from the start. Agree with your client on the frequency, format, and channels for updates to manage expectations.

• Engage All Stakeholders: Identify everyone who has an interest in the project’s outcome. Understand their needs and expectations to prevent roadblocks later.

• Manage Risk and Quality: Proactively identify potential project risks. Create a simple plan to monitor them and ensure your work consistently meets the agreed quality standards.

• Consider Your Social Responsibility: Think about the wider health, safety, and social impacts of your advice and the project’s outcomes.

• Clarify Legal Considerations: Understand your obligations regarding data protection, confidentiality, and intellectual property. Ensure these are clearly addressed in your contract.

Reader’s Questions

1. Where are the biggest gaps in your current delivery process when measured against these ten areas?

2. How would formalising your process change the way you engage with new clients?

3. Which single area, if improved, would have the greatest positive impact on your projects?

Key Action

Use the ten points above as a checklist to review your most recently completed project. Score each area from 0 (not evident) to 2 (fully evident) to find your single biggest opportunity for improvement.