The consultancy - founded in Cambridge by executive chairman, Tim Passingham - has built a global reputation through impact-driven commercial projects, which includes a three-to-five-year innovation strategy for Thames Freeport; supporting BP with the rollout of its pulse electric charging stations; creating the strategic outline for a new submarine cable system in the Turks & Caicos Islands; assisting the Falkland Islands with licencing Starlink and their future telecoms strategy; and leading the £6.1bn Silicon Sands digital campus and data centre development at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone for Blackpool Council.
Now Cambridge MC - awarded a Platinum ranking in telecommunications by Consultancy.uk for the last four consecutive years - has published its inaugural Impact Report, revealing how its mission to help clients have a better impact on the world is supported by an equally matched commitment to charitable endeavours.
Cambridge MC commits to donating at least 10% of profits and at least 1% of its expertise and time to support causes aligned to its ‘Five Charitable Cs’: Children (and young people), Conservation (and sustainability), Cancer, Communications, and the Cambridge community where the company is headquartered and remains an integral part of the regional ecosystem. It additionally holds 1% of its equity in reserve for charitable use should an equity event occur.
Last year, the company, which engages over 200 consultants working in more than 25 countries, donated and pledged over £200,000 to charitable causes and a further 290 volunteer days across the business, representing over £600,000 in combined value and time.
The impact of the company's charitable work is as wide as it is far-reaching: from sponsoring Cambridge City FC Girls U12 Youth team; to helping young children build purpose and confidence via Surf for Lives in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; and funding transformative expeditions in far-flung wilderness for underprivileged young people through the British Exploring Society.
Closer to home, Cambridge MC has signed a corporate partnership with Pembroke College, Cambridge, with the mutual aim of fostering beneficial connections between business and academia. This close relationship follows Tim Passingham’s induction as a William Pitt Fellow in 2022 and his recognition as a Pembroke College’s Volunteer of the Year in 2025.
Alongside its financial support, Cambridge MC engages in purposeful pro-bono work, gifting its expertise and experience to help charities mature, digitalise and reduce costs in a fragile economic environment. Last year, this included building a website for one of the core programmes for Sands, a UK charity supporting people affected by child bereavement; developing iOS and Android apps for Storybook Dads, a non-profit charity that helps imprisoned parents record bedtime stories for their children; and providing office space to Britten Sinfonia, a Cambridge-based chamber orchestra and registered charity with a clear purpose to make exceptional live music available to more people, in more places.
As well as supporting individual fund-raising efforts within the company, Cambridge MC additionally runs its own fundraising initiatives. Last year, Tim Passingham entered a Cambridge MC team for the annual Thames Path Ultra, with a goal of raising over £50,000 for the British Exploring Society by walking up to 50km of the Thames Path. The team exceeded the goal, raising over £60,000 for the charity in one weekend.
Tim Passingham said: “When we started the business in 2015, it was paramount to make giving back a central part of everything we do. This is imprinted in our company values, and it makes me immensely proud, as a purpose-led business, to share our social impact over the past year.
“We accept that the world around us is facing unprecedented challenges and threats – which makes doing good and doing good business not just harder but also more important than ever. In this environment, 'impact' can't just be a nice slogan; it has to exist in hearts and minds and be something concrete that we can measure. If we have the ability to help, we should – and we will.
“We help our clients have a better impact on the world by bringing world-class expertise to complex challenges from digital infrastructure and transformation to procurement, delivery oversight, and sustainability. But we also realise that impact starts at home, and we match the impact we deliver through our work with our commitment to charitable causes.”
Clea Harmer, CEO, Sands said: “Cambridge Management Consulting has kindly supported Sands both financially and with pro bono assistance, for example building us a new website for the National Bereavement Care Pathway which is being rolled out across the NHS in the UK. We are deeply grateful for their support in our mission to reduce the number of babies dying and ensure that, when a baby does die, anyone affected gets the support and care they need.”
Honor Wilson-Fletcher, previous CEO of British Exploring Society, said: “Through its support for our programmes, Cambridge Management Consulting is removing the barriers to participation, helping young people share from their different backgrounds, learn from one another and benefit from each other’s strengths. For many young people, their adventure with our charity is a significant challenge and huge step forward. Last year, over 40% came from households earning under £23,000, and over 20% were care-experienced.”
Cambridge MC’s inaugural Impact Report (2024–2025) can be downloaded at https://www.cambridgemc.com/impact-report
Image: Tim Passingham (2nd R) with the Cambridge MC team fundraising @Ultrachallenge
