History and Significance
Since 2005, ICF has annually honored individuals and organizations that have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to professional coaching and transforming lives around the world. The ICF Coaching Impact Awards are an expansion and evolution of ICF’s previous awards initiatives — which have included the International Prism Award, Circle of Distinction, and Young Leader Award — bringing them all into a single, cohesive awards system to celebrate excellence in professional coaching. It’s more than an awards program; it’s a testament to our collective power to spark positive change and shape a brighter future for all.
ICF Coaching Impact Awards: Categories and Subcategories
The ICF Coaching Impact Awards celebrate the many facets of coaching. Whether you’re an early-career coach, an experienced thought leader, a dedicated coach educator, or part of an organization fostering coaching excellence, there’s a category tailored to highlight your unique contributions. Explore the award categories and discover how the ICF Coaching Impact Awards celebrate the diversity, innovation, and professionalism that define our industry.
Coaches
Through the following subcategories, the Coaches category honors individual coach practitioners who have made an impact in the profession and at ICF:
- Distinguished Coach: Coach practitioners who have made their mark on ICF and the coaching profession.
- Accomplished Coach: Coach practitioners who have made notable strides in advancing ICF and the coaching profession.
- Emerging Coach: Coach practitioners who are poised to lead ICF and the coaching profession into the future.
Coaching Education
The Coaching Education category recognizes coach educators and ICF-accredited providers who are leading and innovating coach education. The subcategories include:
- Distinguished Provider: An ICF-accredited coaching education provider that has exhibited the highest standard of excellence in the profession, demonstrating outstanding leadership and strong moral character.
- Distinguished Educator: An individual coach or instructor who exhibits the highest standard of excellence in their field, demonstrating outstanding leadership and strong moral character.
Organizations
The Organizations category celebrates businesses and organizations with strong coaching cultures that demonstrate the positive effects of coaching by . showcasing outcomes related to well-being, leadership, inclusion, employability, resilience, cultural transformation, and so much more — supported by real data and stories.
- Distinguished Organization: A company or organization that has built a strong coaching culture and demonstrates the positive effects of coaching.
- Emerging Organization: A company or organization based on the impact that coaching has had on their organization and the number of years the coaching program has been in place.
Social Impact
Shine a global spotlight on your organization’s commitment to people development, social good, and sustainable impact — locally and worldwide.
- Distinguished Coaching Catalyst: Influential world leaders and organizations who are a catalyst for change and who exemplify a coaching mindset in their approach to leadership, decision-making, and engagement with others.
- Emerging Coaching Catalyst: Social impact leaders and organizations that have been doing outstanding work but lack widespread recognition and remain relatively unknown to the public.
Nomination and Selection Process
The ICF Coaching Impact Awards offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the transformative power of coaching while gaining global recognition for excellence. Whether you're an individual coach, an organization, or an educator, this prestigious program shines a spotlight on those who elevate the coaching profession, inspire positive change, and embody ICF’s high standards of integrity and professionalism.
With no cost to enter and a fair, rigorous evaluation process led by volunteer industry judges, this program ensures integrity and accessibility for all nominees.
By submitting a nomination, you’re not just showcasing achievements — you’re amplifying your impact and influence in the coaching community. Winners benefit from:
- Industry-Wide Recognition: Gain public acknowledgment for your outstanding contributions to coaching.
- Increased Visibility: Boost your profile — or that of your organization — and open doors to potential business and collaboration opportunities.
- Ongoing Thought Leadership Opportunities: From inclusion in a speakers’ bureau to use of a digital badge for promotion, you will enjoy increased influence as a thought leader in the industry.
- Validation of Your Work, Your Team, Your Community: We see you. Your dedication. Your impact. Your significance. Thank you.
- Sustainably Built Trophy: Receive a tangible symbol of excellence that represents your dedication to advancing coaching.
How to Nominate
Ready to shine a spotlight on coaching excellence? Whether you're nominating yourself or a superstar in the coaching world, it’s easy to get started!
- Visit the ICF Coaching Impact Awards platform.
- Log in or create an account and confirm your email address.
- Follow the step-by-step guide to craft, track, and submit your nomination.
The nomination period for the 2026 ICF Coaching Impact Awards is now open through April 26 at 11:59 p.m. (New York).
Selection Criteria
Our award winners represent the pinnacle of coaching excellence, embodying ICF’s commitment to advancing the industry with professionalism and purpose. To ensure we recognize the very best in coaching, every nomination undergoes a rigorous evaluation process.
A trained panel of volunteer evaluators carefully reviews each submission using a detailed rubric that emphasizes measurable impact, specific examples, and alignment with ICF’s high standards.
Winners are chosen based on evidence, their qualifications, achievements, and meaningful contributions to ICF, the coaching profession and the broader ICF community. They are celebrated not only for their current accomplishments but also for their potential as thought leaders and role models in the global coaching industry.
By submitting a nomination — whether for yourself, a colleague, or an organization — you contribute to raising the standards of coaching, inspiring peers, and driving the profession’s collective growth. To stand out, be sure to highlight detailed examples and demonstrate measurable impact in your submission.
Coaches – General Criteria
This category celebrates individual coach practitioners who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the coaching profession and ICF.
The ICF Coaching Impact Awards - Coaches category is open to ICF members in good standing who also hold a current ICF credential. If a nominee’s membership or credential lapses at any point during the nomination, selection, or recognition process, they may be disqualified from consideration.
Nominations for the Coaches category may be made by anyone. You may nominate yourself or another coach for any of these subcategories.
Award Subcategories
Distinguished Coach
This award recognizes seasoned and exemplary coach practitioners who have significantly shaped ICF and the coaching profession.
- Must hold an active ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential.
- Must have been an ICF member for at least seven consecutive years.
Accomplished Coach
This award honors skilled coach practitioners who have made notable contributions to ICF and the coaching profession.
- Must hold an active ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential.
- Must have been an ICF member for at least five consecutive years.
Emerging Coach
This award celebrates rising coach practitioners who demonstrate great potential to lead ICF and the coaching profession into the future.
- Must hold an active ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential.
- Must have been an ICF member for at least three consecutive years.
Coaching Education - General Criteria
This category recognizes coach educators and ICF-accredited providers who are leading and innovating coaching education.
Award Subcategories
Distinguished Provider
This award recognizes coaching education organizations that have exhibited the highest standard of excellence in the profession. The organization must:
- Have at least 50% of the faculty who are ICF members in good standing for a minimum of two years.
- Have an accredited program with ICF for a minimum of five years and must be currently accredited by the ICF.
- Be well regarded within ICF.
- Have the image, reputation, and ability to inspire fellow ICF members with an emphasis on teaching and coaching.
- Demonstrate and acknowledge outstanding leadership and strong moral character as an organization.
- Maintain a substantial record of service to the profession, as well as helping to further educate their fellow coach educators.
Accomplished Provider
Recognizing coach educators and trainers, this award celebrates those who have exhibited the highest standard of excellence in their field. The candidate must:
- Be an ICF member in good standing for a minimum of five years and must be well regarded as an ICF member.
- Be currently affiliated with an ICF-accredited organization for a minimum of five years.
- Hold an ICF credential or have at least five years’ experience teaching in coaching education programs.
- Demonstrate outstanding leadership and strong moral character.
- Have the image, reputation, and ability to inspire fellow ICF members with an emphasis on teaching and coaching.
- Maintain a substantial record of service to the profession, as well as helping to further educate their fellow ICF professionals.
Organizations - General Criteria
The Organizations category celebrates businesses and organizations that have built strong coaching cultures. These organizations exemplify the integration of coaching into their operations, fostering a thriving workplace and achieving measurable success.
A coaching culture is assessed through:
- Impact: Measuring coaching effectiveness with data-driven results such as workforce engagement, testimonials, return on expectations (ROE), return on investment (ROI), and employee satisfaction metrics.
- Standards: Evaluating adherence to high coaching standards, including ICF credentials, ethical practices, coaching skills development, education/training programs, and mentor coaching/coaching supervision.
- Strategy: Analyzing the alignment of coaching goals with organizational objectives, clarity in coaching strategies, and the evolution of coaching programs to meet current and future needs.
- Sustainability: Assessing the long-term viability of coaching efforts through ongoing budgetary commitments, development of internal coaching champions, leadership transformation, and integration into broader talent and organizational development strategies.
The following elements are key indicators of a strong coaching culture:
- Senior leaders value coaching.
- Employees value coaching.
- Coaches receive coach-specific education.
- Three modalities of coaching are used (internal, external, and leaders using coaching skills).
- Coaching is available to all employees.
- There is a budget for coaching.
Award Subcategories
Distinguished Organizations
This subcategory honors organizations with a mature coaching culture that has been in place for three or more years. These organizations:
- Demonstrate a significant impact, with coaching initiatives reaching 70% or more of employees.
- Exemplify sustained success in integrating coaching into their operations, achieving measurable outcomes, and aligning coaching efforts with strategic goals.
Emerging Organization
This subcategory recognizes organizations with robust coaching cultures that were implemented within the last three years. While the reach of coaching may currently involve less than 70% of employees, these organizations show notable progress in embedding coaching practices and achieving measurable results. They demonstrate strong alignment with coaching standards and a clear commitment to expanding the impact of coaching within the organization.
Social Impact General Criteria
This subcategory recognizes organizations with robust coaching cultures that were implemented within the last three years. While the reach of coaching may currently involve less than 70% of employees, these organizations show notable progress in embedding coaching practices and achieving measurable results. They demonstrate strong alignment with coaching standards and a clear commitment to expanding the impact of coaching within the organization.
Award Subcategories
Distinguished Coaching Catalyst
The Distinguished Coaching Catalyst subcategory honors influential world leaders and organizations who are a catalyst for change and who exemplify a coaching mindset in their approach to leadership, decision-making, and engagement with others.
These nominees should display the following characteristics:
- Demonstrated understanding and application of coaching principles to empower and support others in achieving their goals.
- Ability to foster collaboration, inclusion, and diversity, creating environments that inspire growth and development among team members and stakeholders.
- Implementation of coaching strategies that result in positive and transformative outcomes within their respective domains, leading to improved performance and overall well-being.
- Global influence that extends beyond boundaries, contributing to the advancement of coaching principles on an international scale.
Emerging Coaching Catalyst
The Emerging Coaching Catalyst recognizes the efforts of social impact organizations and individuals that have been doing outstanding work but remain relatively unknown to the public.
These nominees should demonstrate:
- A commitment to addressing any of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and/or critical societal challenges.
- Utilization of coaching principles and methodologies to drive meaningful change, foster personal growth, and empower the communities they serve.
- A potential for the model or approach to be scaled up and applied to other contexts for greater positive impact.
- A clear and viable long-term vision for continued growth and sustained impact within their chosen field.
Important Deadlines
The path to honoring coaching excellence on a global stage begins now — here are the key dates for the 20265 ICF Coaching Impact Awards season:
- Nomination Period: February 26 – April 256
- Review Period: May 9 – June 20
- Finalist Announcement: July 22
- Celebration: The 2026 ICF Coaching Impact Award winners will gather in October (location to be determined) for a private award ceremony, a collaboration day, and interview sessions. Together, these moments allow us to capture and share the collective impact of coaching through post-event content. To ensure availability, you should save the dates from October 1-4.
- Public Winner Announcement: October 5
Award-Winning Stories
As you work on submitting your nomination, get inspired by the stories of the 2025 ICF Coaching Impact Award winners — trailblazers transforming lives, organizations, and communities through the power of coaching. Watch their journeys and celebrate the profound impact of their work!
A Journey to Excellence in Practice With the Defense Intelligence Agency
In a high-stakes, fast-paced environment like the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), clear…
Coaching Helps to Redefine the Future of Saudi Telecom Company
In alignment with Saudi Arabia’s VISION 2030 initiative to diversify its economy…
Achieving National Progress Through Coaching at OQ
When OQ, a global energy company based in Oman, merged its nine…
Resources: Your Guide to a Strong Nomination
If you have a powerful story to share, our resources will help you tell it with clarity and impact. This evidence-based program values detailed examples and measurable results, so a strong nomination showcases the true transformative power of coaching. Be sure to make use of:
- Evaluation Rubrics: Understand exactly what evaluators are seeking in each award category. Use these rubrics as your guide to highlight the key elements that make your nomination shine.
- Sample Nomination Forms: Get a clear picture of what’s required. Our blank sample forms give you a preview of the level of detail and information we’re looking for, ensuring you’re fully prepared to submit with confidence.
With these tools, you’ll have everything you need to craft a compelling nomination and stand out in the selection process. Let's make sure your story gets the attention it deserves!
Coaches
- Rubric for Emerging Coaches Subcategory
- Rubric for Accomplished and Distinguished Coaches Subcategories
- Sample Nomination Form for Emerging Coaches Subcategory
- Sample Nomination Form for Accomplished and Distinguished Coaches Subcategory
Coaching Education
- Rubric for Distinguished Educator Subcategory
- Rubric for Distinguished Provider Subcategory
- Sample Nomination Form for Distinguished Educator Subcategory
- Sample Nomination Form for Distinguished Provider Subcategory
Organizations
Social Impact
- Rubric for Social Impact Category
- Sample Nomination Form for Emerging Coaching Catalyst Subcategory
- Sample Nomination Form for Distinguished Coaching Catalyst Subcategory