ICF Coaching Impact Awards

This category recognizes coach educators and ICF-accredited providers who are leading and innovating coaching education.

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.

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Distinguished Educator

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.

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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.

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Distinguished Organization

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.

The Social Impact category is aimed at recognizing exceptional individuals and/or organizations that are making profound contributions to society through the application of coaching principles. We invite the recognition of those whose endeavors align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ICF’s core values.

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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.