Sustainability Coaching Coalition: Collaborating for a Sustainable Future
The world’s climate crisis is one of humankind’s biggest challenges to date. To address the reality and urgency of the climate emergency, ICF joined 12 other global coaching, mentoring, coaching psychology, and supervision professional bodies in releasing a global statement on the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Coaching, mentoring, coaching psychology, and supervision all focus on developing human potential and increasing awareness so that people can take responsibility for their actions and ownership of their contributions. We have a significant role to play in fostering new ways of being in service to a healthy human society and a healthy planet.
As professional bodies dedicated — wholly or in part — to using coaching, coaching psychology, mentoring, and supervision to develop individuals, teams, and organizations, and to create social value, we have committed to working together to play our part in addressing the climate emergency.
Coaching and Climate: ICF’s Commitment to Sustainability
Together, we can create a world where people and the planet thrive. With the support of our Global Board and the passion of our community, we are reducing our own footprint while equipping coaches everywhere to bring sustainability into their practice.
Walking the Talk: Our Sustainability Practices
We are aligning our internal operations with our public commitments to sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of how we work, travel, and partner.
Travel considerations
Host no more than one in-person board meeting each year to limit air travel and emissions.
Sustainable partners
Require vendors, hotels, and convention centers to meet green standards for energy use, materials sourcing, and waste reduction.
Digital-first communications
Prioritize digital solutions to minimize printed materials and international mailings.
Staff-led initiatives
Encourage carbon offsetting and awareness initiatives across our global staff.
Responsible decision-making
Embed sustainability principles to financial decisions and vendor selection.
Remote and hybrid workforce
Reduce commuting and facility energy use through flexible work arrangements.
Sustainable IT practices
Use energy-efficient servers, renewable-powered cloud hosting, and extend device lifespans through repair and reuse.
Empowering Members to Drive Change
As we strengthen our own practices, we are empowering coaches with resources to weave sustainability into their work and conversations.
Learning opportunities
Webinars, guides, and facilitated discussions on sustainability in coaching.
Transparency and alignment
Plans to elevate visibility of ICF’s internal sustainability practices — on the website and in public reports — so you can see how our values match our actions.
Communication tools
Messaging tools and templates to help coaches talk about climate action with confidence.
Looking Ahead
We know there is always more to do. ICF is committed to continually evaluating our operations, expanding resources for our members, and demonstrating how coaching can be a catalyst for positive change on a global scale. Together, we can inspire sustainable choices that ripple through organizations, communities, and the planet.
Resources
Finding solutions to the climate crisis requires research-backed perspectives, future-forward thinking, and coaching strategies. We’ve compiled a collection of resources you can use to help clients explore their part in imagining a sustainable future.