History: 2012-2014: Elevating the Coaching Profession

In 2012, ICF set membership eligibility standards to elevate coaching credibility and commitment to high standards. Two years later, in 2014, ICF partnered with the Human Capital Institute to launch the Building a Coaching Culture report series, a first-of-its-kind study on fostering effective coaching cultures within organizations. This research continues to guide organizations in areas like leadership, change management, and employee engagement.

2012 – Elevating Standards with Membership Eligibility Requirements

Since our founding, we’ve leveraged the power of the global community to inform strategic decisions. In fact, this is what led to the development of membership eligibility requirements in 2012. Based on extensive research and feedback from members, chapter leaders, and the ICF Global Board, this decision strengthened ICF’s credibility in the marketplace and reinforced our dedication to raising the standards in the coaching profession.

2014 – Understanding the Strength of Coaching Cultures in Organizations

Recognizing a need for industry research on organizational coaching culture, ICF partnered with the Human Capital Institute to produce the first Building a Coaching Culture report, which benchmark the building blocks of strong organizational coaching cultures. Since 2014, six additional reports have been released in this series, exploring critical topics for organizations including change management, leadership development, and employee engagement.