ICF Ethical Conduct Review Process: Complaints Against ICF Members or Credential-Holders
All ICF members and credential-holders pledge to uphold the ICF Code of Ethics, cultivating a supportive environment for both coaches and clients. If you ever have concerns about a potential breach, you can take action! The Ethical Conduct Review Process provides a fair and thorough investigation of alleged unethical practices.
Accreditation Complaint Process: Filings Against ICF-Accredited Coaching Education Providers
When you choose an ICF-accredited coaching education program or provider, you can trust that they follow a strict code of conduct. But what happens if something goes wrong? That’s where the Accreditation Complaint Process comes in. This important process allows ICF to thoroughly review and investigate any concerns about potential violations or integrity issues within accredited programs.
Coaching Consumer Complaints Regarding ICF Member or Credentialed Coaches
The ICF Ethical Conduct Review Process promotes professionalism of the coaching profession, protecting clients and fostering trust within the coaching community. It provides a confidential, systematic way to investigate and respond to allegations of unethical practices or behavior deviating from the established ICF Code of Ethics. It is intended to serve as a “model of excellence” for the fair review of complaints concerning the ethical conduct of ICF members and ICF credential-holders.
Please note: If your complaint concerns behavior that occurred prior to April 1, 2025, it will be reviewed based on the previous version of the ICF Code of Ethics. (Coaches: You can review the corresponding Insights and Considerations for Ethics resource if needed.)
Who Can File a Complaint?
Complaints can be filed when there is a perceived or alleged breach of the ICF Code of Ethics, and may be filed by coaching clients, colleagues, or peers who have direct involvement in or knowledge of the incident.
Steps to File a Complaint
Here is a brief overview of the steps to file an ethical complaint against an ICF member or credential-holder. For the complete process, download the information packet.
1. Complete the Decision Tree Questionnaire
To determine if your complaint fits into the Ethical Conduct Review Process, please first complete the Decision Tree Questionnaire.
2. Filing and Initial Review Complaint
Based on your responses to the Decision Tree Questionnaire, you will be prompted to file your complaint. The complaint must be filed within one year of the date of the alleged breach of conduct.
Once your complaint is filed, it is reviewed to ensure it falls within ICF’s authority. If it doesn’t, you will be notified. If it does, the coach in question will be notified with the complaint details and a chance to respond in writing.
3. Investigation
The coach and complainant are notified by ICF staff that an investigation is pending. A team of two or more Independent Review Board (IRB) members are appointed by the IRB vice chair of operations. The investigators are charged with collecting additional information and preparing a factual written report of their findings, which is provided to the IRB chair. This gathering of facts may include interviews with both the complainant and coach, as well as possible witnesses.
4. Final Review
A panel of at least three IRB members, referred to as the Final Review Panel, is appointed by its vice chair of operations to review the investigators’ report. If needed, they may contact investigators for clarification. This panel will determine if a breach has occurred by a two-thirds majority vote. They also produce a final report that outlines the findings of the IRB, and this report is shared in full with the coach named in the complaint.
If a breach is confirmed, the Final Review Panel works with the coach to create a learning plan to address the issue. The coach may accept the findings and complete the learning plan, file for reconsideration, or refuse the findings. If the latter, the coach will automatically lose their membership or credential.
5. Reconsideration
If the coach does not accept the final determination, the coach may file for reconsideration if relevant information or evidence has been found that could potentially change the outcome. If reconsideration is granted, the complaint will be re-examined. The final determination will be provided in writing to the coach and will be final, subject only to review by ICF legal counsel.
If the decision that a breach occurred remains unchanged, and the coach still refuses to accept this decision, the coach will automatically lose their membership and/or credential.
The ethical review is a detailed and time-consuming process. To provide a diligent and fair review, completion times vary and could take several months. Every reasonable effort will be made to complete the process as promptly as possible.
Resources for Filing a Complaint
If you have an ethical complaint against an ICF member or ICF credential-holder, we have the resources to help you understand and file your complaint. Start by downloading and reviewing the documents below before making your official filing.
Understanding the Process
Filing the Complaint
Meet the Independent Review Board (IRB)
The IRB oversees ICF’s Ethical Conduct Review process, allowing individuals to report alleged ethical breaches by ICF members and credential-holders. Through a formal process, the IRB reviews, investigates, and responds to these complaints in line with the ICF Code of Ethics.
ICF Accreditation Complaints Regarding Education Providers
The ICF Accreditation Complaint Process is essential for maintaining the quality and integrity of coaching education. All ICF-accredited coaching education providers are obligated to operate in compliance with the stringent ICF Accreditation Code of Conduct. If there is a perceived violation, this confidential, structured procedure allows individuals to report concerns or complaints related to ICF-accredited coaching education providers.
Who Can File a Complaint?
Accreditation complaints can be filed by:
- Current or previous students of the ICF-accredited coaching education organization or program.
- ICF members.
- ICF credential-holders.
- Individuals currently or previously affiliated with the ICF-accredited organization in question.
Please note that ICF will not handle:
- Workplace disputes that do not fall within the specific provisions of the ICF Accreditation Code of Conduct.
- Copyright infringement or intellectual property property claims.
- Issues based on dissatisfaction with an ICF-accredited organization or the provider’s price, fees, refunds, or refund policies.
- Strictly contractual or business-related disputes involving an ICF-accredited organization that do not fall within the specific provisions or intent of the ICF Accreditation Code of Conduct.
Steps to File an ICF Accreditation Complaint
Here is a brief overview of the steps to file a complaint involving an ICF-accredited coaching education provider. For the complete process, download the information packet.
1. Submit Complaint
You may submit your accreditation complaint via our online form. The complaint must be filed with ICF within one year of the date of the conduct complaint.
2. Initial Review
ICF staff reviews complaints to ensure that the named education provider holds ICF accreditation and that the complaint meets the basic requirements of the ICF Accreditation Complaint Process.
3. Investigation
Once a complaint is accepted, the provider is notified and has 10 business days to respond. ICF staff then conducts separate interviews with the complainant and the ICF-accredited coaching education provider in question. An internal investigation report is created to detail the findings.
4. Final Review
ICF staff reviews the evidence provided by both parties to decide if a breach of the Code of Conduct has occurred. If no breach is found, the case is closed, and both the complainant and the organization are notified in writing.
If a breach is confirmed, the accredited provider is informed, and sanctions are applied based on the breach’s severity. Sanctions can range from a written warning to revoking ICF accreditation. The complainant is also notified in writing of the breach and the specific standards involved.
To provide a diligent and fair review, the entire review process could take several months. Every reasonable effort will be made to complete the process as promptly as possible.
Resources for Filing an Accreditation Complaint
If you have an accreditation complaint, there are several resources to manage and file your complaint. Start by downloading and reviewing the following documents before making your official filing.
Annual Conduct and Compliance Report
Stay informed on the nature of ethical complaints by checking out ICF’s Annual Conduct and Compliance Report. It highlights our ethical conduct activities from the previous calendar year, ensuring transparency and helping us promote the integrity of the coaching profession.