Coaching Ethics and Standards
As professional coaches and industry leaders, our responsibilities stretch beyond coaching sessions. With the power to coach comes the responsibility to be ethically minded for the safety and inclusion of everyone we interact with.
Adopting the ICF Code of Ethics is just the beginning — learning to apply and embody it shows your commitment to changing the world through coaching. That’s why it’s critical for us to lead the way in standard-setting for the entire industry. To do so, we:
- Perform a regular review of our Code of Ethics to ensure relevancy for all coaches.
- Require all ICF members and credential-holders to abide by our ethical standards.
- Provide complaint processes that protect consumers and ensure fairness for ICF members, credential-holders, and accredited providers.
Introduction to the ICF Code of Ethics
The ICF Code of Ethics helps us uphold the commitment to work with integrity, honesty, and support. When you adhere to the Code, you acknowledge the importance of good conduct and mindful decision-making.
Dive Deeper Into the Code of Ethics
The Insights and Considerations for Ethics resource helps coaches gain a deeper understanding of the Code of Ethics. It is designed to enhance ethical awareness, foster critical thinking, and offer clear guidance for confidently navigating ethical standards.
Our Complaint Processes: Violation of Code of Ethics and Conduct
To provide consumer protections, ICF offers two complaint processes based on the involved parties.
Complaints Involving an ICF Member or Credential-Holder
The Ethical Conduct Review (ECR) offers a forum where individuals can bring complaints about alleged breaches of the ICF Code of Ethics by ICF members and ICF credential-holders. The ECR includes several steps that are crucial to understanding the nature of the complaint and the points of view of those involved.
Complaints Involving ICF-Accredited Coaching Education Providers
Through this process, ICF reviews, investigates, and responds to alleged breaches and violations of the ICF Accreditation Code of Conduct. This process also enables ICF to address concerns regarding the integrity of an ICF-accredited provider or program.
Ethics Assist Line
The Ethics Assist Line is a dedicated resource for handling questions about the ICF Code of Ethics, the Ethical Conduct Review Process, the Accreditation Complaint Process, or any ICF ethics resources.
Ethical Guidelines and Best Practices
One of the best ways to keep updated on ethical guidelines and best practices is to hear from other coaches’ experiences. The ICF Coaching World Blog covers ethics insights from a variety of coaching applications, including:
- Practical advice for maintaining ethical standards during the practice of coaching.
- Learning new strategies for ethical decision-making in a technology-driven world.
- Responsibilities towards clients, society, and the coaching profession.
- Establishing healthy professional boundaries.
Continuing Education and Ethics Training
Want to dive deeper? Our continuing education and ethics training opportunities allow you to go below the surface, so you can truly embody ethical coaching practice.
- Ethics Water Cooler Conversations: Bring your questions and get ready for an in-depth discussion! This monthly forum is free and open to all coaches. Sign up for the English Conversation or the German Conversation.
- Ethics Community of Practice: Share best practices, trends, and tools with peers just as passionate about ethics as you are. Plus, enjoy professional development through webinars and lively discussions with industry experts.
- ICF Research Portal: Explore evidence-based findings, trends, and insights into coaching ethics.
- Complimentary Ethics CCE Course: Gain an overview of the ICF Code of Ethics and challenge your understanding with self-reflective questions. Completion of this course meets the 3 Continuing Coach Education (CCE) credits in ethics required for ICF credential renewal.
Ethics Case Studies
Facing common coaching challenges? You’re not alone! We’ve created case studies that dive into the most frequently cited ethical standards from the ICF Code of Ethics, inspired by real-life scenarios from the ICF Ethical Conduct Review process.
Each case study comes with coaching insights, possible next steps, and thought-provoking questions. Get ready to level up your ethical savvy and explore how you'd handle similar situations in your own practice.
ICF Resource Library
Visit this go-to hub for a wealth of resources — articles, guides, and tools — all aimed at enriching your ethical practice.
Liability Insurance
Wondering what liability insurance looks like for coaches? Get a crash course through this video recording with ICF’s Director of Ethics, Compliance, and Culture Kristin Kelly and ICF’s legal counsel Bob Weil of the Law Office of Robert J Weil, PLLC.
Ethics YouTube Video Playlist
Gain a greater understanding of the ICF Code of Ethics and what it says about working ethically with the ICF Code of Ethics YouTube playlist.