Part One: Definitions
Coaching: Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
Professional Coaching Relationship: A professional coaching relationship exists when coaching includes an agreement (including contracts) that defines the responsibilities of each party – the coach and the coached.
Roles in the Coaching Relationship: In order to clarify roles in the coaching relationship, it is often necessary to distinguish between the client and the sponsor. In most cases, the client and sponsor are the same person and are therefore jointly referred to as the client. For purposes of identification, however, I define these roles as follows:
Client: The “Client/Coachee” is the person(s) being coached.
Sponsor: The “sponsor” is the entity (including its representatives) paying for and/or arranging for coaching services to be provided. In all cases, coaching engagement agreements should clearly establish the rights, roles and responsibilities for both the client and sponsor if the client and sponsor are different people.
Conflict of Interest: A situation in which a coach has a private or personal interest sufficient to appear to influence the objective of his or her official duties as a coach and a professional. Any conflict of interest needs to be addressed immediately upon the realization that such a conflict exists.
Part Two: Standards of Ethical Conduct
Section 1: Professional Conduct at Large
As a coach, I will:
1) Conduct myself in accordance with this Code of Ethics in all interactions, including coach training, coach mentoring and coach supervisory activities.
2) Commit to take the appropriate action to address any ethics violation or possible breach as soon as I become aware of it, whether it involves me or others.
3) Communicate and create awareness in others, including clients, organizations, employees, sponsors and others, who might need to be informed of the responsibilities established by this Code.
4) Refrain from unlawful discrimination in occupational activities, including age, race, gender orientation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability.
5) Make verbal and written statements that are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge about what I offer as a coach, the coaching experience and the coaching profession.
6) Accurately identify my coaching qualifications, expertise, skills, experience, training and certifications.
7) Recognize and honor the efforts and contributions of others and only claim ownership of my own material. I understand that violating this standard may leave me subject to legal remedy by a third party.
8) Strive at all times to recognize my own personal issues that may impair, conflict with or interfere with my coaching performance or my professional coaching relationships. This includes issues relevant to topics in which I am knowledgeable and qualified as well as topics which are outside of the scope of my abilities and qualifications such as legal, psychological and medical counseling and advisement. If faced with these issues, I will promptly seek the relevant professional assistance and determine the action to be taken, including whether it is appropriate to suspend or terminate my coaching relationship(s) whenever the facts and circumstances necessitate.
9) Recognize that the Code of Ethics applies to my relationship with coaching clients, coachee groups and sponsors as well as the general community at large.
10) Conduct and report research with competence, honesty and within recognized scientific standards and applicable subject guidelines. My research will be carried out with the necessary consent and approval of those involved, and with an approach that will protect participants from any potential harm. All research efforts will be performed in a manner that complies with all the applicable laws of the country in which the research is conducted.
11) Maintain, store and dispose of any records, including electronic files and communications, created during my coaching engagements in a manner that promotes confidentiality, security and privacy and complies with any applicable laws and agreements.
Section 2: Conflicts of Interest
As a coach, I:
1) Seek to be conscious of any conflict or potential conflict of interest, openly disclose any such conflict and offer to remove myself when a conflict arises.
2) Clarify roles for internal coaches or other professionals, set boundaries and review with stakeholders conflicts of interest that may emerge between coaching and other role functions.
3) Disclose to my client and the sponsor(s) all anticipated compensation from third parties that I may receive for referrals of clients or pay to receive clients.
4) Honor an equitable coach/client relationship, regardless of the form of compensation.
Section 3: Professional Conduct with Clients
As a coach, I:
1) Ethically speak what I know to be true to clients, prospective clients or sponsors about the potential value of the coaching process or of me as a coach.
2) Carefully explain and strive to ensure that, prior to or at the initial meeting, my coaching client and sponsor(s) understand the nature of coaching, the nature and limits of confidentiality, financial arrangements, and any other terms of the coaching agreement.
3) Have a clear coaching service agreement (the “Coaching Agreement”) with my clients and sponsor(s) before beginning the coaching relationship and honor this agreement. The agreement shall include the roles, responsibilities and rights of all parties involved.
4) Hold responsibility for being aware of and setting clear, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern interactions, physical or otherwise, I may have with my clients or sponsor(s).
5) Avoid any sexual or romantic relationship with current clients or sponsor(s). Further, I will be alert to the possibility of any potential sexual intimacy among the parties including my support staff and/or assistants and will take the appropriate action to address any issue or cancel the engagement in order to provide a safe environment overall.
6) Respect the client’s right to terminate the coaching relationship at any point during the process, subject to the provisions of the agreement. I shall remain alert to indications that there is a shift in the value received from the coaching relationship.
7) Encourage the client or sponsor to make a change if I believe the client or sponsor would be better served by another coach or by another resource and suggest my client seek the services of other professionals when deemed necessary or appropriate.
Section 4: Confidentiality/Privacy
As a coach, I:
1) Maintain the strictest levels of confidentiality with all client and sponsor information unless release is required by law, if felonious activity is confessed or client or others are in imminent danger (suicide, homidal or terrorist threats, etc.)
2) Have a clear agreement about how coaching information will be exchanged among coach, client and sponsor.
3) Have a clear agreement when acting as a coach with both client and sponsor about the conditions under which confidentiality may not be maintained (e.g., illegal activity, pursuant to valid court order or subpoena; imminent or likely risk of danger to self or to others; etc) and make sure both client and sponsor voluntarily and knowingly agree in writing to that limit of confidentiality. Where I reasonably believe that because one of the above circumstances is applicable, I may need to inform appropriate authorities.
4) Require all those who work with me in support of my clients to adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics, Number 26, Section 4, Confidentiality and Privacy Standards, and any other sections of the Code of Ethics or this Coaching Code of Ethics document that might be applicable.
Section 5: Continuing Development
As a coach, I:
Commit to the need for continued and ongoing development of my own professional skills and my interest in further skill development, certification and licensure as applicable.
Part Three: The Coach’s Pledge of Ethics
As a coach, I acknowledge and agree to honor my ethical and legal obligations to my coaching clients and sponsors, colleagues, and to the public at large. I pledge to comply with the Code of Ethics and to practice these standards with those whom I coach, teach, mentor or supervise.
If I breach this Pledge of Ethics or any part of this Code of Ethics, I agree that governing authorities may hold me accountable for so doing. I further agree that my accountability for any breach may include sanctions, such as loss of certification, credentialing and operating license.