Coaching code of ethics and good practice

I adhere to following the code of ethics and good practice as defined by the Association for
Coaching:
1. Coaches are required to recognise both personal and professional limitations:
Personal -with respect to maintaining their own good health and fitness to practice. Should this not
be the case, coaches are required to withdraw from their practice until such a time as they are in
good health and fit to resume. Coachees should be offered appropriate support during any such
period.
Professional – with respect to whether their experience is appropriate to meet the coachee’s
requirements. When this is not the case, coaches should be referred to other appropriate services.
e.g. more experienced coaches, counsellors, psychotherapists or other specialist services. In
particular, coaches are required to be sensitive to the possibility that some coachees will require
more psychological support than is normally available within the coaching remit. In these cases,
referral should be made to an appropriate source of care e.g. the coachee’s GP, a counsellor or
psychotherapist, psychological support services/ or agencies.
2. Coaches are responsible for ensuring that coachees are fully informed of the coaching
contract, terms and conditions, prior to or at the initial session. These matters include
confidentiality, session costs and frequency of sessions. All claims made by the coach should
be honest, accurate and consistent with maintaining the coaching profession’s good
standing.
3. Coaches are required to be frank and willing to respond to their coachee’s requirements for
information about the methods, techniques and ways in which the coaching process will be
conducted. This should be done both prior to contract and during the term of the contract.
4. Coaches must be sensitive to issues of culture, religion, gender and race.
5. Coaches must respect the coachee’s right to terminate coaching at any point during the
coaching process.
6. Coaches are required to maintain appropriate records of their work with coachees, ensuring
that any such records are accurate and that reasonable security precautions are taken to
protect against third party disclosure. Attention must be given to the coachee’s rights under
any current legislation e.g. data protection act.
7. Coaches are required to monitor the quality of their work and to seek feedback wherever
possible from coachees and other professionals, as appropriate.
8. Coaches are expected to have regular consultative support for their work.
9. A coach should aim to undertake a minimum of 30 hours of continuing professional
development in the theory and practice of coaching on an annual basis.
10. Coaches are required to keep themselves informed of any statutory or legal requirements
that may affect their work.
11. Coaches are required to have current professional indemnity insurance.
12. Coaches are required to consider the impact of any dual relationships they may hold with
regard to their coachees and/or any sponsoring organisations.
13. Coaches must act in a manner that does not bring the profession of coaching into disrepute.