Press release

Major Breakthrough - UK Coaching Bodies Roundtable Produce the First UK Agreed Statement of Shared Professional Values

February 2008

A major breakthrough in the coaching industry occurred today when the key professional coaching bodies in the UK signed an agreed ‘Statement of Shared Professional Values’. This has defined the common ground in the Codes of Ethics and Practices currently used by such bodies in the UK.

The Statement of Shared Professional Values gives all buyers of Coaching services a clear frame of reference for the ethical requirements surrounding good quality coaching. The Statement, which synthesises the best ethical practice of all the professional bodies, was drafted by Robin Linnecar of Praesta.

This initiative leads the way to providing consistent good practice across the coaching profession.

“This agreement clearly shows how the main professional coaching bodies are working together to build coaching standards and the coaching profession in the UK. It’s an important first step on a journey that will benefit all professional coaches and everyone they work with.” Says Neil Scotton, President of the International Coach Federation in the UK (UK ICF)

“We are excited by the possibilities that lie ahead for the Coaching Roundtable. The Statement of Shared Professional Values hallmarks the success of how we have evolved as a group – one that is collaborative and coach-like, working towards a common aim” says Katherine Tulpa, Chair of the Association for Coaching (AC).

“The Statement of Shared Values is another result of the ongoing collaboration between the coaching professional bodies. Together we increasingly share responsibility for the leadership of coaching and mentoring excellence in the UK” Says Gil Schwenk, Chair of the Professional Bodies Liaison committee of the European Coaching and Mentoring Council – UK (EMCC –UK).

For further information, please contact Members of the Roundtable (in alphabetical order):

AC Gladeana McMahon, Vice President and Fellow, Association for Coaching, 07711 896 185, media@associationforcoaching.com

APECS Patti Stevens, Director, Association of Professional
Executive, Coaching and Supervision, 01491 638941, patti.stevens@apecs.org

EMCC UK Gil Schwenk, Chair of the Professional Bodies Liaison
Committee, 07976 154 192 Uk.chair.professionalbodieslaisoncommittee@emccouncil.org

UK ICF Neil Scotton – President UK International Coach Federation,
07834 766408, neil.scotton@coachfederation.org.uk

 

February 2008
STATEMENT OF SHARED PROFESSIONAL VALUES

Purpose

This statement has been agreed by the coaching professional bodies in the UK who cooperate to enhance the reputation of the coaching industry.

In the emerging profession of coaching, we believe that:

• Every coach, whether charging fees for coaching provided to individuals or organisations or both, is best served by being a member of a professional body suiting his/her needs.
• Every coach needs to abide by a code of governing ethics and apply acknowledged standards to the performance of their coaching work.
• Every coach needs to invest in their ongoing continuing professional development to ensure the quality of their service and their level of skill is enhanced.
• Every coach has a duty of care to ensure the good reputation of our emerging profession.

The following are fundamental principles by which we expect our members to operate:

Meta Principle: To continually enhance the competence and reputation of the coaching profession

Principle One - Reputation
Every coach will act positively and in a manner that increases the public’s understanding and acceptance of coaching...

Principle Two - Continuous Competence Enhancement
Every coach accepts the need to enhance their experience, knowledge, capability and competence on a continuous basis.

Principle Three - Client Centred
Every client is creative, resourceful and whole and the coach’s role is to keep the development of that client central to his/her work, ensuring all services provided are appropriate to the client’s needs.

Principle Four - Confidentiality and Standards
Every coach has a professional responsibility (beyond the terms of the contract with the client) to apply high standards in their service provision and behaviour. He/she needs to be open and frank about methods and techniques used in the coaching process, maintain only appropriate records and to respect the confidentiality a) of the work with their clients and b) or their representative body’s members information.

Principle Five - Law and Diversity
Every coach will act within the Laws of the jurisdictions within which they practice and will also acknowledge and promote diversity at all times.

Principle Six - Boundary Management
Every coach will recognise their own limitations of competence and the need to exercise boundary management. The client’s right to terminate the coaching process will be respected at all times, as will the need to acknowledge different approaches to coaching which may be more effective for the client than their own. Every endeavour will be taken to ensure the avoidance of conflicts of interest.

Principle Seven - Personal Pledge
Every coach will undertake to abide by the above principles that will complement the principles, codes of ethics and conduct set out by their own representative body to which they adhere and by the breach of which they would be required to undergo due process.

About the UK Coaching Bodies Roundtable:
The purpose of the Roundtable is to co-labour as representative bodies to maintain the principles on which the various bodies agree and through which the bodies will operate:

• To co-operate to enhance the reputation of the coaching industry
• To issue joint statements on issues of shared concern
• To discuss of the areas where collaboration might be of benefit

Members of the Roundtable include (in alphabetical order):

AC	Association for Coaching
APECS	Association of Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision
EMCC UK	European Mentoring and Coaching Council – UK
UK ICF	The International Coach Federation in the UK

 

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