Why does the coaching industry need an ethics association?

Many people seeking coaching services are looking for help at very vulnerable times in their lives. As the coaching industry becomes more deeply rooted in self-help and other healing tools and modalities, it’s important for coaches to understand how to engage with their clients in ways that actually do help them instead of resulting in more harm. Many of the existing professional organizations in the coaching industry have their own codes of ethics, but few are so comprehensive as to incorporate trauma-informed frameworks and ethical business guidelines that go beyond simply abiding by the law.

What are ethics, anyway?

Ethical guidelines are a set of commonly agreed upon general rules, standards of conduct, and shared expectations that help people working in a profession navigate the potential ethical pitfalls of that specific profession.

These types of guidelines define industry best practices, as well as provide a legal standard for the profession through the documentation of specific criteria, including how to meet legal compliance requirements like state and federal consumer protection laws.  

The establishment of ethical guidelines helps the people that the industry serves – in this case, clients – feel more comfortable when selecting a service provider, and it serves as a system of checks and balances for the profession.  Learn about about what ethics are and why the coaching industry needs them on our blog.

What does EFC mean when we say ethics?

Ethics aren’t the law, but they do include abiding by the law. Just like any professional organization, when Ethics for Coaching talks about creating ethical guidelines, we mean the establishment of an ethical framework to help guide coaches in the industry and prevent harm.

Ethical guidelines should be a living framework that evolves along with the industry and EFC is no different.

Because every industry has to start somewhere, EFC consulted with a number of coaching, mental health, law, and business professionals to develop a foundational handbook of comprehensive ethical guidelines founded upon a trauma-informed framework. This handbook is a living document that will evolve as we gather input from the coaching community.

The EFC handbook currently defines it’s ethical pillars as Integrity, Safety, Inclusivity, and Professionalism, and ethical coaching as personal/professional growth achieved in safe and inclusive spaces that minimize harm, reduce conflict of interest, and protect consumer rights.