What Is The ICF - The International Coaching Federation?

What is the ICF?

The ICF, or the International Coaching Federation, is the leading global organization for coaching.

The ICF was founded in 1995 as a professional standards body for coaching worldwide.

In 2019 the ICF interviewed 1,300 coaches to update the ICF Core Competencies framework.  

There was another update in 2025 following extensive detailed interviews with 3,000 coaches globally.

The ICF provides their members with a huge resource library of webinars, both paid and free, with meetups world-wide, training opportunities and regular news and updates regarding the coaching field.

They are a professional, well organised, and well-resourced organisation dedicated to the advancement of coaching.

The ICF accredits both coach education providers and individual coaches.

The ICF accreditation process for training providers and coaches is the most rigorous and thorough process of all coaching organisations world-wide.

The Nina Madden Academy is fully ICF accredited as a coach education provider 

www.ninamadden.com/learn

For training providers, the process can take up to 18 months or longer. It includes not just detailed evaluation of lesson plans, learning materials, slides and promotional materials but includes recording from coaching students to prove that the students are coaching to the high standards.

The ICF credentials individual coaches at ACC, Associate Certified Coach, PCC, Professional Certified Coach, and MCC, Master Certified Coach.

The ICF accreditation is a big trust signal because of the rigorous process, professional standards and code of ethics.

If you're interested in learning more about my ICF accredited Certification in Life Coaching visit www.ninamadden.com/learn