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Currently, in the UK there are no legal requirements to become a coach. For this reason, some coaches will choose to join a professional body or coaching register. These organisations regulate a high standard of practice and ensure their members are suitably qualified, insured, and abide by a code of ethics. 

Below is a list of some of the professional bodies and coaching registers coaches may join. You can learn more about this on our professional bodies page.


Professional bodies and coaching registers

  • Association for Coaching
    One of the leading professional bodies for coaches and organisations, with the purpose of inspiring and championing coaching excellence in a bid to advance the coaching profession and make a positive and lasting difference.
  • Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision (APECS)
    The Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision (APECS) is the professional body for executive coaching and for the supervision of executive coaches. The not-for-profit organisation aims to set high professional standards for executive coaching and requires members to adhere to its Code of Ethics and Conduct.
  • European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)
    The European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) exists to promote, develop and set the expectations for good coaching and mentoring practice in the UK.
  • UK International Coach Federation (ICF)
    The International Coach Federation is the professional association for personal and business coaches worldwide. Formed back in 1995 the Federation now has over 16,000 members and is dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high professional standards, providing certification and building a network of credentialed coaches.
  • International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentoring (IAPC&M)
    The IAPC&M is an internationally focused organisation run by professional coaches whose aim is to build, maintain and raise awareness of the coaching practice.
  • The Association for NLP (ANLP)
    The Association for Neuro Linguistic Programming (ANLP) is a UK Association for NLP Professionals. This organisation is a Community Interest Company, which means that they are recognised as a social enterprise which exists to enhance NLP and support the NLP community.
  • NLP Association of Excellence (NLPEA)
    The NLP Association of Excellence (NLPEA) is a recognised accrediting body for Coaching and NLP. The key aims of the association are to provide ethical standards in the practice of NLP and coaching and to protect and benefit the public through the registration of only qualified professionals.
  • International NLP Trainers Association (INLPTA)
    International NLP Trainers Association (INLPTA) is an international association of NLP Trainers and Master Trainers who have agreed to abide by and uphold INLPTA's standards of quality, professionalism and ethics in their NLP training and in the conduct of their NLP business.
  • British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP Coaching)
    BACP is one of the UK’s largest professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy. The Association is made up of several different membership categories, e.g. Associate Member, Member (MBACP), Accredited Member (MBACP Accred), with the different categories standing for different levels of training and experience. All members are bound by a Code of Ethics & Practice and a Complaints Procedure.

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