What does it mean to be an ethical coach?
This month Anny, Julie, Melissa and Sue explored what it means to be an ethical coach.
Introduction
Anny: Ethics in coaching is such a rich and layered conversation. It’s not just about right and wrong, and it’s certainly not only about adhering to rules. For me, ethics is woven through everything we do as coaches, how we develop ourselves, how we relate to clients, to how we market our services. It’s about self-awareness, thinking about unintended consequences, and practising with integrity.
What does it mean to be an ethical coach?
Anny: I think we have to be careful not to reduce ethics to a list of dos and don’ts. That can close down conversation. For me, ethics is really about how we think and reflect on our work. It’s about being honest with ourselves, staying open to the impact of what we do, and paying attention to what’s happening in our wider environment. That includes the models we use, how we contract, how we use tools and even the assumptions we carry about what coaching is for.
Melissa: If I think about what it means to be an ethical coach right now, I’d say it’s about how we evolve. The landscape is changing, and fast. Take AI, for instance. Clients are increasingly using AI tools to navigate life decisions. That shifts how they show up to coaching. For us, this raises ethical questions about contracting, boundaries, and how we stay grounded in the essence of coaching while remaining responsive to change.
Sue: For me, ethics starts with setting your stall out clearly. It’s about transparency, honesty, and being clear about your scope. As coaches, we’re dealing with people and with their goals, fears and vulnerabilities. I think ethical coaching comes down to integrity and a commitment to keep growing with the times, without losing the core values that define our profession.
Julie: I’ve been reflecting on what ethical practice means to me above and beyond the ethical frameworks from our professional bodies. For me my personal and professional ethics are closely tied up with my thoughts about integrity. It’s about doing the inner and background work when nobody is watching! As you say Anny, that covers all the elements of my practice from marketing through to ending a coaching relationship. In particular, it’s about ensuring the client is at the centre of everything I do; meeting them where they are at and not where I would like them to be. It also means not taking on a client who I feel might be better served elsewhere by someone else and instead referring or signposting on.
Keeping pace with change: The AI question
Anny: The Global Code of Ethics and updated ICF Code now reference digital practices and AI. But let’s be honest, codes can’t always keep up with the pace of change. That’s why embedding ethics in our coaching practices matters. For me, being an ethical coach means having these kind of conversations regularly, we need to notice what’s changing in our field, talk with peers, and reflect on what it means for our clients and for ourselves. Being aware of the world we work in is part of ethical practice.
Sue: Exactly. I volunteer with a coaching body, and we’ve been having governance conversations about AI. It’s not about rejecting it, it’s about being transparent. If we use AI tools for content generation or research, we need to be honest about it. And more broadly, it’s about knowing where AI fits and where human coaching still matters, because coaching is a deeply human practice.
From compliance to maturity: Beyond codes
Melissa: It comes back to integrity. Whether we’re talking about AI, marketing, or coaching approaches, it’s about being open and honest about how we work. We’re not just technicians; we’re facilitators of thinking. And that means asking: How do we educate ourselves? How do we reflect on evolving challenges?
Anny: Exactly. What often comes up in the ethical conversation is how to develop ethical maturity. Ethical maturity, to me, is about developing habits that support self-awareness. That might include reflecting after each coaching session, thinking about our values, noticing where we might have blind spots, and engaging properly with supervision. It’s not just about ticking the boxes for CPD or accreditation, it’s about growing as a coach and being willing to challenge our assumptions.
Julie: I agree. A big element of ethical practice for me is tied up with the broadness of the ICF competency of embodying a coaching mindset. To me this means showing up as the most effective I can be which includes self care, not taking on too many clients, being clear about my own boundaries, accessing supervision and ensuring I have relevant and targeted CPD.
Sue: And as the world changes, so should our ethical reflections. Revisiting our contracts, refreshing our awareness, and asking what integrity means to us now, these are essential. What we committed to when we first trained as coaches isn’t static. Our understanding of ethical practice has to grow with us.
Final reflections
Melissa: This conversation reminded me how deeply human coaching practice is, and what ethics should be about. Beyond codes and checklists, it’s about reflection, awareness, and holding space with care. It’s about who we are as people, not just professionals.
Anny: I agree. Melissa, I loved that you brought in the humanness, because it says something about how you view your purpose of coaching. For me, ethics in coaching starts with understanding the purpose of coaching itself. That clarity allows us to align our values with our actions and to build trust in our client relationships.
Sue: Yes. Reflection and asking “why” are key. Why are we in this profession? What does it mean to show up with integrity today? When we stay close to those questions, we bring real value to our clients, and to ourselves as coaches.
Julie: Agreed, I’m loving the focus on our humanity as coaches. Coaching involves two humans connecting. Ethical practice is tied up with courageous practice. Sometimes that’s about having the courage to know your theories in depth, let them inform you and then put them aside and go where the client needs to go within your sphere of coaching expertise This is where coaching moves from a science to an art; acting ethically with focused curiosity.
Further reading and resources
Wendy-Ann Smith et al. (2023) The Ethical Coaches’ Handbook: a guide to developing ethical maturity in practice.
Global Code of Ethics for Coaches, Mentors and Supervisors https://www.globalcodeofethics.org
ICF Code of Ethics (2025 revision) https://coachingfederation.org/credentialing/coaching-ethics/icf-code-of-ethics/
Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA