{"id":2590,"date":"2024-08-28T13:28:27","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T17:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/about\/history\/"},"modified":"2025-04-01T11:32:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T15:32:25","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/about\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>\n\t\tOur Journey of Growth, Impact, and Excellence\n\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>For 30 years, ICF has been the architect of the coaching profession, setting standards and nurturing its growth. Our purpose is clear: We are not just cultivating a thriving profession &#8211; we are collectively shaping a better future for individuals, organizations, societies, and the planet.<\/p>\n<!-- If both -->\n\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>1995<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tICF&#8217;s Founding\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-founder-thomas-leonard-600x400.png\" alt=\"A professional headshot of Thomas Leonard, founder of the International Coaching Federation, with a confident and approachable expression.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><br \/>Thomas Leonard, with support of others, <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/1995-founding-of-the-international-coach-federation-icf\/\">founded the International Coach Federation (ICF)<\/a> in the United States for the purpose of having a space for all coaches to support one another and grow a credible profession.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>1996<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tICF Chapters and Other Firsts\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-early-board-of-directors-600x405.jpg\" alt=\"A historical photo of one of the first boards of directors for the International Coaching Federation, seated around a dining table during a meal.\" width=\"600\" height=\"405\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/1996-icf-chapters-and-other-firsts\/\">ICF launched its first chapters<\/a>, pioneering global support for local coaching communities, alongside other key &#8220;firsts&#8221; like our first president, board, newsletter, and annual conference.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>1998-1999<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSetting the Global Gold Standard \t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-advancing-coaching-600x217.jpg\" alt=\"The back of a blue T-shirt worn by a person, displaying the phrase &quot;Advancing the Art, Science, and Practice of Professional Coaching&quot; in yellow text.\" width=\"600\" height=\"217\" \/>By the late 1990s, <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/1998-1999-setting-the-global-gold-standard\/\">ICF established itself as the global coaching standard<\/a> through a merger with PPCA, creation of core competencies, credentialing, a code of ethics, and accreditation of training programs, solidifying our leadership in the coaching profession.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2000-2005<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEmpowering Growth in the Profession\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2005-prism-award-winner-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"Group photo of the 2005 ICF Prism Award winners, celebrating the inaugural year of the award for organizations with strong coaching cultures.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>Between 2000-2005, ICF&#8217;s global membership tripled in size. We transitioned to our now-current management company, which opened <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2000-2005-empowering-growth-in-the-profession\/\">new avenues of support for us<\/a> to expand our global offerings, continue raising professional standards, and introduce an award recognizing impactful coaching programs in organizations.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2007-2008<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMeeting Modern Demands\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2007-world-overlay-600x400.png\" alt=\"A digitally designed image featuring a globe in the background with the ICF logo mark and the year &quot;2007&quot; overlayed. The design incorporates various shades of orange and white.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>To explore and <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2007-2008-meeting-modern-demands\/\">meet a number of emerging demands<\/a>, ICF released the <em>Global Coaching Study<\/em>, established a regional staff structure, and created a board of trustees for the ICF Foundation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2009-2010<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGlobal Coaching Perspectives\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2009-president-takes-office-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"A woman passing a globe to another woman, symbolizing the transition of leadership to the 2009 ICF Global Board President.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>ICF welcomed <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2009-2010-global-coaching-perspectives\/\">our first global board president from outside North America<\/a>, marking a significant milestone that reflected our increasingly global membership from 95+ countries. To better understand the demand for the growing number of practitioners worldwide, we released research that delved into the global consumer awareness of coaching.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2012-2014<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tElevating the Coaching Profession\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-building-a-coaching-culture-illustration-600x400.png\" alt=\"Illustration of silhouetted businesspeople standing on blue and yellow blocks with the text &quot;Building a Coaching Culture.&quot;\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>ICF has consistently demonstrated its commitment to monitoring trends and shaping the coaching industry. Between 2012 and 2014, we took <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2012-2014-elevating-the-coaching-profession\/\">pivotal strides to elevate our profession<\/a> by implementing membership eligibility requirements and conducting groundbreaking research on the effectiveness of coaching cultures.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2015-2019<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA Renewed Focus on Global Impact\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-converge-2017-crowd-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"ICF Converge 2017 attendees standing with their hands raised, celebrating joyfully during the conference.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>In 2015, ICF celebrated its 20th anniversary with a <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2015-2019-a-renewed-focus-on-global-impact\/\">renewed focus on the international community and impact<\/a>. Over the next few years, we launched the ICF Global Leaders Forum and ICF Converge, aligned the ICF Foundation with global progress goals, and updated the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics for modern coaching professionals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2020<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t25 Years Strong: Embracing Change\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2020-ecosystem-600x400.png\" alt=\"Illustration of the ICF ecosystem, showing interconnected elements representing the organization's structure.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/>In our 25th anniversary year, ICF <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2020-25-years-strong-embracing-change\/\">rebranded as the International Coach<em>ing<\/em> Federation<\/a>, evolving into a comprehensive ecosystem of six organizations to better serve the coaching community. Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, our community continued to grow, and we provided resources to help coaches and clients through this unprecedented time.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2021-2022<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFostering Inclusivity and Impact\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-converge-crowd-capture-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in the foreground stands up and takes a photo of a diverse and inclusive crowd using her digital tablet, capturing the vibrancy of the community.\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" data-wp-editing=\"1\" \/>During 2021-2022, we aimed to <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2021-2022-fostering-inclusivity-and-impact\/\">create a more inclusive and impactful coaching landscape<\/a>. Key initiatives included demonstrating the social ROI of coaching, launching a DEIB department, releasing our first research snapshot on contemporary issues, evolving our accreditation model, and achieving new membership milestones.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2023<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCelebrating Coaching Excellence\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2023-coaching-impact-award-coaches-winners-600x600.jpg\" alt=\"A group photo of the 2023 ICF Coaching Impact Award winners in the &quot;Coaches&quot; category at ICF Converge 2023, holding their awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the coaching profession.\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" \/>The inaugural ICF Coaching Impact Awards recognized coaches and organizations that are improving workplaces and lives, while a new certification in team coaching established vital standards in this growing discipline. We also <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2023-celebrating-coaching-excellence\/\">celebrated a new milestone of 50,000 credential-holders<\/a> living and working in 140+ countries and territories.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--date-->\n\t\t\t\t<!--Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>2025<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timeline-customcontent-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.date-->\n\t\t\t<!--icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.icon-->\n\t\t\t<!--Timline-Content-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEmbracing a New Era of Excellence\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Title-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/icf-about-history-2024-brand-idea-600x401.png\" alt=\"The ICF logo with the words 'Inspire. Transform. Thrive.' representing the ICF brand idea.\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\" \/>ICF has always been &#8211; and always will be &#8211; focused on advancing coaching. In our 30th year, we are undergoing a significant transformation to <a href=\"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/blog\/2025-embracing-a-new-era-of-excellence\/\">embrace a new era of coaching excellence<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-description-->\n\t\t\t<!--\/.Timline-Content-->\n\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our Journey of Growth, Impact, and Excellence For 30 years, ICF has&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":2402,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"ICF History | The Evolution of the International Coaching Federation","_seopress_titles_desc":"Explore the rich history of the International Coaching Federation, from its founding to its current role as a global leader in the coaching professio","_seopress_robots_index":"","_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2590","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","not-partnership-post","hf_cat_page-about","no-featured-image"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2590"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18255,"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2590\/revisions\/18255"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coachingfederation.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}