Mar 12 / Natalie Savery

Ethics in Coaching: Why This Update Should Make Us Pause

If AI is part and parcel of coaching in 2026 and beyond… how are we keeping a handle on ethics?

It’s an uncomfortable question. And that’s precisely why the recent update to the Global Code of Ethics deserves some attention.

Ethics aren’t just relevant for coaches. It matters for anyone who works with people, leads others, supports development — or chooses to place their trust in a professional relationship.

Why ethics matter

Ethics create the conditions for trust. They draw the boundaries that make challenging, vulnerable conversations safe enough to have.

When a coach follows a clear ethical framework, they are committing to confidentiality, to transparency, to appropriate boundaries, to not exploiting the inherent power imbalance in the relationship. That might sound obvious. It should be obvious. But obvious and consistently practised are not the same thing.

Ethics may not be glamorous or exciting, but they are vital. Coaching asks people to think differently, to question deeply held assumptions, sometimes to surface emotions or dilemmas they haven’t shared elsewhere. Without a shared ethical standard, we would simply be relying on each individual practitioner’s personal interpretation of what is “appropriate”. And while I do believe that most people act with integrity, history across many professions tells us that good intentions are not enough. Even the best of us can fall short.

A universal code protects clients. It protects coaches. And it protects the credibility of the profession itself.

So what’s changed in the updated Global Code of Ethics?

What I find fascinating is how much has shifted in just four years.

The updated Global Code unsurprisingly now explicitly references Artificial Intelligence, data technologies, climate responsibility, systemic injustice, unconscious bias and even the responsibility to examine bias in our own communication. It expects ethical dilemmas — including those arising from AI — to be brought into supervision.

That is a significant widening of scope.

Earlier versions focused primarily on the coaching relationship itself: confidentiality, competence, boundaries. Those foundations remain. But the 2025 update recognises something bigger — that coaching does not happen in a vacuum.

It happens in a digital, data-driven, socially complex world.

And let’s be honest: the coaching world is currently buzzing about AI. Will it replace us? Augment us? Democratise access? Devalue the human element? There’s excitement, anxiety and a fair amount of noise.

The updated Code quietly steps into that debate and says: whatever happens, ethics must lead.

That feels both necessary and reassuring.

A shared global view

One of the strengths of this Code is that it isn’t owned by one association. EMCC, ICF, AC and other major professional bodies all subscribe to this shared framework. As an EMCC member of many years, I value that alignment.

Coaching is not statutorily regulated in most countries. Which means professional credibility depends heavily on self-regulation. A shared global code signals maturity. It tells clients and organisations that we take accountability seriously.

My reflection

For me, the most important part isn’t just what’s written in the document. It’s how we engage with it. How we reflect on ethics. How we notice our own assumptions. How we respond when technology moves faster than regulation. How we remain conscious of power, bias and impact.

In a rapidly changing world, we cannot outsource ethics to a PDF. We have to actively practise them.

Ethics are not static rules to sign and forget. They are a living discipline. A reflective practice. A commitment to continually asking, “Is this aligned with my values? Is this in the best interests of those I serve? Am I aware of my blind spots?”

The fact that this Code has evolved so noticeably in just four years tells us something important: the world is not standing still and neither should we.