3 ways of recertification with the International Coaching Federation (ICF)

As the leading international coaching association, ICF expects certified coaches to undergo regular further training and to document that their knowledge of the ICF Core Competencies and Ethical Standards is still fresh. As an ICF-certified coach, you must renew your certification and re-certify every three years. This offers established coaches the opportunity to discover interesting new areas of development and acquire new skills. In this article, we will look at the requirements ICF places on recertification and which training products from Competence Training Institute can support you in fulfilling them and to what extent. 

Three levels of certification at ICF 

Coaches can take a certification exam at ICF at three different levels, depending on the extent of their coaching training and experience: 

• Associate Certified Coach (ACC): for coaches who have already completed ICF-accredited coaching training and have subsequently gained initial coaching experience with their own clients.
• Professional Certified Coach (PCC): for experienced coaches who already have several years of professional coaching experience and have undergone comprehensive training according to ICF criteria
• Master Certified Coach (MCC): for seasoned coaches who have been certified as PCCs for at least some time and have undergone sustained and in-depth further training according to ICF criteria in order to meet the requirement of being regarded as masters in their field.

What are ICF's Requirements for Re-Certification? 

At the end of the three-year certification period, coaches at all three levels (ACC, PCC, MCC) must provide evidence of 40 hours of training accredited by ICF in the form of Continued Coach Education Units (CCEs or CCEUs). Of these 40 CCEUs, 24 CCEUs must be acquired in Core Competencies, including 3 CCEUs for refresher training in Ethical Standards. The latter is usually done through the ICF Complimentary Ethics Course, which coaches can complete online on the ICF website. The remaining 16 CCEUs may be earned in Resource Development or Core Competencies. When selecting the appropriate training courses, you should therefore pay attention to how many CCEUs are available in the Core Competencies area and how many in the Resource Development area. All CCEUs that you wish to use for re-certification must have been earned since your last (re)certification, i.e. CCEUs earned earlier cannot be used for this purpose. 

ACCs must also complete 10 hours of Mentor Coaching for each re-certification. PCCs and MCCs do not require mentor coaching but can have mentor coaching received and given as well as supervision received and given credited as CCEUs (up to max. 10) in Core Competencies. All information on re-certification (including costs) can be found on the ICF website. 

How can you earn CCEUs at Competence? 

Many of Competence's training products are ICF-accredited. Here we explain to what extent you can earn CCEUs for which product. 

The Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) and the Co-Active Trainings 

Co-Active is more than a coaching and leadership training program. It is an opportunity to grow through the leadership experiences of yourself and others. CTI's experiential training programs create change, expand your understanding of the world around you, and empower you to masterfully navigate interactions so that you can begin to harness the full, natural power of human interactions. 

CTI's Co-Active trainings are ICF accredited and consist of a coaching and a leadership route. The coaching route includes the coach training (with 5 modules, from Fundamentals to Synergy) and the Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) certification. It is recognized as a Level 2 Program by ICF and you can use it to apply directly for an ACC Credential (or, if you have already coached 500 hours since the start of your ICF-accredited training, also for a PCC Credential). 

In addition, you will also receive 20 CCEUs for Co-Active Fundamentals, including 17 CCEUs in Core Competencies and 3 in Resource Development. If Co-Active Coaching is not the program you originally used to apply for your ACC or PCC Credential, you can use these CCEUs for re-certification. 

On the Leadership Route, the Co-Active Leadership Experience (CLE) offers you an introduction to the 5 dimensions of the Co-Active Leadership Model and the opportunity to develop a deeper sense of authority and purpose in your life. For participating in CLE, you will receive 18.75 CCEUs, including 11.75 CCEUs in Core Competencies and 7 in Resource Development. 

CRR Global and ORSC Coaching 

Relationships are important, whether on the company board or between family members. For over 20 years, Organizations and Relationship Systems Coaches have been transforming relationships at all levels using ORSC skills and techniques. ORSC Coaching differs from other coaching programs in that it is not the individual who is coached, but the entire system. 

CRR Global's ORSC Program is ICF-accredited and consists of the ORSC Curriculum (with 5 modules, ranging from ORSC Fundamentals to Systems Integration) and the ORSC Certified Coach (ORSCC) certification. It is recognized as a Level 2 Program by ICF and you can use it to apply directly for an ACC Credential (or, if you have already coached 500 hours since the start of your ICF-accredited training, also for a PCC Credential). 

In addition, you will also receive CCEUs for the ORSC modules and the certification program in the following amounts: 

In total, you can earn 180.5 CCEUs with the ORSC Program, all in the Core Competencies area. If ORSC was not the program you originally applied for your ACC or PCC Certificate with, you can apply these CCEUs for re-certification. 

Leadership Embodiment 

Leadership Embodiment is a process that uses the principles of the non-violent Japanese martial art of Aikido and mindfulness to offer simple tools and practices to help you increase your leadership capacity and respond to stress and pressure with more confidence and integrity. You will learn to recognize your own patterns and bring yourself into an optimal, centered state. This helps coaches and leaders to be truly present in the conversation and to give the most helpful response in the here and now, whether in the form of confrontation, further questions, silence or sometimes even a joke. You will become even better at embodying wisdom and compassion. 

Our Leadership Embodiment Fundamentals Training offers an introduction to the potential of LE. It is accredited by ICF and equipped with 14 CCEUs, including 9 CCEUs in Core Competencies and 5 in Resource Development, which you can use for re-certification. 

Do you want to know more about one of our programs? 

Would you like to know if one of our programs fits your need? At which locations or what language you can participate in a program? Or maybe you have another question. Feel free to contact our program advisers for a personalized advise.