A Forest of Coaches

    At the moment, the number of coaches in the Netherlands is estimated to be around 250,000. The Chamber of Commerce has about 100,000 businesses registered with the word “coach” in their company name or description, and in addition, we estimate that there are another 150,000 employees who have included the word “coach” in their job title. What we see is a growing demand from companies and individuals for recognized coaches. Research shows that 69% of Dutch people would like clarity on how a coach accounts for their methods, reflects on themselves, and continues to professionalize. Companies and individuals thus see it as a positive sign when a coach is recognized by an important professional organization for coaches. A certified coach is proven to have successfully completed a recognized training program, has sufficient practical experience, and continues to professionalize through peer review, supervision, and further professional educational development.

    A Forest of Professional Associations

    With so many coaches, there are just as many professional associations. Both globally and in the Netherlands, the number of professional associations is unprecedented. The most important ones that also perform independent assessments on training programs include:

    • International Coach Federation (ICF – coachfederation.org): The world’s largest professional association of coaches with around 50,000 recognized coaches globally and approximately 250 accredited training institutes. In the Netherlands, however, the ICF is relatively small, which makes it interesting to also have our programs accredited by NOBCO/EMCC Global.
      – **Nederlandse Orde van Beroepscoaches (NOBCO – nobco.nl)**: This organization focuses on a broader range of coaching practices and offers a significant presence in the Netherlands with international standards.
      – **EMCC Global Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC Global – emccglobal.org)**: Offers a wide-reaching accreditation that includes coaching and mentoring on an international scale.
      – **Nederlandse Orde van Loopbaancoaches (NOLOC – noloc.nl)**: Specializes in career coaching, making it highly relevant for those focused on this niche.
      – **Landelijke Vereniging voor Supervisie en Coaching (LVSC – lvsc.eu)**: Focuses more on supervision and less on the broader aspects of coaching which are essential for our comprehensive training programs.

    Our training programs have been accredited by the ICF and NOBCO/EMCC Global. The NOLOC and LVSC are more Dutch-oriented and lack the international character of recognition that we find crucial. Moreover, NOLOC is geared towards career coaches and LVSC more towards supervision. We train coaches more broadly than just career-oriented and within NOBCO/EMCC Global, we also have international recognition for our supervision training which eliminates the need to seek accreditation from LVSC for our programs.

    If you want to learn more about the professional associations and the benefits of joining them, check out our web page on ICF and NOBCO/EMCC Global.