CMBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering.
Set your extensive experience and skills apart and establish yourself as a leader in the business coaching global community.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant), if you’re doing business coaching at this level, WABC offers different routes via WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC)® Programs or the WABC Portfolio Pathway to become a CMBC, based on your experience.
Once you earn CMBC, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
Because the CMBC credential specifically prepares you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credential.
Our WABC Portfolio Pathway was introduced on October 17, 2025
We’re fortunate to have an extensive waiting list, so if you’re on it, we’ll be re-connecting with you very quickly. Please contact WABC if you’re visiting here for the first time and would like to explore our Portfolio Pathway.
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
Full length programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
Fast-track programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
Earning your CMBC involves the following fees:
*Fee set by the training provider
**See the WABC Portfolio Pathway information provided to you
***See WABC Full Member
Maintaining your CMBC: Please see “Maintaining Your Credential” below.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
Generally yes. Once a Program earns the “WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC)” mark, then you would be eligible to earn CMBC assuming you have successfully completed all Program requirements and met all WABC requirements within applicable deadlines.
For WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Program: You must be a current WABC Full Member to earn CMBC. You have one year from your Program pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., upgrade to, or join/re-join as, a WABC Full Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: You must be a current WABC Full Member before registration in the Pathway. If you have allowed your membership to lapse, you have one year from your CMBC Candidate Portfolio pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., re-join as a WABC Full Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Program: If you were already a WABC Member while taking your Program but allowed your membership to lapse prior to Program completion, you’ll be required to re-join as a WABC Full Member and pay the associated fees before receiving your CMBC. Also see FAQ above.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Being a current WABC Full Member is among requirements to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway, so you’re expected to keep your membership in good standing at all times. If you allow your membership to lapse prior to your Portfolio Pathway completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC at the required level and pay the associated fees before receiving your CMBC. Also see FAQ above.
Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental body recognizes an individual who has successfully met predetermined qualifications. As an advanced, evidence-based credential, CMBC falls within this type of qualification.
It is the most rigorous level of professional credentialing available for individuals. Professional certification credentials that follow industry best practice require validation, carry re-certification requirements and are subject to revocation. CMBC adheres to these best practices.
CMBC is a professional certification which means it is a “working or applied” credential. Unlike certificates and degrees which transfer knowledge and skills, professional certifications measure how an individual uses knowledge and skills in real-life situations. By certifying that the holder is able to currently practice at a certain level, certification maintains public trust in the delivery of service.
For a professional certification credential to remain valid, the holder must stay relevant with current practice and theories. That’s why it’s a certification best practice for holders to meet ongoing requirements, such as continuing professional development, to maintain their certified credentials.
Yes, to maintain your CMBC, there are two ongoing requirements which both require fees:
Taking a sabbatical during your career may affect your CMBC credential.
Yes, your CMBC credential can be revoked under certain circumstances.
The WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your CMBC Promo Package.
Each WABC credential for professional business coaches is intended to be a stand-alone credential—choose the one that matches your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and/or employer needs.
| PRACTITIONER RCC™ | ADVANCED CBC™ | MASTER CMBC® | ELITE ChBC® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About |
| Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills. RCC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering. | WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills. CBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering. | WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills. CMBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering. | Chartered Business Coach® (ChBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence. ChBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering. |
| Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates |
NOTE: If you have a minimum of 1 year of business coaching experience, you will be able to consider either a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. |
|
|
|
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
|
WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 150* Option: Fast Track Duration: 4–8 months* Hours: 75* *Expect some variability based on participants’ experience-level and program’s approach WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 9–18 months* Hours: 400* Option: Fast Track Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 200* *Expect some variability based on participants’ experience-level and program’s approach WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 18–24 months* Hours: 1200* Option: Fast Track Duration: 12–18 months* Hours: 600* *Expect some variability based on participants’ experience-level and program’s approach WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
|
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed | WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
|
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable | WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables | ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
| WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your RCC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance) | WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your CBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance) | WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your CMBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance) | WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your ChBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance) |
| CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements | CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements | CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements | CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
| There are no requirements to maintain your RCC credential |
|
|
|
| WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. |
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
Over the course of my career I have continued my education with numerous credential and professional licenses within the financial services industry, including with a Fortune 100 company. WABC is a rigorous association that keeps high standards on the same level as Investment and Wealth Institute, which offers the CIMA.
I appreciate the in-depth knowledge required to attain the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials, as the WABC Accredited® programs that lead to these credentials are structured to develop participants into excellent business coaches. WABC’s exclusivity and high standards set the bar for meaningful credentials which can help others through coaching.
My credentials have been extremely rewarding to me and my career. The training and continued focus on business coaching has benefited the teams I have led and their overall success. With the processes and structure of coaching, I have helped individuals identify goals and action plans that help them accomplish more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Coaching has enabled me to communicate more effectively, enhance my recruiting and retention of top talent and increase overall engagement from my teams.
There are many associations that offer credentials for a few hour or weekend course and provide a certificate or credential. This “weekend designation” is detrimental to the industry, as clients may not be certain of the level of knowledge achieved. WABC does a great job on sharing the value, knowledge and overall worth of the credentials that so many great coaches have achieved.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
As a former athlete, coach and 25-year executive, I worked with high achievers and world-class teams to transform the way in which thousands of athletes, coaches and organizations prepare for and perform at the Olympic Games. For this, I was privileged and humbled to have received Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and named 5-time recipient of Canada’s most influential women in sport and physical activity. That passion led me to the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).
From my first touchpoint with the WABC website, to the phenomenal guidance of its Founder, Wendy Johnson, I knew that the WABC was a values-driven, services-focused organization with uncompromising quality of its accredited programs. I found an organization as dedicated to human performance excellence as I was.
The Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) credential provided me with the confidence, knowledge, structure and evidence to guide and support my clients from various industries, from medical to management consulting to telecommunications. The learnings from the WABC Accredited® program were so valuable that I decided to also earn the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials which have allowed me to support my clients even more extensively.
I could not be more thankful to Wendy and WABC for leading and raising the profile of business coaches around the world.
CMBC positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering.
In this increasingly competitive industry filled with un-credentialed coaches, it’s time to set yourself apart.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant), if you’re doing business coaching at this level, WABC offers different routes via WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC)® Programs or the WABC Portfolio Pathway to become a CBC, based on your experience.
Once you earn CBC, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
Because the CBC credential specifically prepares you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credential.
Our WABC Portfolio Pathway was introduced on October 17, 2025
We’re fortunate to have an extensive waiting list, so if you’re on it, we’ll be re-connecting with you very quickly. Please contact WABC if you’re visiting here for the first time and would like to explore our Portfolio Pathway.
Full length programs are suited for professionals with business coaching experience
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
Fast-track programs are suited for professionals with business coaching experience
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
Full length programs are suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
Fast-track programs are suited for professionals with business coaching experience
We’re excited to announce that a new program will be available in mid-2027!
Earning your CBC involves the following fees:
*Fee set by the training provider
**See the WABC Portfolio Pathway information provided to you
***See WABC Affiliate Member™ or WABC Full Member™
Maintaining your CBC: Please see “Maintaining Your Credential” below.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
Generally yes. Once a Program earns the “WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC)” mark, then you would be eligible to earn CBC assuming you have successfully completed all Program requirements and met all WABC requirements within applicable deadlines.
For WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC) Program: You must be a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member to earn CBC. You have one year from your Program pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., join/re-join as a WABC Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: You must be a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member before registration in the Pathway. If you have allowed your membership to lapse, you have one year from your CBC Candidate Portfolio Pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., re-join as a WABC Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC) Program: If you were already a WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member while taking your Program but allowed your membership to lapse prior to Program completion, you’ll be required to re-join WABC and pay the associated fees before receiving your CBC. Also see FAQ above.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Being a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member is among requirements to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway, so you’re expected to keep your membership in good standing at all times. If you allow your membership to lapse prior to your Portfolio Pathway completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC and pay the associated fees before receiving your CBC. Also see FAQ above.
Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental body recognizes an individual who has successfully met predetermined qualifications. As an advanced, evidence-based credential, CBC falls within this type of qualification.
It is the most rigorous level of professional credentialing available for individuals. Professional certification credentials that follow industry best practice require validation, carry re-certification requirements and are subject to revocation. CBC adheres to these best practices.
CBC is a professional certification which means it is a “working or applied” credential. Unlike certificates and degrees which transfer knowledge and skills, professional certifications measure how an individual uses knowledge and skills in real-life situations. By certifying that the holder is able to currently practice at a certain level, certification maintains public trust in the delivery of service.
For a professional certification credential to remain valid, the holder must stay relevant with current practice and theories. That’s why it’s a certification best practice for holders to meet ongoing requirements, such as continuing professional development, to maintain their certified credentials.
Yes, to maintain your CBC, there are two ongoing requirements which both require fees:
Taking a sabbatical during your career may affect your CBC credential.
Yes, your CBC credential can be revoked under certain circumstances.
The WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your CBC Promo Package.
Each WABC credential for professional business coaches is intended to be a stand-alone credential—choose the one that matches your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and/or employer needs.
| PRACTITIONER RCC™ |
ADVANCED CBC™ |
MASTER CMBC® |
ELITE ChBC® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About |
| Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering. |
WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering. |
WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering. |
Chartered Business Coach® (ChBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
ChBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering. |
| Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates |
NOTE: If you have a minimum of 1 year of business coaching experience, you will be able to consider either a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. |
|
|
|
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
| WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 150* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 9–18 months* Hours: 400* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 18–24 months* Hours: 1200* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
|
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
|
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
| WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your ChBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance |
| CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
| There are no requirements to maintain your RCC credential |
|
|
|
| WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. |
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
Over the course of my career I have continued my education with numerous credential and professional licenses within the financial services industry, including with a Fortune 100 company. WABC is a rigorous association that keeps high standards on the same level as Investment and Wealth Institute, which offers the CIMA.
I appreciate the in-depth knowledge required to attain the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials, as the WABC Accredited® programs that lead to these credentials are structured to develop participants into excellent business coaches. WABC’s exclusivity and high standards set the bar for meaningful credentials which can help others through coaching.
My credentials have been extremely rewarding to me and my career. The training and continued focus on business coaching has benefited the teams I have led and their overall success. With the processes and structure of coaching, I have helped individuals identify goals and action plans that help them accomplish more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Coaching has enabled me to communicate more effectively, enhance my recruiting and retention of top talent and increase overall engagement from my teams.
There are many associations that offer credentials for a few hour or weekend course and provide a certificate or credential. This “weekend designation” is detrimental to the industry, as clients may not be certain of the level of knowledge achieved. WABC does a great job on sharing the value, knowledge and overall worth of the credentials that so many great coaches have achieved.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
As a former athlete, coach and 25-year executive, I worked with high achievers and world-class teams to transform the way in which thousands of athletes, coaches and organizations prepare for and perform at the Olympic Games. For this, I was privileged and humbled to have received Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and named 5-time recipient of Canada’s most influential women in sport and physical activity. That passion led me to the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).
From my first touchpoint with the WABC website, to the phenomenal guidance of its Founder, Wendy Johnson, I knew that the WABC was a values-driven, services-focused organization with uncompromising quality of its accredited programs. I found an organization as dedicated to human performance excellence as I was.
The Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) credential provided me with the confidence, knowledge, structure and evidence to guide and support my clients from various industries, from medical to management consulting to telecommunications. The learnings from the WABC Accredited® program were so valuable that I decided to also earn the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials which have allowed me to support my clients even more extensively.
I could not be more thankful to Wendy and WABC for leading and raising the profile of business coaches around the world.
CBC raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
Organizations and businesses of all kinds have new challenges to face in our quickly changing global environments. Success today requires advancing on many fronts simultaneously, including facing new industry entrants and disruptors, adapting to customer demands, competing to attract and retain top talent, and establishing clarity of vision through tumultuous times. Leading organizations know business coaching is essential to support the alignment between organizational goals and the leaders, teams and individuals responsible for driving their success.
Organizations have new challenges to face in our quickly changing global environments. Success today requires advancing on many fronts simultaneously, including facing new industry entrants and disruptors, adapting to customer demands, competing to attract and retain top talent, and establishing clarity of vision through tumultuous times.
As these challenges grow increasingly intertwined, traditional siloed thinking lacks the relevance to operate effectively in this new context. It takes enduring commitment to continuously focus on the right business initiatives at the right time, find the precise balance of objectives, resources and timing, and build transparency and accountability at all levels of an organization to realize sustained success.
This shift requires new knowledge and skills. Developing a learning mindset, building resilience and adopting adaptability are key to driving growth, innovation and peak performance from leaders, teams and individuals alike. Achieving organizational goals requires alignment and accountability at every level of an organization.
As organizations rise to meet these demands and realize their strategic intents, business coaching can support the alignment between organizational goals and the leaders, teams and individuals responsible for driving their success.

Business coaching impacts individuals, teams and the organizations they work within. A business coach will leverage their expertise to build on the current state of both the organization and the individuals within it, to enhance performance and leadership potential. It is a role that is, by nature, supportive, disruptive and progressive.
Business coaching is distinct in that it addresses the needs of both the individual and the organization they work within. This distinction makes business coaching a unique discipline within the world of coaching more broadly. Business coaches can go by many names—including executive coach, organizational coach, leadership coach, or corporate coach—yet each one focuses on the shared business goals and objectives of both the client and the organization. This dual focus separates business coaching as a distinct practice from all other kinds of coaching.
Business coaches support organizational goals and objectives, at an individual or team level, by identifying opportunities and supporting clients in their actions to achieve results. The business coach’s role can take on many forms—it can be supportive, disruptive and progressive to encourage insights, development, change and growth.
Business coaching is industry agnostic, meaning the competencies of an effective business coach can be applied to any sectors or industries. Some business coaches may choose to specialize and offer their services in a particular industry. This is especially true with WABC business coaches, as they are required to have business and organizational experience before earning their WABC credentials.
Business coaches are strategic partners who build your business and operational success. Among the broad array of service offerings, business coaches may help:
Business coaching engagements can be initiated for many reasons—ultimately, the goal is to remove roadblocks or challenges or to stimulate new insights or pathways so a business, company or organization can achieve its full potential and sustain or grow its market position.
Business coaching helps leaders, individuals and teams respond more effectively to change and accept greater accountability. It is often used to help high-performers reach even greater success as they engage with new opportunities for growth, at both a professional and organizational level.
An internal manager is taking over a new team and wants to understand how to integrate into an existing dynamic and build trust.
A business coach can help facilitate a smooth transition and provide the leader with clarity on how to build a vision and engage their team effectively.
An organization is going through a business transformation related to their goals, processes or technologies.
A business coach can help manage change effectively by implementing strategies to support the transition and adoption of the new priorities.
A president or CEO is ready to step down and is looking to build a succession plan to ready the organization for a significant leadership change.
A business coach can help the leader transition their expertise and knowledge effectively, and build clarity of vision while navigating a complex leadership handover.
If a team isn’t working well together, performance challenges and missed targets are common symptoms of underlying tension and lack of trust.
Business coaches can work with both individuals and teams to improve their dynamic, build trust with one another and find new ways to collaborate to increase productivity.
Supporting mental health is instrumental in retaining top performers and building an optimal, innovative work environment.
A business coach can improve employees’ understanding of how they contribute to an organization’s priorities, how to maintain an appropriate work/life balance, and how to be more authentic and open within the workplace.
The Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) leads the business coaching industry in identifying the qualities, actions and skills you need to drive leading business outcomes and harness emerging opportunities.
As the industry leader since 1997, WABC has elevated business coaching practices worldwide and helped countless coaches, clients and companies successfully navigate complexity and achieve tangible business results.
Our global community spans more than 125 countries, and includes business coaches who work with entrepreneurs, managers, CEOs, presidents and professionals from all industries, all sectors, and all organizational sizes.
Enhance your customer service experience and build trust and loyalty with clients. Business coaching can help improve relationships and align individuals’ actions more closely with performance goals.
Drive performance with your team by strengthening internal engagement to drive greater innovation and more insightful decision-making. Improve the confidence, emotional intelligence and communication skills to motivate team members towards better performance.
Improve your organization’s ability to more effectively deliver on your mission to the communities you serve. Boost creativity, innovation and accountability for your programs, and more clearly articulate the need in ways that resonate with the public.
Increase the efficacy of your program delivery by thinking more strategically and spotting opportunities that drive greater results. Build support more effectively, both within your organization and with external partners and stakeholders.
Gather the right information from clients by asking more insightful questions and tailoring your approach more effectively. Guide your clients towards clarity by offering clear, strategic intent.
Build trusted partnerships founded on advice, authenticity and a sense of being in your client’s corner. Enhance your strategic deliverables with solutions that address clients’ challenges realistically and effectively.
Strengthen the ability to identify client needs and get to the root cause of operational challenges more effectively. Gain a wider strategic view on how technology infrastructure supports business and operational strategy.
Build organizational roadmaps that take into account the diverse requirements across departments. Equip teams with the relationship-building skills and empathy needed to drive stakeholder satisfaction.
Increase employee focus by fostering a positive working environment through setting clear expectations of organizational priorities and safety. Align business objectives and team priorities more closely by equipping leaders with the skills to manage their teams more effectively.
Improve your customer service experience with increased loyalty and customer satisfaction. Build a supportive and respectful culture that takes into account the importance of a team member’s overall wellbeing, including their mental health.
Business coaching offers many ways to achieve your business objectives and build a business coaching culture within your organization. Take the next step towards achieving sustainable performance improvement with WABC.
Search the WABC Business Coach Locator to find your qualified coaching partner in accelerating your professional or organizational achievement.
Are you a champion of business coaching within your organization and want to introduce WABC to your employer to see what’s possible?
Whether your organization has a business coaching program or is interested in building one, WABC accredits in-house programs to ensure that your employees are trained to coach using the latest research-informed best practice and global standards.
Many organizations see the value in using business coaching to unlock the potential within their organization, but don’t know where to start.
WABC offers a range of consulting and business services to identify opportunities and improve business coaching within organizations.
Whether you are a business coach, leader-as-coach, client, training provider or member of the public, WABC enhances coaching confidence by delivering relevant, robust and reliable academic and professional principles and standards. Our best-in-class benchmarks reward excellence and build discipline in the business coaching industry and its subspecialties towards research and sound practice.
CLAC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that positions you as a leader-as-coach with certified-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CLAC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that positions you as a leader-as-coach with certified-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
WABC Certified Leader-as-Coach (CLAC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a leader-as-coach at certified-level. As you support the development, empowerment and accountability of others in your organization, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to improve the performance in the delivery of strategic business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CLAC means you can lead with results.
Exceptional leadership includes incorporating specialized coaching skills within your professional role.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, manager, supervisor), if you’re already doing, or want to start doing, leader-as-coach coaching, WABC offers WABC Accredited (Level 2 – Leader-as-Coach)® Programs to become a CLAC.
Once you earn CLAC, you become part of our global community of business coaches and leaders-as-coaches!
WABC Certified Leader-as-Coach (CLAC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a leader-as-coach at certified-level.
Because the CLAC credential specifically prepares you for leader-as-coach coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credentials.
Full length programs are suited for leaders, managers and supervisors wishing to incorporate coaching into their professional role
| Start Date | Provider | Program | Format | Location | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEB 20, 2026 | KasKor Business Coaching |
The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach – Credential Edition |
Virtual | International | English |
| MAY 1, 2026 | KasKor Business Coaching |
The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach – Credential Edition |
Virtual | International | English |
| SEP 18, 2026 | KasKor Business Coaching |
The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach – Credential Edition |
Virtual | International | English |
| OCT 30, 2026 | KasKor Business Coaching |
The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach – Credential Edition |
Virtual | International | English |
Full length programs are suited for leaders, managers and supervisors wishing to incorporate coaching into their professional role
Add custom message when needed.
Earning your CLAC involves the following fees:
*Fee set by the training provider
**US$35.00
Maintaining your CLAC: Please see “Maintaining Your Credential” below.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
Generally yes. Once a Program earns the “WABC Accredited (Level 2 – Leader-as-Coach)” mark, then you would be eligible to earn CLAC assuming you have successfully completed all Program requirements and met all WABC requirements within applicable deadlines.
You have one year from your Program pass date to complete the final administrative needs (e.g., agree to the WABC Certified Leader-as-Coach (CLAC) Standards, purchase your WABC CLAC Promo Package).
Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental body recognizes an individual who has successfully met predetermined qualifications. As an evidence-based credential, CLAC falls within this type of qualification.
It is the most rigorous level of professional credentialing available for individuals. Professional certification credentials that follow industry best practice require validation, carry re-certification requirements and are subject to revocation. CLAC adheres to these best practices.
CLAC is a professional certification which means it is a “working or applied” credential. Unlike certificates and degrees which transfer knowledge and skills, professional certifications measure how an individual uses knowledge and skills in real-life situations. By certifying that the holder is able to currently practice at a certain level, certification maintains public trust in the delivery of service.
For a professional certification credential to remain valid, the holder must stay relevant with current practice and theories. That’s why it’s a certification best practice for holders to meet ongoing requirements, such as confirming your continuing engagement in leader-as-coach coaching, to maintain their certified credentials.
Yes, to maintain your CLAC, there is one ongoing requirement which requires a fee:
Yes, your CLAC credential can be revoked under certain circumstances.
The WABC Certified Leader-as-Coach (CLAC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your CLAC Promo Package.
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
Over the course of my career I have continued my education with numerous credential and professional licenses within the financial services industry, including with a Fortune 100 company. WABC is a rigorous association that keeps high standards on the same level as Investment and Wealth Institute, which offers the CIMA.
I appreciate the in-depth knowledge required to attain the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials, as the WABC Accredited® programs that lead to these credentials are structured to develop participants into excellent business coaches. WABC’s exclusivity and high standards set the bar for meaningful credentials which can help others through coaching.
My credentials have been extremely rewarding to me and my career. The training and continued focus on business coaching has benefited the teams I have led and their overall success. With the processes and structure of coaching, I have helped individuals identify goals and action plans that help them accomplish more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Coaching has enabled me to communicate more effectively, enhance my recruiting and retention of top talent and increase overall engagement from my teams.
There are many associations that offer credentials for a few hour or weekend course and provide a certificate or credential. This “weekend designation” is detrimental to the industry, as clients may not be certain of the level of knowledge achieved. WABC does a great job on sharing the value, knowledge and overall worth of the credentials that so many great coaches have achieved.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
As a former athlete, coach and 25-year executive, I worked with high achievers and world-class teams to transform the way in which thousands of athletes, coaches and organizations prepare for and perform at the Olympic Games. For this, I was privileged and humbled to have received Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and named 5-time recipient of Canada’s most influential women in sport and physical activity. That passion led me to the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).
From my first touchpoint with the WABC website, to the phenomenal guidance of its Founder, Wendy Johnson, I knew that the WABC was a values-driven, services-focused organization with uncompromising quality of its accredited programs. I found an organization as dedicated to human performance excellence as I was.
The Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) credential provided me with the confidence, knowledge, structure and evidence to guide and support my clients from various industries, from medical to management consulting to telecommunications. The learnings from the WABC Accredited® program were so valuable that I decided to also earn the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials which have allowed me to support my clients even more extensively.
I could not be more thankful to Wendy and WABC for leading and raising the profile of business coaches around the world.
CLAC positions you as a leader-as-coach with certified-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
Registered Corporate Coach (RCC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering.
Exceptional business coaching begins with a confident, practical understanding.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant), if you’re already doing, or want to start doing, business coaching, WABC offers different routes via WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC)® Programs or the WABC Portfolio Pathway to become an RCC, based on whether you have previous coaching experience or not.
Once you earn RCC, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
Registered Corporate Coach (RCC), grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
Because the RCC credential specifically prepares you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credential.
Full length programs are ideally suited for professionals new to business coaching
| Start Date | Provider | Program | Format | Location | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAN 26, 2026 | Center for Transformation and Innovation (CTI) | Blended | Tampa, FL, USA | English | |
| FEB 10, 2026 | The Hayes Approach | Blended | Greenville, SC, USA | English | |
| FEB 23, 2026 | The Hayes Approach | Virtual | International | English | |
| MAR 9, 2026 | FunDaMentals Strategics Pte Ltd |
Professional Certificate in Business Coaching (offered in partnership with SMU) |
Blended | Singapore, SINGAPORE | English |
| MAY 6, 2026 | Weplusnetwork Srl | Blended | Rome, ITALY | Italian | |
| AUG 5, 2026 | FunDaMentals Strategics Pte Ltd |
Professional Certificate in Business Coaching (offered in partnership with SMU) |
Blended | Singapore, SINGAPORE | English |
| AUG 18, 2026 | The Hayes Approach | Blended | Greenville, SC, USA | English | |
| AUG 25, 2026 | The Hayes Approach | Virtual | International | English | |
| The Business Coaching Academy Ltd | Virtual | International | English |
Fast-track programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
| Start Date | Provider | Program | Format | Location | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APR 17, 2026 | Impact Business Coaches | Blended | Metro Atlanta, GA, USA | English | |
| MAY 6, 2026 | Weplusnetwork Srl | Blended | Rome, ITALY | Italian | |
| JUN 10, 2026 | Impact Business Coaches | Virtual | International | English | |
| OCT 29, 2026 | Impact Business Coaches | Blended | Metro Atlanta, GA, USA | English |
Full length programs are ideally suited for professionals new to business coaching
Add custom message when needed.
Fast-track programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
Our WABC Portfolio Pathway was introduced on October 17, 2025
We’re fortunate to have an extensive waiting list, so if you’re on it, we’ll be re-connecting with you very quickly. Please contact WABC if you’re visiting here for the first time and would like to explore our Portfolio Pathway.
Earning your RCC involves the following fees:
*Fee set by the training provider
**See the WABC Portfolio Pathway information provided to you
***See WABC Affiliate Member™ or WABC Full Member™
Maintaining your RCC: There are currently no fees to maintain your RCC credential. As an RCC, you can stay engaged with our global community as a WABC Member and access exclusive thought leadership and opportunities to build your professional network for an annual fee.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
Generally yes. Once a Program earns the “WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC)” mark, then you would be eligible to earn RCC assuming you have successfully completed all Program requirements and met all WABC requirements within applicable deadlines.
For WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC) Program: You must be a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member to earn RCC. You have one year from your Program pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., join/re-join as a WABC Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: You must be a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member before registration in the Pathway. If you have allowed your membership to lapse, you have one year from your RCC Candidate Portfolio pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., re-join as a WABC Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC) Program: If you were already a WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member while taking your Program but allowed your membership to lapse prior to Program completion, you’ll be required to re-join WABC and pay the associated fees before receiving your RCC. Also see FAQ above.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Being a current WABC Affiliate Member or WABC Full Member is among requirements to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway, so you’re expected to keep your membership in good standing at all times. If you allow your membership to lapse prior to your Portfolio Pathway completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC and pay the associated fees before receiving your RCC. Also see FAQ above.
The Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your RCC Promo Package.
Each WABC credential for professional business coaches is intended to be a stand-alone credential—choose the one that matches your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and/or employer needs.
| PRACTITIONER RCC™ |
ADVANCED CBC™ |
MASTER CMBC® |
ELITE ChBC® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About |
| Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering. |
WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering. |
WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering. |
Chartered Business Coach® (ChBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
ChBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering. |
| Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates |
NOTE: If you have a minimum of 1 year of business coaching experience, you will be able to consider either a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. |
|
|
|
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
| WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 150* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 9–18 months* Hours: 400* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 18–24 months* Hours: 1200* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
| WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
| WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
| WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your ChBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance |
| CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
| There are no requirements to maintain your RCC credential |
|
|
|
| WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. |
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
Over the course of my career I have continued my education with numerous credential and professional licenses within the financial services industry, including with a Fortune 100 company. WABC is a rigorous association that keeps high standards on the same level as Investment and Wealth Institute, which offers the CIMA.
I appreciate the in-depth knowledge required to attain the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials, as the WABC Accredited® programs that lead to these credentials are structured to develop participants into excellent business coaches. WABC’s exclusivity and high standards set the bar for meaningful credentials which can help others through coaching.
My credentials have been extremely rewarding to me and my career. The training and continued focus on business coaching has benefited the teams I have led and their overall success. With the processes and structure of coaching, I have helped individuals identify goals and action plans that help them accomplish more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Coaching has enabled me to communicate more effectively, enhance my recruiting and retention of top talent and increase overall engagement from my teams.
There are many associations that offer credentials for a few hour or weekend course and provide a certificate or credential. This “weekend designation” is detrimental to the industry, as clients may not be certain of the level of knowledge achieved. WABC does a great job on sharing the value, knowledge and overall worth of the credentials that so many great coaches have achieved.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
As a former athlete, coach and 25-year executive, I worked with high achievers and world-class teams to transform the way in which thousands of athletes, coaches and organizations prepare for and perform at the Olympic Games. For this, I was privileged and humbled to have received Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and named 5-time recipient of Canada’s most influential women in sport and physical activity. That passion led me to the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).
From my first touchpoint with the WABC website, to the phenomenal guidance of its Founder, Wendy Johnson, I knew that the WABC was a values-driven, services-focused organization with uncompromising quality of its accredited programs. I found an organization as dedicated to human performance excellence as I was.
The Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) credential provided me with the confidence, knowledge, structure and evidence to guide and support my clients from various industries, from medical to management consulting to telecommunications. The learnings from the WABC Accredited® program were so valuable that I decided to also earn the WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) credentials which have allowed me to support my clients even more extensively.
I could not be more thankful to Wendy and WABC for leading and raising the profile of business coaches around the world.
RCC raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
The Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) drives business coaching excellence as the global leader in robust, evidence-based practices. We support leaders, coaches, clients and companies with the knowledge, skills and resources to successfully navigate complexity and improve individual and operational performance alike. Our global community elevates all types of organizations, industries, and sectors using business coaching to achieve their strategic organizational and business objectives.
Leading Business Excellence™
WABC is a self-regulating body that behaves as though it is regulated. We set professional standards, a code of ethics and integrity, definitions and competencies that our organization, representatives, members and providers are committed to upholding.
A consistent global standard for business coaching as a distinct discipline is critical to the evolution of our profession and industry.
As the first organization to create evidence-based business coaching standards, we strive to build public trust in WABC business coaches as a reliable and ethical community, committed to upholding rigorous standards and acting in our clients’ best interests.
Our purpose is the ambition underpinning why we exist. As the core philosophy to who we are and why our work matters, our purpose is the foundation that grounds and guides the broader impact we strive to achieve.
WABC understands that to lead is not simply to act, but that the intention of our actions matters most. Leaders must be accountable to those we serve, and our values, ethics and integrity must align with the impact we want to create—for people, for the planet and for the common good.
At WABC, we are committed to unifying business leadership by establishing the highest global standards for business coaches and business coaching training providers available today.
Our purpose is brought to life through our values, which guide how we remain actively committed and accountable to our clients, to one another and to ourselves.
At WABC, our mission and vision focus our core philosophies of purpose and values into what we aim to achieve, for the business coaches we serve and the distinct industry we represent.
Our mission is to develop, advance and promote the business coaching profession worldwide.
We are committed to enhancing business coaching as a distinct discipline and building awareness, credibility and trust in business coaches everywhere.
We envision a world with a business coach working within every organization, business and government worldwide.
We believe business coaching makes for better leadership, strategic thinking and organizational management. Our goal is to raise the profile of business coaching to become standard best practice for high-performing businesses and organizations.
At WABC, we believe that business is a potent force for solving social problems, and we are committed to building public trust and credibility in business coaching as a global industry.
Business coaches often work with those in a position of leadership, who can greatly influence the business decisions and culture of the organizations they represent. Especially when facing complex dilemmas, business coaches must have the courage to challenge their clients’ perspective and guide them towards ethical choices. Business coaches also need to know when they themselves may be encountering ethical dilemmas and how to reconcile competing interests and agendas.
The unique nature of our role makes it clear that each of us needs to possess a strong ethical orientation as we carry out this important work. It is for this very reason that WABC invested in developing a Code that could match to the challenges we, and our clients, can sometimes face.
The current WABC Code of Business Coaching Ethics and Integrity embodies the highest ethical standards and includes our Principles and our Safe Harbor Conciliation and Adjudication Process. It’s one of the most advanced and comprehensive codes of its kind in the world today, and is one of the key differences that set WABC business coaches apart from other kinds of coaches.
Our Code is reviewed regularly to be relevant to the latest in best practice. It serves to guide not only our day-to-day business interactions and decision making, but also provides direction during uncertain times to help us think deeply about how to conduct all our coaching across business contexts and cultures.
WABC is committed to unifying continued excellence—of bringing business coaches, members, providers, and partners together to share expertise and support colleagues, clients and organizations across the world.
We work alongside businesses and organizations both big and small, and WABC business coaches are united by the principles, philosophies and ideas that give us a common foundation and elevate our practice
inception as a
global leader
countries in our
global community
of credential
holders globally
At the heart of WABC is a team of passionate individuals who commit their breadth and depth of their experience and expertise to supporting this vibrant association. We are also supported by committees, task forces and other working groups as needed to further our organizational goals and objectives.
“At WABC, we lead the best by committing to be the best—the best in high standards, quality service, and evidence-based thinking.”
Wendy Johnson is guided by an ethics-based ambitious vision: to have a business coach working within every organization, business and government worldwide.
Leading WABC is the ideal way for Johnson to leverage her passion and precision for the benefit of business coaches worldwide. Since 2002, WABC has become the leading global voice for business coaches, their training providers and their clients.
Under Johnson’s leadership, WABC has:
As a global thought leader in business coaching, Johnson continuously contributes to our community through a wide range of activities including coaching, mentoring, supervising, speaking, writing and reviewing of business coaching books and articles.
Johnson’s background is diverse, with expertise in business coaching, human dynamics, behavioral science and criminal justice. Before building her successful business coaching practice, Johnson ExeC Group, she served as a high-profile investigator, a law enforcement officer and a mental health therapist. These positions deepened Johnson’s commitment to public service, social responsibility and ethical behavior, traits that have defined her work at WABC.
Johnson holds several academic degrees including an MA in Counseling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology, as well as certifications in mediation, negotiation, conflict analysis, management, interrogation and investigation and business coaching.
“WABC’s steadfast commitment to business coaches, corporate ethics, integrity and evidence-based standards/practices is exactly what organizations worldwide need today.”
Doug Abrahamson brings broad and deep strategic management skills gleaned over decades of experience across multiple organizations and fields of practice.
For over 25 years, Doug has passionately championed the need to improve strategic management and planning skills within the field of public safety and security in Canada, the United States, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Simultaneously, he has conducted research, authored numerous articles and book chapters, and presented on the need for evidence-based policy and practice, stakeholder engagement, good governance and business coaching within both the public and private sectors.
Doug’s work has given him an opportunity to collaborate with organizations such as Charles Sturt University (AU), the Justice Institute of British Columbia (CA), Rabdan Academy (AE), Saskatchewan Global Transportation Hub Authority (CA), Police Executive Research Forum (US) and the Victoria Police Department (CA).
Doug has an MBA from Royal Roads University (RRU) and a Doctorate of Public Policy from Charles Sturt University (CSU). He maintains his academic standing through his continued role as adjunct faculty with CSU, Honorary Research Associate with the Justice Institute of British Columbia, journal and book/chapter authorship and role as independent peer reviewer for three international academic journals.
“Excellence in business coaching is essential in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. WABC’s best-in-class professional standards ensure that businesses and leaders receive coaching that is rigorous, evidence-based, ethical and transformative.“
Caroline Assalian is an internationally respected performance expert whose career spans elite sport, corporate leadership, executive coaching and leadership development training. As the Founder of KasKor Business Coaching, she leverages her expertise in high-performance leadership to empower leaders and organizations to achieve enduring success by focusing on the human side of performance.
For over 25 years, Caroline held senior executive roles in complex, high-stakes environments, transforming organizations and leading high-performing teams in globally competitive settings. Her relentless pursuit of excellence, paired with an unwavering commitment to people and performance, has established her as a trusted advisor to leaders navigating change, complexity and breaking barriers to success.
Caroline is a WABC Certified Master Business Coach® who believes every leader benefits from working with a business coach equipped with training and expertise tailored to the complexities of business leadership.
“WABC’s content is developed from a deep understanding of the business coaching domain, the evolving needs of members, and its deep commitment to standards. WABC is positioned to be the go-to source for business coaches around the world.”
Michele Ann Jenkins has been working in web content management since people first realized web content should be managed. She got her start programming medical vocabulary management tools, then joined the San Francisco dotcom frenzy to work on Open Source web content management systems for the burgeoning online publication industry.
With 20 years of web development experience and a strong background in information science, Michele quickly analyzes client and user needs to translate them into actionable strategies that drive user engagement. Focusing in information architecture (IA), usability and content strategy, she finds creative ways to apply IA best practice and builds frameworks that are useful, solid and beautiful.
After many years of travel and working for UN organizations in Europe, she settled down in Montreal, Quebec to focus on information architecture and taxonomy.
Michele has a BA and an MLIS from McGill University, where she has taught courses in Online Community Development and Knowledge Taxonomies.
Steve Lanning and Hal Wright of the United States founded the National Association of Business Coaches (NABC) in 1997. NABC experienced steady growth within the first five years while the business coaching industry became one of the fastest growing professions in North America. NABC was positioned as “the association of choice” for business-focused coaches and the international business market.
To further global growth, NABC sought out a visionary leader to elevate the organization into a prestigious international association. Wendy Johnson of Canada shared the same vision—of an organization who could elevate excellence in business coaching, and unify business leadership throughout the world.
On May 31, 2002, Wendy Johnson transformed NABC into a new privately held federal corporation in Canada, and became WABC Coaches Inc.
WABC Coaches Inc. conducts business as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC), and serves and develops business coaching markets around the world.
Elevate your professional development and your reputation with the support of WABC’s global community. WABC offers different levels of professional membership to meet the needs of business coaches and leaders in their fields throughout their careers.
Leading Business Excellence™
Elevate your professional development and your reputation with the support of WABC’s global community. WABC offers different levels of professional level membership to meet the needs of professional business coaches and leaders in their fields throughout their careers.
Champion your continued development and industry awareness with access to exclusive thought leadership and research. Connect with professional business coaches from all over the world and amplify your voice as a leader in our industry.
With members from all around the world, our members are committed to business coaching as a distinct profession, with the experience it takes to achieve your coaching potential.
Our members represent everything from Fortune 100s to not-for-profits, entrepreneurs and enterprises, start-ups and small businesses.
Although we work alongside every kind of business and organization, WABC professional business coaches are united by a commitment to excellence, an ethical compass, and the desire to learn and grow.
Entry Level
Our professional entry-level membership is for newer and part-time active professional business coaches who represent many roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant).
ADVANCED LEVEL
Our professional advanced-level membership is for experienced and active professional business coaches who represent many roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant).
Monday–Friday
8am–5pm PT (UTC-8)
WABC’s working language is English, therefore membership benefits and assistance is offered in English. Select programs may be available in various languages, and will be identified in the listing.
Worldwide Association of Business Coaches
c/o WABC Coaches Inc.
Box 215
Saanichton, BC V8M 2C3 Canada
In 2026, our offices will be closed on the following dates: