Elevate your professional development and your reputation with the support of WABC’s global community.
WABC Affiliate Membership is our professional entry-level and is for newer and part-time active professional business coaches.
WABC Affiliate Membership is our professional entry-level membership for individuals. It recognizes those who are emerging, new and part-time business coaches and who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant). It’s also suitable for those who can’t quite meet the requirements for higher membership.
Once you are accepted as a WABC Affiliate Member, you can upgrade to higher levels of membership once you qualify and at any time during your membership term or at the time of your renewal.
WABC’s individual memberships are professional level. Even though WABC Affiliate Membership is entry-level, because of our specialized work as business coaches, an appropriate professional background from working within businesses and organizations is essential to ground your business coaching in real-world situations. Accordingly, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing all WABC membership levels for business coaches.
*WABC Accredited Programs and WABC Portfolio Pathway are routes for you to earn a WABC business coaching credential. As a WABC Affiliate Member, our RCC™ and CBC™ credentials are available to you (subject to meeting eligibility requirements).
**Business coaching services and experience refer to one-on-one coaching, but may also include team coaching and other related services and activities (e.g., business coach training, speaking engagements, publishing and/or research about business coaching). You’ll ensure your alignment with all our aforementioned Standards.
***WABC Affiliate Membership is intended for newer or part-time business coaching practitioners who cannot meet the requirements for WABC Full Membership™.
As the business coaching industry has evolved, having an evidence-based business coaching credential is often expected by diverse clients in markets around the world. Virtually all current WABC members hold at least one WABC credential because our clients understand that our work is specialized and requires the right experience, skills and knowledge. Currently WABC offers two levels of membership for active business coaches at various stages in their careers.
WABC seeks to have an inclusive member community, and base our requirements on business experience, coaching experience and references. We highly prefer that you have successfully completed a WABC Accredited® Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway and earned a WABC credential(s), or are currently enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway to earn a WABC credential commensurate with your level of business coaching experience. If you wish to be considered for membership and do not hold, or are seeking to earn, a WABC credential, you must have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment from another organization.
Yes. Your WABC Membership is connected to you as an individual, not your organization. So even if your employer paid for your membership, it is fully portable should your employment change and you continue to meet WABC’s eligibility requirements.
The membership term is valid for one year from the date your application is approved and your full payment is processed.
Memberships are required to be renewed on an annual basis.
As a WABC Member, you’ll receive your personalized WABC Member Promo Package (digital package including a letter, certificate, badge and personalized verification page) enabling you to promote your membership on websites, email signatures and other marketing materials.
For WABC Accredited Programs: Learn about the best time to join in the Applying & Fees section.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Yes, as you’ll be required to join WABC before registering in the Portfolio Pathway.
Choosing your membership level will be based on your business coaching experience
Let’s ensure WABC Affiliate Membership is right for you:
Timing is everything – when you join depends on your professional goals and if you’re currently pursuing a WABC credential through a WABC Accredited® Program or Portfolio Pathway
Let’s find the best time for you …
You have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment and are transitioning into or actively providing business coaching services.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
You are new, with no formal business coaching experience and have enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program with the intention of providing business coaching services over the next year.
Pause: See Enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program?
If joining now is right for you, proceed to step 3!
You are new, with no formal business coaching experience and have not yet enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program with the intention of providing business coaching services over the next year.
Pause: See RCC to enroll in a WABC Accredited Program
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Affiliate Member.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
Applying to become a WABC Affiliate Member is very straightforward – you’ll submit an application and make your payment
Application: We’ll first ask you some pre-qualifying questions to ensure this membership level is right for you. If it is, the application will ask you about your business coaching activities and other related information. Your application will be supplemented by an appropriate résumé or CV*.
Are you enrolled in, or have graduated from, a WABC Accredited Program?
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV.
Are you a pre-approved applicant in the WABC Portfolio Pathway?
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Affiliate Member.
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV.
Payment: We offer a variety of ways to make payment (e.g., credit or debit cards). (Check if payment already made)
When enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program to earn either RCC™ or CBC™:
Please ask your training provider if a WABC Membership and WABC Credential Promo Package were included in their program fee.
NOTE: It’s also possible that your employer has made joining arrangements on your behalf. Please inquire with them before proceeding.
When enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program to earn CMBC®:
You’ll join us as a WABC Full Member.
Don’t hesitate to contact WABC if you’d like further guidance at this early stage and before you start the application process.
Our review commences once all required information (e.g., application, résumé or CV (if applicable)) and payment is received. The full review generally takes 1 – 2 business days unless additional information is required and/or WABC is observing a bank holiday or scheduled break.
As the world’s leading business coaching association, sharing your affiliation with WABC can build your professional reputation. Our new membership and promo packages are designed to enhance your credibility, verify the authenticity of your affiliation, and share your accomplishment with your network.
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$340
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$340
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
Available to new members, re-joining members and pre-approved applicants in the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC or CBC)
OPTION 1:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
Available to current WABC Affiliate Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC) – US$35
Available to current WABC Affiliate Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (CBC) – US$35
New Members
Individuals may request a refund of their membership fee, less the applicable promo package(s) and administrative fees, within the first 30 days of membership at any level with these exceptions and conditions:
Since WABC has historically had an extremely low rate of new member withdrawal, members requesting refunds are asked to participate in a short exit survey.
Renewing Members
No refunds are available.
Please review the Terms of Membership for more details.
I have been a member of many professional associations of the years, and none have made as strong of an impression as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
What impressed me the most about the WABC is the level and quality of interaction from leadership. A website inquiry led to a personal call from the WABC founder, Wendy Johnson. She took a personal interest and gave sound guidance regarding membership options, as well as credentialing suggestions and explained the unique value of business coaching, which had been my focal point. This personal touch was a fresh and welcome approach, instantly making me feel a sense of belonging. There are a myriad of coaching avenues, but it was divine intervention and a fellow Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) who led me to WABC.
As a member of WABC, I truly feel part of a family of exceptional highly professional colleagues dedicated to delivering the highest standards in Business Coaching. I have expanded on my prior experience and knowledge, incorporating models, processes and understanding using evidence-based standards that are sound, reputable, relevant and, especially in these times, critical for organizations and leaders.
WABC offers a wealth of business coaching support, through networks, directory exposure, resources, along with foundational tools for coach development, executive education, and coaching selling platforms, but the personal touch is what is by far the most unique in the industry.
I am honored to be WABC credentialed and vetted. Yes, membership requires a precise verification of all third-party credentials, which adds tremendous credibility and value to WABC’s Business Coach Locator directory. After years of confusion around certification and affiliation, I am forever grateful to WABC for the challenge, knowledge, and opportunity to obtain a greater depth of neuroscience and evidence-based methodologies that allows me to grow my passion for coaching and to serve clients alongside a sophisticated coaching community.
Having been in the coaching business for nearly 20 years, I have seen the coaching sector grow exponentially and witnessed the rise of many professional bodies. I am an advocate for WABC as there is a beautiful clarity that sits at the essence of all they do—they serve the needs of business coaches. This is in a large part to the clarity of leadership provided by Wendy Johnson, unwavering in her vision and boundaries about WABC’s place in the coaching world.
As a professional business coach, I can tell my clients that I am a member of a credible business coach professional body which acknowledges and recognizes the needs of coaches working in their sector. I have found the experience of re-certification a rigorous and provocative activity which has had me reflect meaningfully on my coaching practice. The benefit of this is being able to tell my clients, with integrity, that I have earned the right and provided the evidence to retain my WABC certification which is additive to my business coaching credentials.
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.
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