Elevate your professional development and your reputation with the support of WABC’s global community. WABC Full Membership is our professional advanced level membership and is ideal for experienced and active business coaches.
WABC Full Membership is our professional advanced level membership for individuals. It recognizes those who are experienced business coaches, who are active practitioners in the field and who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant).
WABC’s individual memberships are professional 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.
You can gather these 5 references yourself or ask your employer (or the person managing your coaching contract) to submit declarations about your references. Instructions and templates to fulfill this references requirement will be provided.
Your application must include a current résumé/CV or outline verifying your background experience. Please also familiarize yourself with our Credential Verification Policy.
*If you have not enrolled in or successfully completed an appropriate formal business coaching training program or assessment (WABC Accredited routes highly preferred), then you may be asked to participate in a membership eligibility interview.
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. If you wish to be considered for membership and do not hold a WABC evidence-based business coaching credential, you may still apply for membership and must participate in an in-depth membership interview to further assess your eligibility and ability to meet WABC’s core standards and policies.
Yes. Your WABC membership is connected to you as an individual, not your organization, and 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.
You may request a refund of your membership fees, less the applicable administrative fee, 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.
There are no refunds available for renewing members.
After you become a WABC member, you’ll get access to a digital badge to easily verify and promote your membership on websites, email signatures and other marketing materials.
It’s dependent on the type of credential you hold. To maintain your CBC™, CMBC® or ChBC® credential, you must meet these two ongoing requirements, which both require fees:
Yes! It’s common for program participants to join WABC while they’re taking a WABC Accredited program. Please keep in mind that if you join during your program and allow your membership to lapse prior to program completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC and pay the associated fees before receiving the applicable WABC credential.
The length of time you to have to join depends on the level of the program and credential:
In all cases, graduates of WABC Accredited programs must meet all WABC’s standards for membership at the time they submit their applications and agree to all applicable terms and policies.
The general process to apply for WABC Full Membership
Our WABC Full Member Standards fully describe the requirements for this level.
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 and five references. (You may be exempted from providing the supplemental information. See RÉSUMÉ & REFERENCES.)
We offer a variety of ways to make payment (e.g., credit or debit cards).
Are you currently pursuing a WABC credential?
If yes, click here.
We look forward to having you as our member. If you are already enrolled in a WABC Accredited program to earn RCC™, CBC™, CMBC® or ChBC®, please check with your trainer or employer to determine if joining arrangements have already been made on your behalf. If you’re not sure, please Contact WABC and we’ll be happy to guide you along at this early stage and before you start the application process.
If you are currently enrolled in, or have graduated from a WABC Accredited program, then you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV.
If you are currently enrolled in, or have graduated from a WABC Accredited program, then you will be exempted from providing five verifiable references if the training provider has screened for WABC Full Membership.
Our review commences once all required information (e.g., application, résumé or CV, five references) and payment is received. The full review time period is varied as it depends on when all suitable references are received, if additional information is required and if WABC is observing a bank holiday or scheduled break. See WABC’s office closure dates.
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 programs only
OPTION1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW Membership Promo Package
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited Level 2 programs only
OPTION 1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW Membership Promo Package
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited Level 3 programs only
OPTION 1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW Membership Promo Package
+ NEW CMBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW CMBC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited Level 4 programs only
OPTION 1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW Membership Promo Package
+ NEW ChBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW ChBC Promo Package
OPTION 1:
US$505
WABC Full Membership™
+ NEW Membership Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 programs only
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.
I have been associated with WABC since 2010 when I chose to pursue the Registered Corporate Coach™ credential. A WABC credential best suits my needs because this association continues to stand out as the leading global authority on business coaching, complete with evidence-based standards and best practices.
Having a formal, globally recognized business coaching credential is important to me since I use business coaching practices daily within my international association. With the variety of credentials available through WABC, I can continue my professional development at every stage of my career. I’ve now also achieved WABC’s highest credential, Chartered Business Coach®, which reflects the high level of coaching and client engagement that I now practice.
My relationship with WABC is enhanced by my relationship with its founder, Wendy Johnson. She lives the values embodied within the WABC ethics, integrity and competencies. Her guidance, wisdom and perspective are anchors for my continuous growth as a member, and I am inspired to think bigger and better while always pursuing excellence. Wendy is a trusted colleague and I am so grateful to know her through WABC.
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.
WABC is the only coaching association to set standards exclusively for business coaching throughout the world, and it has been my go-to source for consideration of best practice in my business coaching endeavors. I appreciate the exquisite attention to detail, singular focus and evidence-based rigor this association provides to its practitioners. Although there are many fine associations in the coaching industry, for my professional needs, WABC is the best source for me.
That excellence is due primarily to its founder, Wendy Johnson. Wendy is passionate about ‘good business’ in every form and business coaching in particular. She knows more about coaching than most of us in the industry ever will, and yet makes it her goal to continue to learn more each day. Aside from the outstanding association she’s built, I enjoy working with Wendy because she exemplifies the qualities I admire most—integrity, trustworthiness, commitment to excellence and a kind heart. I recommend her unreservedly, both as a businesswoman and as a person.
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