By using and accessing our Websites, you’re agreeing to these Terms of Membership and our Terms and Conditions of Use, our Privacy Policy, our Security Policy, our Use of WABC Credentials Policy, our Credential Verification Policy, our Copyright Policy, our Trademarks Use Policy, our Accessibility Policy, and our Other Terms, Policies and Guidelines. If you do not agree with all our terms, conditions, policies and guidelines, or any posted amendments to our terms, conditions, policies, and guidelines, you may not use or access our Websites.
WABC Coaches Inc. (hereafter called “WABC”) reserves the right to change these terms, conditions, policies and guidelines at any time, and solely at its discretion. If possible, we will provide advance notice of significant changes. However, it is your responsibility to check these terms, conditions, policies and guidelines regularly. Your continued use of our Websites after we have made changes signifies that you accept the changes, whether or not you have actually reviewed them.
These Terms of Membership apply to your use of any and all of the Websites, now, previously and/or to be owned or operated by WABC Coaches Inc., its subsidiaries and/or affiliated companies (collectively referred to in these Terms and Conditions of Use as the “Websites”).
The name of this Association is Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC). The Association is owned and operated by WABC Coaches Inc.
WABC’s principal office is in the province of British Columbia, Canada. We may establish other offices, inside or outside British Columbia, as required by law and as determined by the WABC President/CEO.
WABC is guided by these core philosophies:
WABC offers two levels of professional membership for business coaches at various stages in their careers–newer and part-time to experienced. The levels are informed by advanced standards for qualifying and requalifying, based on business experience and coaching experience.
The WABC President/CEO may at times set out requirements for other categories, levels, or any other types of membership that carry different rights and conditions. Furthermore, WABC reserves the right to change membership requirements for any category, level, class or designation, or to discontinue or replace services at our discretion.
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.
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).
When applying for new membership, you have 90 days to provide all the necessary information. See related details in Sections 6.6 and 6.7.
The membership term is valid for one year from the date your application is approved and your full payment is processed. To renew, you must pay any fees or assessments required by Section 6 below, and complete any application or practice declaration we require.
The WABC President/CEO (or a designated representative or an organizational unit) approves all membership applications, and reserves the right to refuse membership to any applicant for any reason, including failure to meet the membership criteria. If an applicant cannot meet the membership criteria for a higher level of membership, WABC reserves the right to offer a lower level of membership. In that case, the applicant has the right to refuse the lower level of membership and instead request an appropriate refund (if a refund is still available).
The WABC memberships currently available are for individuals. You cannot transfer or assign your membership.
There are certain circumstances when your information is retained on file:
See related details in Section 4 below and our Privacy Policy and our Use of WABC Credentials Policy.
Your WABC membership automatically ends if any of the following events happen:
We may censure, suspend or terminate your membership at any time and for any reason. Reasons may include your violation of these Terms of Membership, the WABC Code of Business Coaching Ethics and Integrity, the Terms and Policies or any of our other terms, conditions, rules, regulations and so forth. Other reasons include misrepresentation in your membership application or other information you supply to us, and any other conduct that prejudices our best interests.
The WABC President/CEO may set rules and policies concerning sanctions and procedures for disciplinary proceedings. This ability includes the right to suspend your membership privileges, with or without notice, if you are being investigated for any violation set out above, even while a decision is still pending.
When your membership ends, you are still obligated to pay any outstanding debts to us. When your membership ends, you have no rights or claims against us, and any representations, warranties, indemnifications or promises you made to us will continue.
If you want your membership reinstated and you still owe us money, you must first pay what is owing.
If you have been suspended or expelled for not paying your fees or assessments, you may, at the discretion of the WABC President/CEO, be reinstated (see Section 6.10 for details).
If you are an expired WABC Affiliate Member or an expired WABC Full Member, you are now considered a new applicant, and you must go through the first-time application and payment process.
We deal with members in the English language. Our forms and information are in English only, and any information we require from you must be provided in English. It is your responsibility to ensure that you fully understand the application form and other membership information. Failure to understand these materials is not a valid excuse for violating them, and we reserve the right to take action if such a violation occurs.
We communicate with members primarily through email announcements and our website, so you must maintain an active email address with us.
Exceptions:
Select services may be available in other languages. In those cases, you will see the available languages listed on our Websites.
You must agree to abide by these Terms of Membership, the WABC Code of Business Coaching Ethics and Integrity, the Terms and Policies and any other terms, conditions, rules, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines we may adopt.
You must keep your membership in good standing by ensuring that:
Members (as well as non-member experts and client representatives) are eligible to serve in organizational units established by WABC providing they can meet the qualification requirements.
You must complete all follow-up questionnaires and member surveys during your membership term.
Applicants for membership must carry out any agreements that we approve for all our members.
You agree to defend, indemnify and hold us, and our affiliates and agents, harmless from any claims, damages, costs and expenses. These include any claims of WABC negligence based on the following: your use of WABC material for unintended purposes, your creation of material in connection with your WABC membership, and your use of WABC copyrighted works and trademarks in ways that contradict these Terms of Membership and the Terms and Policies.
These Terms of Membership, the relationship between you and WABC, and any legal proceeding between you and WABC (whether grounded in tort, contract, law or equity) will be governed by the laws of British Columbia. Litigation between a member and WABC will be brought only to a provincial or federal court that has jurisdiction in British Columbia and that is located in the city of Victoria. All members, by agreeing to be bound by these Terms of Membership, irrevocably and unconditionally waive any defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding in any such court, any objection to venue for any such action or proceeding, and any right of jurisdiction because of the place of residence of any involved party.
Fees and assessments, and their payment dates, will be set by the WABC President/CEO.
Regarding membership, if you do not pay the applicable fees or assessments on time*, unless you have been granted an extended payment deadline and which would only be considered for exceptional circumstances, your membership will expire and you will forfeit the rights and privileges of membership.
Regarding other products and services, if you do not pay the applicable fees or assessments on time, unless you have been granted an extended payment deadline and which would only be considered for exceptional circumstances, you will forfeit the rights and privileges of these products and services.
In addition to the provisions in Section 4.4 above and 6.10 below, we may establish procedures for extending payment deadlines and continuing membership privileges.
Membership fees must be paid annually*. When you first apply for membership, the annual membership fee is due at the time of application. You must also pay a one-time** administrative fee.
*Special Exemption from Paying Membership Fees
The former National Association of Business Coaches (NABC) granted a small number of “life memberships” to individuals. The life memberships exempted individuals from paying annual memberships fees (instead, they paid a one-time, higher fee). In good faith, WABC honored these life memberships. Accordingly, only those individuals named on the list provided by NABC may continue to enjoy the exemption from paying annual membership fees as long as they meet the following conditions:
**A one-time administrative fee applies as long as you remain a continuous member in good standing.
If you are a renewing member, you are expected to make your full payment * (including your agreement to the applicable membership standards) by your anniversary date. There are no refunds for renewed memberships.
If we do not receive your full payment by your final deadline*, you will become an expired member. You may re-apply for new membership at any time and the applicable new membership fees (including an administrative fee) apply.
*Since 2002, WABC has generously offered members a “courtesy” 60-day grace period beyond the renewal date. This is reserved ONLY for urgent extenuating circumstances (e.g., serious illness, family death) that prevent you from renewing on time. However, do not treat this as your renewal date unless your circumstances are urgent and match the spirit of our grace period.
To provide our members maximum flexibility, you can upgrade your membership to a higher category, level or class at two different times:
If you are upgrading within your membership renewal period, you have 60 days to provide all the necessary information and payment. Beyond this 60-day period, this is what will occur:
For the next 12 months you can request to have your forfeited fees applied towards a one-year membership at any category, level or class for which you qualify. If the forfeited fees exceed the one-year membership you apply for, the balance will not be refunded.
If your membership expires, you may reapply in the future by submitting a new member application and paying the applicable new member fees.
If you are upgrading outside your membership renewal period, you have 60 days to provide all the necessary information and payment. Beyond this 60-day period, this is what will occur:
For the next 12 months you can request to have your forfeited fees applied towards a one-year membership at any category, level or class for which you qualify. If the forfeited fees exceed the one-year membership you apply for, the balance will not be refunded.
When you first apply for membership, you have 90 days to provide all the necessary information. If we do not receive all information within this time, we will consider your application invalid and will issue no refund of the membership and promo package(s) fees or any administrative fee you have paid to that point. For the next 12 months you can request to have your forfeited fees applied towards a one-year membership at any category, level or class for which you qualify. If the forfeited fees exceed the one-year membership you apply for, the balance will not be refunded.
During the 90-day period outlined in Section 6.6, you may withdraw your application at any time. We will refund any membership and promo package(s) fees you have paid to that point but not any administrative fees.
If we receive your full payment and information by the required deadlines and your application is not accepted, we will refund the membership and promo package(s) fees but not the applicable administrative fee.
You may request a refund of your 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.
If you have been suspended or expelled for not paying your fees or assessments, you may, at the discretion of the WABC President/CEO, be reinstated if you pay all arrears plus the applicable administrative fee.
If you have been suspended or expelled for any other reason, you may be reinstated but you will not be refunded any money.
We may acquire, accept, solicit and use any contributions, donations, legacies, grants, settlements, bequests, endowments or gifts made to us by any person, firm or corporation for any lawful purpose. As WABC is not a charity, we do not provide tax receipts for gifts we receive.
Anyone who handles WABC funds or payments, with the exception of the WABC President/CEO, will obtain and maintain a fidelity bond at WABC’s discretion and cost.
WABC’s functional currency is USD (United States dollar). Accordingly, when you purchase memberships or other products or services directly from WABC, all fees and assessments are payable in USD.
We reserve the right to create various awards that carry different rights and conditions.
The WABC President/CEO will do everything necessary to administer WABC’s affairs, including:
We may set out any terms, conditions, rules, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines for the management and operation of WABC that we deem expedient.
We may put in place any rules of professional conduct, and procedures for enacting and enforcing them, that we deem necessary for WABC.
WABC members are not entitled to notice of meetings or to vote at meetings. There is no annual meeting of WABC members. Member meetings may be called if needed at the discretion of the WABC President/CEO.
To help achieve our objectives, we may establish special organizational units. Examples include advisory committees, councils, task forces, divisions, and regions or chapters to serve the industry’s interests, including to provide education in specialty areas. Organizational units advise and recommend on WABC initiatives, policies or procedures. The units’ activities, policies and programs must not conflict with these Terms of Membership or WABC policies.
The WABC President/CEO has sole authority for each organizational unit’s policies, services, mandate, program, budget, term of operation, rules of governance and membership qualifications. The WABC President/CEO also appoints any chair of an organizational unit. The WABC President/CEO has final control and discretion over the topics, advice or recommendations of organizational units.
We may create, as appropriate, strategic alliances, ancillary or affiliate organizations, associations or foundations. We may also sponsor or endorse organizations. The choice of these organizations, and the terms, conditions and revocation of any alliances, sponsorships and endorsements, are at the discretion of the WABC President/CEO.
In those Terms of Membership that require a certain number of days’ notice of a meeting or other event, the date of giving the notice is included in calculating the date, unless otherwise provided.
To send us a notice or otherwise contact us:
WABC has no other representations, warranties, terms, agreements or conditions concerning membership, either written or oral, besides what is in these Terms of Membership and in the JOIN WABC section and our Terms and Policies, which supplement these Terms of Membership.
