Coach/Mentor Accreditation: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

Accreditation is defined as the act of giving official authority or approval, or the resulting status; certification; the act of certifying an educational institution or program as meeting all official formal requirements of academic excellence, facilities, curriculum, etc.; the status of being so certified; the act of attributing or ascribing some quality, status, or action to a person or thing:

From this we can deduce that accreditation provides formal recognition and is essentially a stamp of approval indicating that, for example, a coach, mentor or training provider has met certain criteria and is deemed competent and capable in that specific field. In addition, it ensures that individuals and/or organisations provide a specified minimum level of quality and are charged with continuously meeting those standards. A failure to do so can lead to sanctions.

Why is it important?

There are several factors to consider in relation to this question. Firstly, there is the issue of trust. If someone or something is accredited there is a high degree of trust that they know what they are doing because they have met standards issued by a third-party (more about this later). Consider all the dealings you have with people or organisations that have some form of accreditation. Mechanics, medical practitioners, plumbers, electricians, accountants, lawyers etc. Would you trust anyone of these people if they were not accredited?

By default, there is an expectation of credibility and therefore reputation by being accredited. And of course, there is an acknowledgement that global standards of excellence are met because the accreditation body helps to ensure this.

It is also worth noting that accreditation is a key differentiator in a highly competitive market. It highlights a commitment to high quality and best practices.

Not marking your own homework!

There are several reasons why it’s important to gain accreditation from a third-party specialist. Although in-house accreditation can be cost effective there is the inherent danger of internal bias. This occurs when trainers have a more limited perspective compared to external experts. There are also financial and commercial implications for growing the number of ‘accredited by us’ numbers.

Other considerations include innovation, expansiveness, allowing for individual difference, networking, and ensuring everything is up to date.

Being accredited by a third-party acts as a powerful trust and quality signal that an individual or organisation has been independently assessed and verified against industry standards. It also ensures that compliance and regulations are met and upheld, such as adhering to a Code of Professional Conduct. It can also promote continuous improvement, ensuring accredited individuals and organisations stay up-to-date with industry best practices. This is enabled by the accrediting body who monitor and require a certain level of annual professional development to maintain accredited status.

Why choose the IAPC&M?

We have been accrediting coaches, mentors, training courses and in-house corporate programs for decades. Accreditation is all we do and we do it extremely well, arguably the best there is!

We don’t force people down a specific route of ‘our way or the highway’. Rather we look for the uniqueness and authenticity that people bring. Our assessment method is holistic and above all real! It gives everyone the opportunity to demonstrate what they do in the way that they do it. Yes we have an assessment process, but it’s all about you not us. It is designed to ask the most important question – are you worthy of being granted our accredited status? You do this by clearly demonstrating that you can coach, mentor, and/or train in your unique way.