Cathy Liska At the Association of Coach Training Organizations (ACTO) conference the week of June 8 to 12, 2020 many fabulous presentations and discussions focused on the future of coach training. One of the messages that seems significant now is “Name It to Tame It”. What is being named? The importance of coaching and coach training in the world and how diversity is core to the quality, ethics, and value of the work. 
The ACTO stand for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is:
ACTO is committed to creating diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the coaching profession through calling forth, honoring, and inviting the uniqueness of all individuals and diverse life experiences.
In support of this stand, we acknowledge and are committed to eliminating the negative impact of personal and systemic bias, privilege, and oppression, which may be conscious or unconscious, intentional or unintentional, overt or subtle.
As coach trainers, we are tasked with creating the future of the coaching profession. We commit to providing dialogue, learning and resources and to cultivating personal and organizational responsibility in alignment with this stand, at ACTO, for each of our students, members, and member organizations.
The International Coaching Federation is also naming it to tame it and one of the leaders from the Ethics Community of Practice provoked a great discussion by sharing. In the Code of Ethics these two definitions are included:
“Equality”—a situation in which all people experience inclusion, access to resources and opportunity, regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, immigration status, mental or physical disability, and other areas of human difference.
“Systemic equality”—gender equality, race equality and other forms of equality that are institutionalized in the ethics, core values, policies, structures, and cultures of communities, organizations, nations and society.”
Additionally, ethical standard 25 says, “Avoid discrimination by maintaining fairness and equality in all activities and operations, while respecting local rules and cultural practices. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability or military status.”
Now for the coaching questions that coaches learn to ask during coaching certification:
- What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you?
- What will you do to support diversity?
- How will you support and expand this conversation?
