Coaching, the new UNI 11601:2024

Since the 1990s, people have been talking about "coaching" in Italy . A profession that has gradually become more and more widespread thanks to the recognition of the effectiveness of this discipline.
Especially in the early 2000s the most significant changes on the market were recorded: a growing demand in the face of an offer that differs in scope of application.

The coaching service is aimed at strengthening the skills useful for generating learning and changes which, through an autonomous learning process, allow the person and/or organization that uses it to achieve results relating to specific personal and professional objectives.

In summary, coaching is a partnership process aimed at achieving the objectives defined with the coachee (i.e. the person who uses the coaching service) and with the possible client.

In line with the Lisbon Agreement and the Services Directive 2006/123/EC, the standardization of the coaching service offers a substantial contribution to the economy for a borderless market and lays the foundations for the definition of the profession.

UNI recently published UNI 11601:2024 .

The document defines in detail the terminology and characteristics of the coaching service and indicates the requirements for the provision of coaching services for:

• orient and guide service providers;
• encourage informed and conscious choice by users of coaching services (individuals, groups, profit and non-profit organisations).

Among the organizations that collaborated in the creation of UNI 11601 Giulia Astrella, President of ICF Italia 2024 declares: “We are particularly proud of the work carried out and the success it brings for coaching and the coaching profession. It is the result of collaboration between various bodies and associations which, by observing the goodness of coaching from different points of view, has allowed us to get this far. Today ICF Italia and the community of coaches we represent are celebrating!“.

Argyrios Dourvas, President of AICP - Italian Association of Professional Coaches also testifies: "For years we have more than once confirmed our responsible presence - as a contribution to the practice of quality coaching in Italy - to be an active part of the UNI Roundtable. Today we appreciate the new UNI 11601 standard "Coaching - Definition, characteristics and requirements of the service". We are ready to disseminate and apply the new terminology and characteristics in the coaching service."

And Alessandro Pegoraro, President of Emcc (European Mentoring & Coaching Council) Italy maintains: “Coaching and mentoring are real "drivers" of the economy but for this reason the programs proposed must guarantee quality levels certified by independent authorities. We greet with great satisfaction the work of the UNI table to which we have contributed with our international experience."

Nicoletta Caputo, President of A.Co.I. adds: “For years the Italian Coaching Association has actively participated in the drafting of the Technical Standards on Coaching.
The work carried out regarding the updating of the Technical Standard on the Coaching Service represents an important goal for Coaching and the community of Professional Coaches, allowing the obtaining of a Certification that respects the principles and criteria that distinguish Professional Coaching, underlining the notable differences compared to everything that falls outside specific quality standards.
We are aware and proud of the contribution that the Italian Coaching Association has made and we are confident that the world of Professional Coaching will draw profitably from the contents that, together with the other components of the UNI table, we have disseminated through the new standard". (Source: https://www.uni.com/ )