EMCC expands as new international groups are formed

This marks a major step forward for the youthful and fast-growing coaching and mentoring industry, says EMCC membership and marketing committee chair Charles Brook.

"The new groups in Spain and Switzerland are, we hope, the first of many," said Charles. "They've been set up by local coaches and mentors who understand the importance of working together to share best practice and drive the industry forward and we know there are similar groups in other countries who are looking at doing the same thing."

An international workshop hosted by the EMCC in Oxford in July brought together representatives from all over Europe to explore ways of working together and with other international bodies to promote excellence and high standards in the industry.

Charles said: "This was a landmark event for coaching and mentoring in Europe, with an overwhelming consensus that co-operation rather than competition was the way ahead. As a result, we're now working together to take practical steps to move our international activities even further forward."

The founders of the two new groups hope they will make a real contribution to the industry in their countries and are planning to fly the flag for higher standards at events in their own countries this autumn.

Swiss president Georg Michalik said: "We see EMCC Switzerland as an organisation that brings people together to bring coach/mentoring forward. We'd like to promote highly agreed standards and proficiency in coaching and mentoring - and we'd like to have our members on that level and committed to this vision."

He added: "EMCC could be a learning platform to bring the different perspectives from coaching and mentoring practitioners, from clients, and from academia together to learn from each other to the greater good."

EMCC Spain's secretary Marisa Vara said: "We hope to strengthen the links between EMCC UK and the rest of the countries starting EMCC groups, share best practices and create a network of working contacts. We want to learn more about the coaching and mentoring situation in Europe and work together towards defining high-quality standards for the profession and reach them in reality.

"Coaching and mentoring is beginning to be well-known by top management and human resources professionals so now is the right moment to start setting and communicating best practices and ethics around our profession."

For further information please contact: Charles Brook (chair, EMCC Marketing and Membership Committee) 0207 917 2863