Society and Planet: How Eco-Aware Coaches Embody Ethical Responsibility

Objectives: Coaching professional bodies have publicly acknowledged the role of coaches in responding to climate change, but there is a lack of research into how executive coaches concerned with climate change experience their roles. This qualitative study addresses this gap, exploring, ‘How does being an eco-aware coach show up in coaching?’. Methods: This study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore in rich detail the lived experience of self-identified eco-aware executive coaches. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six experienced coaches based in the UK and Ireland. Results: The findings reveal that eco-aware coaches show up with ethical responsibility towards Society and Planet which interlinks three Group Experiential Themes: Mindset, Inner Work and Partnership. Discussion: The identified themes offer a nuanced understanding of how eco-aware coaches show up, specifically how they experience cognitive dissonance and navigate tensions between their responsibility towards Society and Planet and their professionalism as coaches, ultimately embodying ethical responsibility. The findings challenge the wider coaching community, raising questions about whether coaches can claim to be fully agenda-free. Conclusion: The results of this study contribute to the coaching psychology literature about the emerging field of climate change coaching, illuminating how eco-aware coaches balance their social purpose with their professionalism.