Accreditation provides BECI graduates a streamlined path to the ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential, recognized in over 140 countries
BERKELEY, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 21, 2026 / The Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI) announced today that its Executive Coaching Certification & Leadership Intensive has received Level 1 accreditation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the world's largest organization for professionally trained coaches with over 58,000 members. The accreditation confirms that BECI's program meets ICF's rigorous standards for coach education, including curriculum content, instructional quality, mentoring, assessment, and ethical practice.
ICF Level 1 accreditation is earned through a comprehensive review process evaluating programs against seven standards of excellence, covering mission, administration, ethics, education, teaching, learning experience, and assessment. Programs must provide at least 60 student contact learning hours, mentor coaching, observed coaching sessions, and a performance evaluation at the ACC skill level.
"This accreditation reflects years of intentional program design and our faculty's commitment to developing coaches who are both technically skilled and deeply human," said Faculty Director Jennifer Caleshu. "Our graduates now have a direct, streamlined path to the ACC credential, which is the professional standard for coaching worldwide."
BECI's Executive Coaching Certification is offered in affiliation with UC Berkeley Executive Education and has trained more than 1,100 executive coaches globally. The program combines an intensive immersive experience with six months of continued learning, including 73 hours of synchronous training and 10 hours of 1:1 executive coaching. BECI participants come from a wide range of industries and include representatives from major global companies working across tech, finance, healthcare, energy, government, education, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial ventures. The coaching certification program is offered in person in Berkeley, Thailand and Japan, as well as online.
For prospective students, the ICF Level 1 designation means that completing BECI's program provides the core requirements for an ACC credential application, including required education hours, mentor coaching, and a performance evaluation. Graduates can apply to ICF through the Level 1 Pathway, which is the most straightforward credentialing route. Upcoming program dates and enrollment information are available at www.berkeleyeci.com.
About Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute
The Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI) offers transformative leadership journeys to organizations, executives, and coaches around the world. In an age reshaped by AI, BECI's work centers on what technology cannot replace: human connection, authentic presence, and the trust that allows teams and leaders to thrive. Our programs include the Executive Coaching Certification, an ICF-accredited Level 1 training delivered in Berkeley, Tokyo, Bangkok, and online; 1:1 executive and team coaching services through a global community of over 600 certified coaches; and customized leadership development programs for organizations. Founded by Dr. Mark Rittenberg, BECI has transformed thousands of leaders across the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. Inspired by our common humanity, BECI's mission is to enable all people to develop their authentic selves, live their values, and make a positive impact in their organizations and the world. Learn more at www.berkeleyeci.com.
Contact:
Jennifer Caleshu
Director of Education
(415) 710-5274
jennifer@berkeleyeci.com
SOURCE: Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute
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