Membership Policies & Expectations
These policies explain your rights, responsibilities, and expectations as an Academy for Behavior Change professional member or organizational partner.
A. Member Code of Conduct
Purpose
The Academy for Behavior Change (ABC) serves as the professional home for the study, practice, and advancement of behavior change, bringing together health and wellness coaches, behavior change specialists, and interdisciplinary professionals committed to improving human well-being.
This Code of Conduct reflects ABC's Guiding Principles and establishes shared expectations for professional, ethical, and inclusive engagement. All members - individual and organizational, voting and nonvoting - are expected to uphold this Code when participating in ABC programs, events, committees, communications, and use of ABC resources.
Our Guiding Principles in Practice
- Integrity
- Uphold evidence-based and ethical standards across all behavior change disciplines.
- Members act with honesty, transparency, and accountability.
- Members accurately represent their qualifications, credentials, and affiliations, practice within appropriate professional scope, and use evidence-informed approaches responsibly.
- Misrepresentation, misleading claims, or unethical conduct are inconsistent with ABC membership.
- Collaboration
- Foster interdisciplinary learning and partnership across health, education, community, and business sectors.
- Members engage respectfully across disciplines, roles, and perspectives. ABC values constructive dialogue, shared learning, and collaboration that strengthens the field of behavior change.
- Disagreement is expected at times and must be expressed professionally and in good faith.
- Excellence
- Maintain the highest standards of quality, rigor, and human-centered application.
- Members strive for professional excellence in behavior change practice, education, and leadership.
- This includes thoughtful application of knowledge, respect for human experience, continuous learning, and accountability to shared standards of quality and care.
- Innovation
- Advance emerging science and practice through adaptive learning and research translation.
- Members are encouraged to explore, apply, and contribute to emerging evidence, methods, and practices while maintaining scientific rigor and ethical responsibility.
- Innovation within ABC is grounded in thoughtful application, transparency, and respect for real-world impact.
- Equity
- Ensure access and inclusion within professional development pathways.
- Members contribute to an inclusive professional environment that values diversity, accessibility, and belonging.
- Members support access to learning and engagement across backgrounds and settings.
- Harassment, discrimination, or conduct that undermines psychological safety or equitable participation is not tolerated.
Conflict of Interest
Members disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest when participating in governance, committees, education, research, or decision-making activities on behalf of ABC and comply with applicable conflict-of-interest policies.
Use of Academy Name, Logo, and Brand
Responsible Use of ABC Brand and Identity
Members may reference their membership in the Academy for Behavior Change in a factual and accurate manner. Use of the ABC name, logo, or brand elements must align with the Academy’s mission, values, and guiding principles.
Members may not:
- Alter, modify, or redesign the ABC logo or brand elements
- Use the ABC name or logo in a way that implies endorsement without written permission
- Misrepresent their relationship with ABC, including overstating membership status, authority, or roles
- Use ABC branding in misleading, unauthorized, or inappropriate commercial contexts
Organizational members are responsible for ensuring their representatives comply with these expectations.
Commitment
By joining and maintaining membership in the Academy for Behavior Change, members affirm their commitment to ABC’s Guiding Principles, this Code of Conduct, and the advancement of behavior change as a rigorous, ethical, inclusive, and human-centered field.
B. Privacy and Confidentiality Statement
The Academy for Behavior Change (ABC) protects the confidentiality of all applicant and member information obtained through membership applications and event registration, in accordance with applicable laws and ethical standards,
Use of Information
Personal and membership-related information is collected and used solely for purposes necessary to:
- Determine eligibility and membership status
- Communicate with members regarding upcoming Academy-related events, voting meetings, and offerings
- Members may opt-out of automated Academy communications
- Conduct audits, quality assurance, and membership-related activities
Data Retention & Security
Membership records are retained for one year following membership expiration and are protected against unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.
Last updated: January 26, 2026