About the Journal

The Journal of Coaching Ethics (JoCE) is an open-access peer-reviewed journal committed to fostering ethical inquiry and critical scholarship in coaching, mentoring, leadership, supervision, research, and allied professions.

JoCE aims to encourage rigorous analysis of ethical issues relating to coaching, mentoring, leadership, and related professional fields. It is also interested in the development of professional, ethical, and philosophical theory and how these apply to professional contexts.

Topics of interest include power, culture, artificial intelligence, gender, mentoring and supervisory relationships, leadership ethics, ethics education and pedagogy, internal and executive coaching, professionalisation, psychological and developmental perspectives, sustainability, case studies, and other factors that influence professional practice.

If you are unsure whether a topic falls within the journal’s scope, please contact the editor. 

JoCE publishes invited editorials, theoretical and applied papers, empirical research (quantitative and qualitative), short reports, conference proceedings, perspectives, book reviews, and invited contributions across coaching, mentoring, leadership, and related helping professions where ethical inquiry is central to the discussion.

Manuscript Formats :

JoCE operates a double-blind peer review process for all peer-reviewed submissions. Depending on the nature of the submission, manuscripts may be reviewed by one or more reviewers alongside editorial oversight.

Research Papers, Short Reports, and Perspectives are typically reviewed by two reviewers. Other submission types may undergo review by a single reviewer and/or editorial review, as appropriate.

JoCE accepts the following manuscript formats:

  • Editorials (by invitation only, indexed)
  • Research Papers (open submissions, indexed, peer reviewed)
  • Short Report (open submissions, indexed, peer reviewed)
  • Perspectives (open submissions, indexed, peer reviewed)
  • Conference Papers  (open submissions, indexed, peer-reviewed)
  • Case Studies (open submissions, indexed, peer-reviewed)
  • Book Reviews (open submissions, indexed, peer-reviewed)
  • Critical Notices (open submissions, indexed, peer-reviewed)
  • Updates, News, and Announcements (editorially reviewed)

See Details see Authors Guidance and Manuscript Formats

Peer Review Process

The Journal of Coaching Ethics (JoCE) is an international open-access electronic journal published annually. Manuscripts may be submitted at any time.

All submissions are initially assessed by the Editor-in-Chief to determine their suitability for the journal and whether they will proceed to peer review.

JoCE operates a double-blind peer review process for peer-reviewed submissions. Depending on the nature of the submission, manuscripts may be reviewed by one or more reviewers alongside editorial oversight.

The initial review process typically takes approximately four weeks following the annual or relevant special issue submission deadline. All submitted manuscripts are acknowledged upon receipt.

JoCE uses the OJS PKP Open Journal Systems platform to manage the submission and review process.

See “Authors Guidance and Manuscript Formats” for more details, as well as our Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement here: (PEMS). 

Editorial Independence and Conflict of Interest

Submissions authored or co-authored by members of the editorial team, including the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board members, Contributing Editors, or Specialist Editors, are managed independently to support the integrity and impartiality of the review process.

Editorial team members do not oversee reviewer selection, reviewer correspondence, or editorial decisions relating to their own submissions.

Integrity of Submissions

JoCE expects all manuscripts to be original and unpublished. While automated plagiarism detection software is not currently used, the editorial team carefully reviews submissions to ensure integrity and originality.

The journal is working towards securing funding for plagiarism detection software. Submissions found to involve plagiarism will be declined, and authors may be restricted from future submissions.

Reviewers

This Journal gratefully acknowledges the contribution of our team of editors and reviewers. We rely on the goodwill and collegiality of many academics worldwide. More...

Publication Frequency 

JoCE is published once a year. To be considered for the next April-May publication, submissions must be received before 1 February.

Open Access Policy

JoCE provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available supports global knowledge exchange. The Journal of Coaching Ethics does not charge any fees to authors for submission or publication. More...

Archiving Policy

JoCE uses the PKP network and LOCKSS system to create distributed archives for long-term preservation and restoration. More...

Privacy Policy

Personal data submitted to JoCE (names, emails) is used solely for stated purposes and will not be shared. More...

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS)

JoCE adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to ensure integrity in academic publishing. These practices apply to authors, reviewers, and editors. here.

Sponsors 

The Journal of Coaching Ethics (JoCE) was founded by Wendy-Ann Smith, with seed funding and ongoing sponsorship provided through the Coaching Ethics Forum (CEF) — an independent platform dedicated to ethical dimensions in coaching, supervision, and education. CEF fosters engagement among coaches, researchers, educators, HR professionals, and consulting organisations. Learn more at the Coaching Ethics Forum. More...

JoCE maintains full editorial independence. Sponsorship or financial support does not influence editorial decisions, peer review processes, or publication outcomes.

Financial support for the journal may be received through initiatives including the Ethics Forum International (EFI), Coaching Ethics Forum (CEF), Champions of Courage Awards (CoCA),  Ethical EDGE Insights Magazine(EEi), Academy of Ethicality and Ethics Forum International (EFI). These contributions support the ongoing development and accessibility of the journal through the Ethics & Ethicality Sustainability Fund, held by AETHIC 1901, a French non-profit association.