09/12/2025
Some projects simply show what can happen when professional goodwill is turned into real, concrete support. This new CSR coaching program for Danish Refugee Council / Dansk Flygtningehjælp leaders, created in partnership between DRC, ICF Denmark Chapter and EY Nordic, is exactly that: 25 experienced coaches volunteering up to 300 hours of coaching so that 50 managers get a confidential space to think, reflect and navigate an exceptionally demanding period. Instead of “just” caring about the humanitarian sector, coaches are offering what they do best – high-quality, ethical, ICF-aligned coaching – to those who hold so much on their shoulders. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of a community and a collaboration where expertise, structure and heart come together in a way that creates real value for people who spend their lives creating value for others.
I’m also happy we had that serendipity moment where the idea was born after just a few minutes of chat, Karsten Johansson, at the INSEAD Alumni Association Denmark event on a lovely summer evening at the French Embassy in Copenhagen. Thank you, Jacqui Moller Larsen ACC (ICF), for taking the project into such good hands, and thank you, Peter Haugaard, for stepping up at EY Nordic and hosting the idea so it could become reality.
Have you ever been really proud of something!
Last week we launched something we are truly proud of! A new CSR Coaching Program for the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), initiated together with ICF Denmark and EY Nordic. This
project will support DRC’s leaders as they navigate a tough period following a significant reduction in funding and a year of organizational changes, global challenges and uncertainty
for the organization and its people.
What makes this initiative special?
Special perhaps as 25 experienced coaches are collectively volunteering up to 300 hours of their time to provide leadership coaching to 50 DRC managers which at market value is
worth around 600,000 DKK. Each manager can receive six hour long coaching sessions between January and August 2026 with a professionally trained, qualified coach following the ICF Code of Ethics. Many coaches also hold an additional ICF credential.
The program offers DRC’s managers a safe space to reflect and think away from the everyday distractions, build resilience for themselves and their teams, and find new ways forward to
continue to deliver the high-quality, impactful humanitarian aid they are known for.
Coaching can make a difference for those in the humanitarian sector!
ICF Denmark is the Danish chapter of the International Coaching Federation, the largest organisation of professional coaches founded in 1995 promoting quality, standards and
accreditation.
EY Ripples is EY’s global corporate responsibility program focused on creating positive social impact, aiming to positively impact 1 billion lives globally.
Together we believe coaching can make a real difference, especially for those working in the humanitarian right now. In a complex, fast changing sector where resources are stretched
and easy answers are rare, this coaching initiative stands out as real, hands-on support for those who keep things running when it matters most.
Huge thanks go to everyone involved in making this initiative possible.
