It was first formed as the Corporate Ombudsman Association (COA) in 1984 under founding president Mary Rowe.
[3][4] The IOA has promulgated both Standards of Practice and a code of ethics for Organizational Ombuds; both are founded on the idea that Ombuds are to be confidential, neutral (or impartial), informal, and independent.
Full membership is granted to practicing Organizational Ombuds who adhere to the IOA's standards of practice and code of ethics, holds no conflicting job functions, and do not serve as an agent of the organization for purposes of notice.
[6] Associate members are practicing Organizational Ombuds who have some other job function which limits the independence, neutrality, confidentiality, or informality of their Ombudsing role, who have no job function which would make them an agent of their organization for the purpose of notice, and who support the IOA standards of practice and code of ethics but may be limited in their ability to adhere to them.
[6] Affiliate members are persons or entities that support the IOA standards of practice and code of ethics, but who do not serve as Organizational Ombuds.