National Association of Funeral Directors
The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) is an independent trade association. It boasts that it has the broadest membership within the funeral profession, including more than 3,200 funeral homes nationwide, and suppliers to the profession and overseas funeral directing businesses. [1]
The association has been supporting Funeral Directors since 1905.[2]
People in the funeral profession were previously known as funeral undertakers. The term ‘director’ is a relatively recent one.
Member companies range from small family businesses to Public Limited Companies and Co-Operatives, conducting in excess of 500,000 funerals every year.
The NAFD claims members enjoy a wide range of business support services which are continually being reviewed as the NAFD seeks to improve the benefits available to its members, with their lion logo being intended to be a kite mark of quality assurance, and to guarantee the highest professional standards.[3]
The NAFD states that its Association represents the funeral profession at all levels of Government in respect of legislation and campaigns on issues affecting not only funeral directors, but also the bereaved, and that they provide informed opinion to Parliamentarians, Government agencies and consumer groups on all funeral matters.[4]
Members of funeral trade associations are not regulated by law. They operate their own voluntary codes of practice and principles. Also, there is no requirement in law that a funeral director belongs to one of the two known associations. Non-members are not subject to the codes.
In consumer terms, funeral directors are viewed as general traders of goods and services, and there is no legal requirement that they all offer the same company terms and conditions.
According to Geoff Caldwell of the NAFD:
- The terms and conditions published on the NAFD website, is an example template only, and is designed so the member company can simply edit this with their trading style.[5]
This raises the question of why all the members of NAFD are not held to a common code of practice, as is the case with many trade associations.
Contact
- Address:
- Phone:
- Email:
- Website:
Resources
- See Funeral Industry
Notes
- ↑ About the NAFD, NAFD website, accessed 20 July 2009
- ↑ About the NAFD, NAFD website, accessed 20 July 2009
- ↑ About the NAFD, NAFD website, accessed 20 July 2009
- ↑ About the NAFD, NAFD website, accessed 20 July 2009
- ↑ Geoff Caldwell, NAFD, email to Teresa Evans 28 January 2008
