A Five -Year Strategy for the NAFD 2022 - 2027

Focusing onthe future A Five -Year Strategy for the NAFD2022 - 2027

Abraham Lincoln

“The most reliable way to predict the future, is to create it.”

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#focusingonthefuture

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Contents

1. Introduction from NAFD President Kate Edwards 3

2. What kind of organisation is the NAFD striving to be? 5

3. Strategy Objectives 7

a. Delivering unrivalled support for members

b. Building partnerships and leading a national conversation

about funerals and bereavement

c. Shaping the policy and trading environment for funerals

d. Enriching the sector

4. Measurement criteria 14

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Introduction

After a challenging, extraordinary, and unprecedented few years for the

funeral profession, it is time to focus firmly on the future.

For the NAFD, recent experiences have provoked intense discussion

within the NAFD Executive about the nature, role, and value of

membership organisations in the modern world – as well as the fast-

evolving external environment to which we, and our members,

continue rapidly to adapt.

Arguably, the pandemic and introduction of regulation has

demonstrated that the collective strength, experience, and support that can be derived from

membership of an effective trade association has never been more important.

As well as supporting members in practical ways to meet their day-to-day needs, the NAFD has worked

hard to shape the broader external environment in which we operate, with the aim of ensuring the

funeral sector can be the architect of its own future, rather than simply being subject to it. We have

already reshaped the Association’s Governance structure, the way in which it operates, its breadth of

vision and its flexibility and speed of response to member needs.

But there is much more to be done.

This Five-Year Strategy seeks to frame the ongoing work of the NAFD in the context of this journey

and in the context of both recent and current challenges - be those the evolving needs of funeral

consumers, the increased focus of policy makers on the sector, the impact of the pandemic on the

market and trading environment, or the potential of technology.

We cannot be defined by what has gone before – even if those events are as seismic as a pandemic

and the introduction of regulation. We must now carve out a future in which NAFD members have

everything they need to be able to lead the funeral sector and one in which the Association continues

to reshape itself, in a post pandemic, post-Brexit, post CMA world, to deliver those needs for members

every step of the way.

The strategy is therefore focused around four core aims:

• delivering unrivalled support to members;

• building partnerships and leading a national conversation about funerals and bereavement;

• shaping the policy and trading environment for funerals; and

• enriching the funeral sector.

At the heart of the strategy is our determination to deliver world class support for members, so we

can be certain that we are helping them to build successful, effective and compassionate funeral

service businesses. However, we cannot afford to be insular and so the focus of this strategy is also on

our broader role within the external environment too – in how the nation supports the needs of

bereaved people through a progressive conversation about the end of life - and how we can position

the NAFD and its members at the heart of the debate as exemplars of quality, experience and

capability.

The NAFD Executive and Governing Board has overseen extensive consultation on this strategy,

including with external partners, the wider membership and NAFD staff. In doing so, we have sought

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to ensure that it reflects the views and needs of all the Association’s diverse range of stakeholders and

will deliver tangible, beneficial outcomes.

The Five-Year Strategy is, by necessity and design, a very high-level document – and the detail of how

we work towards these objectives will be set out in Annual Plans, against which the NAFD team will

report progress regularly to the Executive and Governing Board, through Association meetings and in

our Annual Review.

However, you will see in this strategy a flavour of our ambition with details of some significant

projects, some stretching the length of this Five-Year Strategy and beyond, which will deliver some of

the biggest, long-term benefits to the membership and consumers – and make a measurable impact

on the national conversation about funerals.

These include the reshaping of our membership proposition; the launch of a robust and independent

new standards regulator that will show the government that the sector is capable of regulating

standards effectively; and the expansion of our Education Framework, with new qualifications and

courses which provide funeral service employees with a career pathway, as well as Continuous

Professional Development learning opportunities. We also intend to build on the work we have

already begun to help support and educate the next generation of bereaved people – and expand the

NAFD’s thinking and insight to ensure it properly reflects and addresses the diverse needs of all funeral

directors and all communities.

These are bold objectives, but then so is the NAFD. We

are progressive, knowledgeable and trustworthy – and

we are proud to the lead the funeral sector as its most

inclusive, ambitious and capable trade association.

It is our intention, through the execution of this strategy,

to build on the NAFD’s reputation as an excellent source

of support to its members, a robust voice for the funeral

profession and a respected advisor to policy makers and stakeholders. As a consequence of delivering

against its aims, the NAFD will play a pivotal role in creating a positive future in which our members

have everything they need to provide exemplary care for both bereaved and deceased people, the

funeral sector is respected for its contribution to society and the nation is engaged in a broader,

better-informed conversation about the end of life.

As chair of the NAFD Executive, I am delighted to commend this Five-Year Strategy to you.

Kate

Kate Edwards B.Ed. (Hons), Dip. F.D.

NAFD President 2021-2022

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What kind of organisation is the NAFD striving to be?

Since its inception in 1905, the NAFD has always striven to be the voice of - and advocate for

- the funeral profession and this core purpose remains as valid today as it has ever been. Over

time, and particularly in recent years as the sector has come under significant scrutiny, the

NAFD has expanded its vision to include far more proactive and direct action in support of

bereaved people too.

This commitment to try and anticipate and shape the future, is designed to ensure that we

are always ready to guide and support members in respond to the changing needs of

consumers and proactively help to address some of the more challenging, external factors

that lie outside their direct control and, in some cases, provide a direct threat to business survival.

These issues include the continued and very real threat of disproportionate, burdensome, and costly

regulation being imposed on the sector from above, an environmental movement that

increasingly demands that consumers consider the viability of some important UK funeral

customs and practices; a public that remains uncomfortable in making financial, emotional or

practical plans for the end of life; outdated burial and cremation regulations and inadequate

state support – among many other issues.

At a time when these risks remain in front of the profession, the NAFD’s Mission must – in

response - be a bold statement of intent as to how we will guide and support members in

successfully navigating these choppy waters.

We have also made it clear in our Mission that our support is – and must be – tailored to the

individual needs of the four home nations, as devolution increasingly means that the

regulations and requirements differ significantly between the countries of the United

Kingdom.

The Five-Year Strategy is built around this vision and will guide and support the NAFD team in

achieving it. It is also the yardstick against which our members, partners and external

stakeholders should measure our achievements and hold us to account.

The NAFD’s Mission is to be an inclusive and progressive advocate for the funeral

profession and bereaved people in all four nations of the United Kingdom.

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The NAFD’s Organisational Values

The NAFD’s organisational values align with the Mission. They support NAFD decision making

and guide the way the Association’s employees behave.

The four values of the NAFD are as follows:

• Progressive - leads not follows; anticipates future needs and is always looking to develop

• Inclusive – understands, supports, and reflects the needs of all stakeholders

• Knowledgeable – respected for its expertise and insight; committed to continuously

improving its understanding

• Trustworthy – responsible, respectful, dependable; inspiring confidence and acting

always with integrity

While business plans and strategies may change, the Mission Statement and Values should

endure and should help the organisation to remain focused on what is important, over time

– and, as a key stakeholder, you should be able to observe how effectively the NAFD acts in

line with these values.

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Strategy Objectives

There are four headline objectives within this Five-Year Strategy:

Delivering unrivalled support for members

The NAFD is a membership association. Anticipating and meeting the current and future

needs of and risks facing our members is the heart of all we do. The Five-Year Strategy has

been developed with this in mind - making the NAFD an organisation that offers value to its

members and that they can be proud of.

Through the strategy, we will work to continually refine, build and develop the benefits of

NAFD membership, providing market-leading support, activities and guidance to member

firms to ensure they can thrive in a changing and often uncertain world.

Our members range from very large national companies to small independents: this is our

strength as an Association, and we will deliver services that help all members, irrespective of

size and wherever they operate.

Building partnerships and leading a national conversation about bereavement

For many people in the UK, death remains an uncomfortable subject. But not talking about it

has consequences for bereaved people, for the funeral profession – and for policymakers.

The NAFD has an important role in building partnerships and inspiring conversation to help

build understanding and better support for the work of funeral professionals and their work

to care for bereaved and deceased people. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has

evidenced how it is necessary to tackle the remaining stigma surrounding grief and

bereavement, and the need to develop a bigger national conversation, which includes the

funeral sector, that allows individuals and organisations to share their stories and educate

others.

Shaping the policy and trading environment for funerals

A central aspect of the NAFD’s role has always been to act as an advocate in the UK’s four

nations; both campaigning for the needs of members and bereaved families and anticipating

potential risks facing the sector, seeking to head them off at the pass.

This role has never been more important than it is now and will be in the next five years, with

the real possibility of a second CMA market investigation, the long overdue reform of burial

and cremation laws and the role of funeral directors in national resilience among many other

national and devolved issues.

We will build upon our strong relationships in all four UK nations, to ensure that the voice of

the funeral sector is heard and understood, and develop our relationships with external

partners, to reflect the diverse and changing needs of society in all of our work.

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Enriching the sector

The NAFD seeks to share knowledge, provoke discussion, build connections and inspire new

thinking and growth within the funeral profession. We want to give all funeral professionals

the opportunity to reach their full potential for the betterment of the wider sector.

We are working to be recognised as the UK’s leading provider of funeral education and

Continuous Professional Development (CPD), offering qualifications and courses across all

roles in the funeral profession – as well as the source of inspiring events, thought-provoking

insight and original thinking.

We want to build on our reputation as a trustworthy organisation, to lead the way in

important areas such as equality and diversity and tackling environmental and climate change

issues.

Below, we have set out the priority projects and actions that will support us in accomplishing

these four objectives. Each of these objectives will be supported by annual plans and budgets,

which will outline greater detail into how they will be delivered, measured and achieved.

Aim One: To redevelop the membership proposition to ensure we are providing members

with everything they need to thrive within the funeral profession.

The funeral sector is changing and so is the NAFD - and therefore so must the benefits it offers

to members. We will undertake a comprehensive review of the Association’s benefits of

membership, to benchmark them against the best in class across all business sectors and

ensure we are providing proactive support on all key issues facing funeral firms. We are also

exploring additional sources of income for the Association, to spread financial risk and ensure

we are delivering outstanding value for money to members through their membership


To be an inclusive and

progressive advocate for the

funeral profession and

bereaved people in all four

nations of the UK

Enriching the funeral sector


Building

partnerships

and leading a

national

conversation

about funerals

and

bereavement

Delivering

unrivalled

support for

members

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subscription, which we will continue to keep competitive and restricted to only essential

increases.

Aim Two: To increase the size and diversity of the membership base.

As part of the NAFD’s commitment to its values, we need to focus on how inclusive we are as

an organisation. The NAFD recognises the importance of creating an inclusive, democratic and

welcoming trade association that meets the needs of both current and prospective members,

ensuring that funeral firms view the NAFD as an organisation that works for and represents

their needs.

The NAFD will undertake research to explore the needs and views of a diverse range of funeral

businesses, to listen to the views of those businesses who do not view NAFD as representative

of their needs, in order ensure that we remove unnecessary barriers to membership.

Aim Three: To establish a peer-reviewed, technical, higher-level publication

The NAFD is proposing to create and launch a new peer-reviewed publication, which will help

to build links between NAFD and higher education establishments. The new journal will

include articles that demonstrate originality and pioneering ideas in areas such as funerals

and the environment, new methods of disposal, bereavement support, technology and

funerals, customer behaviour, and anthropological or sociological perspectives on funeral

rituals.

Aim Four: To give the NAFD’s Education framework a clear identity and create a focal point

for professional development in the funeral sector.

In order to support the development of NAFD Education as the pinnacle of professional

development provision within the funeral sector, the NAFD will create a world class vehicle

for delivery of its qualifications and CPD activities, enabling students to access learning in

variety of formats, ensuring continuing professional education is accessible, compelling and

rewarding to as wide a range of funeral sector employees as possible.

Aim Five: To obtain Privy Council approval for Chartered Funeral Director Status

Obtaining chartered status will raise the profile of the profession, with the title ‘Chartered

Funeral Director’ being seen as the pinnacle of achievement, in a similar way that chartered

status is viewed in other professions. It is proposed that the application for chartered status

is initiated towards the end of the five-year strategy period, once higher-level qualifications

and a peer-reviewed publication are in place.

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Aim One: To improve stakeholder recognition of and understanding of the funeral sector.

The profile of the funeral profession has perhaps never been higher, with more public and

stakeholder engagement than ever before, due in part to the pandemic and its impact on

funeral services. The conversation has shifted from being dominated by cost of a funeral

issues – to one that is far more about the importance and value of a funeral.

However, at the same time – cost issues do remain on the agenda, as do quality standards –

all of which present challenges to the health of the sector - and so it is important that the

NAFD maintains a leadership role on these issues, to ensure there is a balanced debate about

funerals. A key role of the NAFD therefore is to maintain the sector’s presence in the media

and in the minds of the public and key stakeholders - to support the wider development

aspirations within this strategy.

Aim Two: To ensure the NAFD builds progressive partnerships and actively seeks to listen to

all voices in discussions about funerals and bereavement.

The NAFD is proud to enjoy close working relationships with many peer organisations within

the funerals and bereavement sector – and the creation of the Deceased Management

Advisory Group during the pandemic and the ongoing value of the All/Cross Party Groups in

the UK parliaments and assemblies is testament to the power and importance of

collaboration.

Over the next five years we will continue to develop these partnerships – but also build new

ones, ensuring that we listen to all voices, particular those with views and experiences that

may be very different or challenging.

Aim Three: To ensure the NAFD plays a proactive role in opening up discussions about

bereavement and providing care for those who are bereaved.

The NAFD recognises the complexities of grief and bereavement and that, while it is a natural

process, it can also be overwhelming and can affect people in very different ways. The NAFD

is committed to understanding more about how grief and bereavement affects people so that

we can support policy development and the provision of education and support that helps

funeral firms to provide the best care possible for bereaved people.

Aim Four: To ensure all school children have access to bereavement education within a school

setting and ensure that schools have appropriate resources and signposting information to

support pupils.

Bereavement education for children and young people can support their resilience in coping

with the impact of loss and change caused by bereavement.

Building on work already done in this area, the NAFD will campaign to ensure that a greater

understanding about the end of life, as well as building resources to cope with loss, is

adequately covered in school settings across all four nations of the United Kingdom.

Building partnerships and leading a national conversation

about funerals and bereavement

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Aim One: To be recognised as the UK’s leading provider of funeral education and Continuing

Professional Development (CPD), offering qualifications and courses across all roles in the

funeral profession (including management level).

The onset of a more regulated environment for funeral directors will mean that having

appropriate qualifications for differing job roles and undertaking appropriate Continuing

Professional Development (CPD) is likely to become mandatory in the near future.

Anticipating this, the NAFD has already developed a framework for NAFD Education with a

clear career pathway, enabling courses to be designed for all levels/role types within the

funeral profession.

Aim Two: To support the funeral sector in addressing sustainability issues.

The UK Government has planned for a 68% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end

of the decade, compared to 1990 levels, as part of the overall target of net zero by 2050.

The NAFD holds a position of leadership and authority within the funeral sector and, as such,

is able to initiate conversations about how the funeral sector can meet its environmental

responsibilities – and seek to prevent the risk of funerals becoming viewed as out of step with

the climate change agenda. The NAFD will commission research into sustainability issues

within the sector, to ensure we can lead and support the sector from a position of knowledge.

The NAFD itself must also lead by example, promoting a blended (virtual and physical) events

programme, which reduces travel and by seeking to reduce its own environmental impact,

such as through a move of all company cars to hybrid vehicles.

Aim Three: To lead a cultural shift across the funeral sector that places equality, diversity, and

inclusion at the heart of the profession

NAFD recognises the need to improve and increase awareness and understanding around the

importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are committed to making the NAFD an

inclusive organisation, and will also support our members in promoting, championing and

encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and across the wider funeral

sector.

Aim Four: To further develop NFE so it is recognised as the world’s leading funeral exhibition

The 2019 National Funeral Exhibition attracted 4,500 attendees from 18 nations and delivered

a significant revenue return to the Association.

The NAFD aims to build upon this success for 2022 and beyond, with the aim of expanding

the size, scope and ambition of the event – ensuring that it can continue to not only represent

the most compelling opportunity for the funeral profession to meet, learn and do business in

the UK, but can also increase its financial contribution to the Association.

Enriching the sector

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Aim One: To have in place a modern, proportionate, and cost-effective regulatory regime for

funeral directors in the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation (IFSO), with IFSO being

recognised by Government as the regulator for the funeral profession and invested with

statutory powers.

A key part of the NAFD’s role has always been to provide assurance to the public that they

are choosing a high-quality funeral director, through its inspection’s regime and complaints

processes.

Having already launched consumer conciliation scheme NAFD Resolve, developed and

launched the new outcome-based Funeral Director Code, which aligns with the Funeral

Service Consumer Standards Review, and aligned a new inspections regime to assess member

firms against the new Code, the next step for the NAFD is to bring these together into an

independent regulatory regime that will meet the CMA and Government requirements of a

standards regulator – eliminating the need for Government to create a new one.

In 2020, NAFD set out bold plans to create an Independent Funeral Standards Organisation

(IFSO), an independent regulatory body which will provide a robust mechanism to monitor

quality standards among funeral firms. With regulation of funeral home standards something

the CMA is very keen to pursue, this is designed to ensure that the sector can be the architect

of a robust and workable solution to the independent monitoring of standards and avoid

inflexible, costly central regulation.

IFSO will absorb the NAFD’s current standards activities and begin operations in 2022. This

will change the NAFD’s role from one of protecting the public (as the standards monitoring

aspects of the NAFD’s role will move to IFSO) to one of educating the public and funeral

employees on standards matters and providing compliance support to help members meet

IFSO’s requirements as well as those of the Inspector of Funeral Directors in Scotland.

Aim Two: To positively influence changes to burial and cremation law, so that those elements

which have improved the death registration and certification process during the COVID-19

pandemic are retained, and that the law encompasses reasonable regulations for alternative

disposal methods.

The reform of burial and cremation laws is long overdue. In addition, beneficial easements,

designed to speed up and improve the efficiency of death registration and certification

processes during the COVID-19 pandemic, were put in place under the Coronavirus Act 2020

and are due to be rescinded in 2022.

The NAFD will continue to press the UK government to find the appropriate parliamentary

vehicle to ensure the beneficial Coronavirus Act easements can continue - and we will ensure

that the needs of the funeral profession and bereaved people are at the centre of burial and

cremation law reforms.


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Aim Three: To achieve Category 2 responder status for funeral directors in the Civil

Contingencies Act

Funeral directors currently have no recognised status within Civil Contingencies legislation.

This has meant that key considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as Key Worker

status, representation on Local Resilience Forums, and priority access to the vaccine, had to

be argued for – and, in the case of PPE, the provision of the supplies necessary to fulfil the

role that was expected of them by Government came at an unacceptably high cost to funeral

firms.

Recognising funeral directors as Category 2 responders would enable many of the things the

NAFD lobbied hard for during the pandemic to be more readily granted, thereby reducing

future risks to the profession and ensuring automatic inclusion in key regional decision-

making affecting the funeral sector.

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Measurement Criteria Below are the headline measurement criteria that will be monitored by the NAFD Governing

Board and Executive Committee.

These will be refined through the Annual Plans to ensure they are measurable, achievable,

targeted and specific.

Aim


• Relaunch member benefits

• Increase the overall number of funeral homes in membership

• Apply for Chartered Funeral Director Status

• Increase number of students achieving DipFD Status

• Launch Management Level Qualification and CPD framework

Building partnerships and leading a national conversation about funerals and

bereavement

• Relaunch the Northern Ireland Cross Party Group for Funerals and Bereavement

• Broaden understanding about funerals and the funeral sector

• Expand media coverage and strengthen media relationships

• Undertake a public perception survey about funerals and bereavement

• Recruit parliamentary champions in all four nations

• Increase NAFD social media following

• Further develop the NAFD website


• Advocate for improvements to relevant legislation and positively influence changes to

burial and cremation law

• Operational launch of the Independent Funeral Standards Organisation

• Ensure recognition in the National Resilience Strategy

• Advocate to include funeral directors as Category 2 Responders in the Civil

Contingencies Act

Enriching the funeral sector

• Establish a hybrid (virtual and in person) events model

• Inform and educate about sustainability issues through research and the provision of

high-quality information

• Understand and introduce measures to reduce the NAFD’s carbon impact

• Make NAFD’s Boards and Committees more inclusive

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• Make NAFD’s communications more accessible

• Undertake research projects around equality, diversity, and inclusion topics

• Identify and remove unfair barriers to membership

• Increase the number of attendees and exhibitors at NFE

• Launch of higher-level publication

• Launch of NAFD Education brand identity and vehicle

October 2021


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Tel: 0121 711 1343 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nafd.org.uk #focusingonthefuture.

A Five -Year Strategy for the NAFD 2022 - 2027

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