Who We Are

The International Federation of Aromatherapists (IFA) is the first and largest governing body for professional aromatherapy worldwide. With a longstanding reputation in the field the IFA quality mark is recognised globally as symbolising experience, expertise and excellence in the field of aromatherapy. Self-funded, we were established in 1985 to represent the rapidly developing aromatherapy profession and to safeguard the public by introducing standards and regulation for aromatherapists and qualification providers. Our key purpose is to protect the public and provide a register of aromatherapists and training providers who meet the qualifying standards. 

In 1986 we gained charity status with the purpose of preserving health by advancing the knowledge and practice of aromatherapy by means of education and practical training. Our non-profit status means that all our income is reinvested into raising awareness and extending our outreach as well as supporting and nurturing our member’s professional development. The IFA has an illustrious reputation for its voluntary activities and sponsorship of the integration of aromatherapy into a variety of communities and social contexts. 
 

We represent aromatherapy before government bodies and actively engage in and respond to government lead debates for the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) to enhance the health and wellbeing of the public. We continue to develop new qualifications to cater to the needs of the public and update our curriculum to ensure our qualifications meet the expectations of government health committees. 

As a single discipline body we understand the therapy inside out.  We understand the challenges, education, research and development requirements of our members, which allows us to deliver a specialist service to them. The IFA ensures the guidance it provides to registrants is consistently reviewed and updated, taking into consideration new legislation, changes in law and service user feedback.

The IFA is governed by a board of trustees with a breadth of knowledge and expertise who direct and manage how the charity is run. The board are supported by numerous subcommittees and specialist advisors. All decisions taken are independently and peer reviewed to ensure impartiality in all our dealings.

The IFA is a truly international organisation with training centres, accreditation and members across the globe. We support our international members with our multi-lingual website and educational material and employ multi-lingual staff to allow all those wishing to gain the IFA’s kite mark of professionalism an opportunity to do so.

We are dedicated to protecting the public and regulating independently, fairly, consistently and proportionately.