MISSION STATEMENT:

The purpose of the Association is to motivate its members to strive for excellence in service to families and communities in which they serve. To encourage each member's compliance with State and Local statutes and sound business principles. To provide structured learning sessions for its members and their staff in all areas of cemetery management. To endeavor in every way possible to resolve consumer problems with any of its members and to promote harmony with all cemeteries and the communities they serve.

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY:

The VCA and its legislative committee work closely with the state legislature in developing an atmosphere in which we are able to operate responsibly, while protecting our consumers. VCA has effectively demonstrated an ability to modify proposed legislation that might be overly restrictive, through good faith efforts with legislators. VCA keeps its members up to date on changes in the law, and maintains a Consumer Protection Committee to help resolve consumer complaints.

VCA LEADERSHIP:

The VCA Board of Directors is a group of leaders elected by the active members of the association with staggered terms of office. The Board meets at least three times a year to discuss and formulate plans for the direction of the association.

CODE OF ETHICS:

We believe that the fundamental purpose of the Virginia Cemetery Association exists to inspire continued effort toward the improvement of Virginia Cemeteries and their staff with the main objective of serving its clients.

We believe that it is necessary in such a declaration that we here condemn the practice of selling cemetery property for speculative or investment purposes, or upon the promises of resale at a profit. That such a practice is detrimental to public interest is self-evident. It defies the fundamental concept upon which the development of our services has been predicated and constitutes a threat to our advancement by abusing the privileges and prerogatives which we administer as a public trust.

We consider that fair dealing with the general public requires that we devote our attention to enlightenment of the people with whom we come in contact, and we charge ourselves with the responsibility of guiding and assisting individuals in their relations with us to the end that their interest will be well served.

We believe in the fundamental precepts of fair competition, dedicating ourselves to the preservation of those standards which were indigenous to the founders of this Association, and which have been followed by us until an unwritten code of ethical conduct has become inherent in our method of operation.

We believe that the purpose for which this Association exists cannot be passive in nature, but that we are charged further with the responsibility of educating others to the high standards of conduct herein defined.

We offer this declaration to all members of our profession as a basic code of ethical conduct to which we, as an Association, and as individual members of the Cemetery Profession, subscribe – placing our faith and credit in the broad basic principles herein enunciated.