The Interior Fitout Association (IFA) supports its members by promoting the highest standards of workmanship, professionalism and customer service, while advocating for the recognition and advancement of Australia’s commercial interior fitout industry.
The Association achieves this by providing educational and professional development opportunities, facilitating industry connections, and celebrating excellence through awards, events, publications and industry recognition programs.
With its foundations firmly embedded in local industry, IFA is structured to ensure members have a strong voice at both state and national levels. Members are represented through five State Divisions – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia – each led by an elected committee of industry volunteers.
The Presidents Committee comprises the elected Presidents of the New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia State Divisions. Acting as a conduit between members, state committees and the national Board, the committee ensures local perspectives, challenges and opportunities are represented in national discussions and strategic decision-making.
Each State Division is empowered to identify and address state-specific priorities, foster industry engagement and networking opportunities, and strengthen relationships with local businesses, stakeholders and industry partners.
The Board of Directors provides governance, strategic direction and oversight of the Association. Working closely with the Presidents Committee and State Divisions, the Board ensures IFA remains focused on delivering value to members and advancing the interests of the industry nationally.
Supporting the Board, Presidents Committee and State Divisions is the National Office, which manages the day-to-day operations of the Association and delivers a broad range of services and initiatives on behalf of members. These include membership services, training and professional development programs, strategic communications, marketing initiatives, industry advocacy, stakeholder engagement, publications, events and awards programs, including the annual National Conference, Interior Fitout Awards and Design Awards.
IFA’s National Partners and Sponsors play an important role in the success of the Association and the wider industry. Through their ongoing support, collaboration and industry expertise, the Association is able to deliver industry-leading events, educational opportunities, publications and member services that contribute to the growth, professionalism and long-term sustainability of the commercial fitout sector.
The strength of IFA lies in the collective contribution of its members, volunteers, National Partners and industry stakeholders. Together, they work towards a common goal of enhancing the reputation, professionalism and future growth of Australia’s commercial interior fitout industry.
Our National Partners
Find out more about partnering with IFA here.
About the industry
IFA covers the professionals, suppliers, developers and regulators who design, buy, sell, build, check and install purpose-built internal environments for literally thousands of businesses in the retail, franchise, corporate and office sectors.
Who works in the industry?
People in this industry oversee the design, sourcing, construction and installation of all interior areas including the choice of furnishings, signage, fittings, finishes, materials and shop layouts.
Shop and office fitters work with their clients to create an environment that serves and helps accomplish business goals; whether that is increasing foot-traffic, communicating a strong brand, displaying products or using elegant furnishings to create a professional office space, the work involved is varied and rather “niche”.
The managers behind shopping centres and large retail zones, such as airports, play a vital role in the shop and office fitting industry, as they provide much work for Association members.
The relationships in the industry
As the voice of the industry, IFA is committed to fostering strong business connections between all the major stakeholders in this industry. In light of this important relationship between developers and shop fitters, IFA is in regular contact with the managers of shopping centres around Australia
These relationships enable IFA to stay in the loop with new opportunities and developments. News and tenders from this segment are shared with IFA members on a regular basis.
IFA also acts as a conduit between the shop and office fitting industry, retailers and designers – as retailers need professional and expert skill to create their shop environments.
In response to this need, IFA created the supplier directory and showcase pages. These tools conveniently bring together leading industry suppliers for comparison. Through the showcase pages, retailers can learn about IFA member’s previous work and see examples through the images, project overviews and link-through to that member’s own website.
IFA can also help retailers to distribute their tenders throughout the industry and assist them in securing the best contractor for the project at hand.
Code of ethics
Members of IFA acknowledge that we are joined together to promote:
- The good standing of our industry
- Ethical conduct in all our business negotiations
- A high standard of workmanship in the execution of all work entrusted to us
- The observance of all arrangements and agreements negotiated on our behalf with other Associations, Federal Government, State Governments, or others
- Strict adherence to the rule that members will not execute work from plans and/or detailed drawings prepared by another member unless permission to do so has first been obtained
- The adoption of the best possible safety precautions within our plant and on-site
- Adequate and effective training for all workers engaged in various phases of the industry.
Our Value Proposition Statement
IFA is a highly respected industry organisation delivering critical business information and quality marketing & networking benefits to businesses operating specifically within the Interior Fitout Industry.