ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS) — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Other
Registered: 4 February 1963
Removed: Not supplied
Financial period: 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025
Latest income: £6,872,000
Latest expenditure: £7,174,000
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: Yes
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, 1 KENSINGTON GORE, LONDON, SW7 2AR

Website recorded by the regulator: www.rgs.org (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

Advancement and promotion of geographical knowledge and understanding of the world, locally and globally: public engagement; education and outdoor learning; research; grants for research, expeditions, innovative teaching; information services and resources; policy, advocacy and media; active membership.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2025
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 6 October 2026
Date Accounts Received: 6 October 2026
Total Gross Income: £6,872,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £7,174,000

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 9 September 2025
Date Accounts Received: 9 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £6,076,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £6,303,000

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 30 September 2024
Date Accounts Received: 30 September 2024
Total Gross Income: £5,843,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £6,081,000

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 27 October 2023
Date Accounts Received: 27 October 2023
Total Gross Income: £6,038,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £5,561,000

Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2021
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Reporting Due Date: 31 October 2022
Date Annual Return Received: 11 October 2022
Date Accounts Received: 11 October 2022
Total Gross Income: £4,647,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £4,967,000

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2025
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2026
Ar Received Date: 6 October 2026
Total Gross Income: £6,872,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £7,174,000
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: Yes
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: Yes
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: Yes
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 2
Count Salary Band 100001 110000: 1
Count Salary Band 110001 120000: 1
Count Salary Band 120001 130000: 1
Count Salary Band 130001 140000: 1
Count Volunteers: 2500

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2025
Ar Received Date: 9 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £6,076,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £6,303,000
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Salary Band 90001 100000: 1
Count Salary Band 110001 120000: 1
Count Salary Band 120001 130000: 1
Count Volunteers: 3000

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2024
Ar Received Date: 30 September 2024
Total Gross Income: £5,843,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £6,081,000
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 70001 80000: 1
Count Salary Band 90001 100000: 1
Count Salary Band 100001 110000: 2
Count Salary Band 120001 130000: 1
Count Salary Band 150001 200000: 1
Count Volunteers: 3000

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2023
Ar Received Date: 27 October 2023
Total Gross Income: £6,038,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £5,561,000
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Salary Band 100001 110000: 3
Count Salary Band 110001 120000: 1
Count Salary Band 140001 150000: 1
Count Volunteers: 3000

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2021
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2022
Ar Received Date: 11 October 2022
Total Gross Income: £4,647,000
Total Gross Expenditure: £4,967,000
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 80001 90000: 2
Count Salary Band 90001 100000: 2
Count Salary Band 110001 120000: 1
Count Volunteers: 3000

05 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Partb

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2025
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2025
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2026
Ar Received Date: 6 October 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 3340000
Income Other Trading Activities: 2606000
Income Charitable Activities: 1158000
Income Investments: 637000
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 7741000
Income Legacies: 253000
Income Endowments: 869000
Expenditure Raising Funds: £349,000
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £5,567,000
Expenditure Other: 1258000
Expenditure Total: 7174000
Expenditure Investment Management: 176000
Expenditure Grants Institution: 138000
Expenditure Governance: 172000
Expenditure Support Costs: 2319000
Expenditure Depreciation: 351000
Gain Loss Investment: 2099000
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 48000
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: -11000
Reserves: £7,688,000
Assets Total Fixed: 30624000
Assets Own Use: 5061000
Assets Long Term Investment: 25563000
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £1,912,000
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,501,000
Assets Current Investment: 167000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £31,035,000
Creditors One Year Total Current: 1501000
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £770,000
Funds Endowment: 14817000
Funds Unrestricted: 14928000
Funds Restricted: 1290000
Funds Total: 31035000
Count Employees: 64
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2024
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2025
Ar Received Date: 9 September 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 2454000
Income Other Trading Activities: 2207000
Income Charitable Activities: 1094000
Income Investments: 778000
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 6533000
Income Legacies: 460000
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £307,000
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £5,020,000
Expenditure Other: 976000
Expenditure Total: 6303000
Expenditure Investment Management: 147000
Expenditure Grants Institution: 178000
Expenditure Governance: 163000
Expenditure Support Costs: 2023000
Expenditure Depreciation: 335000
Gain Loss Investment: 855000
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 81000
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 3000
Reserves: £6,602,000
Assets Total Fixed: 25701000
Assets Own Use: 5160000
Assets Long Term Investment: 20541000
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £3,609,000
Assets Total Liabilities: £978,000
Assets Current Investment: 2530000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £28,332,000
Creditors One Year Total Current: 978000
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £378,000
Funds Endowment: 12914000
Funds Unrestricted: 14067000
Funds Restricted: 1351000
Funds Total: 28332000
Count Employees: 62
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2023
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2024
Ar Received Date: 30 September 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 2145000
Income Other Trading Activities: 1834000
Income Charitable Activities: 1100000
Income Investments: 764000
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 5843000
Income Legacies: 366000
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £274,000
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £4,885,000
Expenditure Other: 922000
Expenditure Total: 6081000
Expenditure Investment Management: 126000
Expenditure Grants Institution: 172000
Expenditure Governance: 164000
Expenditure Support Costs: 1976000
Expenditure Depreciation: 363000
Gain Loss Investment: 133000
Gain Loss Pension Fund: -147000
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: -8000
Reserves: £5,830,000
Assets Total Fixed: 25215000
Assets Own Use: 5382000
Assets Long Term Investment: 19833000
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £2,980,000
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,032,000
Assets Current Investment: 1644000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £27,163,000
Creditors One Year Total Current: 1032000
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £841,000
Funds Endowment: 12400000
Funds Unrestricted: 13485000
Funds Restricted: 1278000
Funds Total: 27163000
Count Employees: 59
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2022
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2023
Ar Received Date: 27 October 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 3048000
Income Other Trading Activities: 1621000
Income Charitable Activities: 947000
Income Investments: 422000
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 6038000
Income Legacies: 1164000
Income Endowments: 972000
Expenditure Raising Funds: £253,000
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £4,426,000
Expenditure Other: 882000
Expenditure Total: 5561000
Expenditure Investment Management: 114000
Expenditure Grants Institution: 167000
Expenditure Governance: 177000
Expenditure Support Costs: 1689000
Expenditure Depreciation: 333000
Gain Loss Investment: -685
Gain Loss Pension Fund: -63000
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £6,075,000
Assets Total Fixed: 25238000
Assets Own Use: 5412000
Assets Long Term Investment: 19826000
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £3,615,000
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,430,000
Assets Current Investment: 2289000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £27,423,000
Creditors One Year Total Current: 1430000
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £657,000
Funds Endowment: 12340000
Funds Unrestricted: 13800000
Funds Restricted: 1283000
Funds Total: 27423000
Count Employees: 56
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 January 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 December 2021
Ar Due Date: 31 October 2022
Ar Received Date: 11 October 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 2119000
Income Other Trading Activities: 1153000
Income Charitable Activities: 1009000
Income Investments: 366000
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 4647000
Income Legacies: 249000
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £239,000
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £4,142,000
Expenditure Other: 586000
Expenditure Total: 4967000
Expenditure Investment Management: 110000
Expenditure Grants Institution: 129000
Expenditure Governance: 186000
Expenditure Support Costs: 1779000
Expenditure Depreciation: 321000
Gain Loss Investment: 1425000
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 1184000
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £6,422,000
Assets Total Fixed: 19455000
Assets Own Use: 5271000
Assets Long Term Investment: 14184000
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £9,527,000
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,288,000
Assets Current Investment: 1495000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £27,694,000
Creditors One Year Total Current: 1288000
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £1,639,000
Funds Endowment: 11805000
Funds Unrestricted: 14690000
Funds Restricted: 1199000
Funds Total: 27694000
Count Employees: 54
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Northern Ireland
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Europe
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Country
Geographic Area Description: Scotland
Parent Geographic Area Type: Continent
Parent Geographic Area Description: Europe
Welsh Ind: No

Geographic Area Type: Region
Geographic Area Description: Throughout England And Wales
Welsh Ind: No

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 308
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Sponsors Or Undertakes Research

Classification Code: 307
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Classification Code: 207
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: The General Public/mankind

Classification Code: 302
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Organisations

Classification Code: 301
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Makes Grants To Individuals

Classification Code: 305
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space

Classification Code: 102
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Education/training

Classification Code: 201
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Children/young People

Classification Code: 112
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Environment/conservation/heritage

Classification Code: 306
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Services

Classification Code: 109
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Arts/culture/heritage/science

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 1963-02-04T00:00:00

Charity Name: ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)
Charity Event Order: 2
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2014-10-24T00:00:00
Assoc Organisation Number: 313268
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 208791
Assoc Charity Name: THE DUDLEY STAMP MEMORIAL FUND

Charity Name: ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)
Charity Event Order: 3
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2025-01-21T00:00:00
Reason: Transfer of funds
Assoc Organisation Number: 1029586
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 1029586
Assoc Charity Name: TRANSGLOBE EXPEDITION TRUST

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: ROYAL CHARTER 8 FEBRUARY 1859
Charitable Objects: ADVANCEMENT OF GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE
Area Of Benefit: NATIONAL

10 Official extract

Charity Other Names

Charity Name Id: 292297
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY

11 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investment

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Risk management

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff