GLOBAL WITNESS TRUST — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Charitable company
Registered: 6 February 2007
Removed: Not supplied
Company number supplied: 05883832
Financial period: 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2025
Latest income: £2,513,112
Latest expenditure: £2,513,112
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: No
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: Global Witness Trust, 244-254 Cambridge Heath Road, LONDON, E2 9DA

Website recorded by the regulator: https://www.globalwitness.org/en/about-us/global-witness-trust/ (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

To advance the education of the public in environmental matters, the preservation and conservation of the natural environment and its sustainable development; andTo carry out or promote research into the maintenance and observance of human rights in places where there may have been an impact on the human rights of the inhabitants as a consequence of environmental damage

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: 24 September 2026
Date Accounts Received: 24 September 2026
Total Gross Income: £2,513,112
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,513,112

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: 29 September 2025
Date Accounts Received: 29 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £2,294,796
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,272,874

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: 23 July 2024
Date Accounts Received: 23 July 2024
Total Gross Income: £1,922,683
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,922,743

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: 21 July 2023
Date Accounts Received: 21 July 2023
Total Gross Income: £1,774,684
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,778,211

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: 19 July 2022
Date Accounts Received: 19 July 2022
Total Gross Income: £1,175,857
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,168,679

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: 24 September 2026
Total Gross Income: £2,513,112
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,513,112
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading 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
Count Volunteers: 0

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: 29 September 2025
Total Gross Income: £2,294,796
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,272,874
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading 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
Count Volunteers: 0

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: 23 July 2024
Total Gross Income: £1,922,683
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,922,743
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 0
Count Govt Grants: £0
Charity Has Trading 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
Count Volunteers: 0

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: 21 July 2023
Total Gross Income: £1,774,684
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,778,211
Charity Raises Funds From Public: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 0

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: 19 July 2022
Total Gross Income: £1,175,857
Total Gross Expenditure: £1,168,679
Charity Raises Funds From Public: No
Grant Making Is Main Activity: Yes
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 0

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: 24 September 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 108811
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 2404301
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 2513112
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £2,513,112
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 2513112
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 2507008
Expenditure Governance: 6104
Expenditure Support Costs: 0
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £30,513
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £867,413
Assets Total Liabilities: £836,900
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £30,513
Creditors One Year Total Current: 836900
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £340,796
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 30513
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 30513
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only 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: 29 September 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 2294796
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 0
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 2294796
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £2,272,874
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 2272874
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 2262554
Expenditure Governance: 10320
Expenditure Support Costs: 10320
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £0
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £1,156,644
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,126,130
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £30,514
Creditors One Year Total Current: 1126130
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £593,870
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 30514
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 30514
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only 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: 23 July 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 1922683
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 0
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1922683
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,922,743
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1922743
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 1916908
Expenditure Governance: 5640
Expenditure Support Costs: 0
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £8,591
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £8,591
Assets Total Liabilities: £0
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £8,591
Creditors One Year Total Current: 0
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £8,591
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 8591
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 8591
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only 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: 21 July 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 1774684
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 0
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1774684
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,778,211
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1778211
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 1772738
Expenditure Governance: 5473
Expenditure Support Costs: 5473
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £8,651
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £463,608
Assets Total Liabilities: £454,957
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £8,651
Creditors One Year Total Current: 454957
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £13,253
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 8651
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 8651
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only 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: 19 July 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 1175857
Income Other Trading Activities: 0
Income Charitable Activities: 0
Income Investments: 0
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 1175857
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £0
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £1,168,679
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 1168679
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 1164004
Expenditure Governance: 4675
Expenditure Support Costs: 4675
Expenditure Depreciation: 0
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £12,178
Assets Total Fixed: 0
Assets Own Use: 0
Assets Long Term Investment: 0
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £450,608
Assets Total Liabilities: £438,430
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £12,178
Creditors One Year Total Current: 438430
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 0
Assets Cash: £26,542
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 12178
Funds Restricted: 0
Funds Total: 12178
Count Employees: 0
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

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

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

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

Classification Code: 205
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies

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

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

Classification Code: 115
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Human Rights/religious Or Racial Harmony/equality Or Diversity

Classification Code: 101
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: General Charitable Purposes

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: GLOBAL WITNESS TRUST
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 2007-02-06T00:00:00

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 21 JULY 2006 AS AMENDED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION 12 DECEMBER 2006 as amended on 10 Aug 2020
Charitable Objects: The objects for which the company is established are to operate for charitable purposes (in accordance with the laws of England and Wales), in such a way as to promote for the public benefit the following, including but not limited to: the rule of law; human rights; the conservation, protection and improvement of the environment; an ethical and corruption-free society; and to do so by investigating and publicising using journalistic and other means, the abuse of these fundamental public benefits and advancing the education of the public in these areas.
Area Of Benefit: UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, NATIONAL AND OVERSEAS.

10 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Campaigns and political activity policy and procedures

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Risk management