The Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is the UK’s learned society for geography and professional body for geographers. We are also a membership organisation and a registered charity in the UK (No 208791).
The Society was founded in 1830 to advance geographical science and this remains our core purpose. We achieve this through supporting geographical research, education, and fieldwork and expeditions, as well as by advocating on behalf of the discipline, supporting geographers in professional practice, and promoting geography to public audiences.
Our vision
For geography and geographers to be at the heart of developing a world that is more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable.
Our mission
The Society is dedicated to the advancement of geographical science and its application to the challenges facing the world’s people, places and environments.
Our principles
The Society:
- Seeks to reduce the environmental impact of its activities and encourages others to do likewise.
- Works towards greater equality, diversity and inclusion within its practices and activities as well as across the wider geographical community.
- Recognises the breadth of geographical interests that people bring to the Society and reflects these in its governance and activities.
- Demonstrates professionalism in its work and encourages the wider geographical community to do likewise.
- Seeks partnerships that enhance the impact of geography, and its own work.
- Strives for high quality, and welcomes constructive feedback.
- Is innovative, responsive, agile, efficient and transparent.
Our strategy is informed by these principles and is structured around four key aims: to empower, amplify, engage and sustain geography and geographers.
Foreword from the President
Nigel Clifford
As I come to the end of my three-year term as President, it is a natural point to consider how far this remarkable organisation has progressed given the challenges and opportunities we’ve faced together.
When I was elected in 2021, we were still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing restrictions on our activities and ways of working. As you would hope and expect, the Society’s staff showed characteristic ingenuity and energy to keep the Society operating – and seized the opportunity to deliver some essential betterment to the bones of the building. I also witnessed the support and generosity of you, our members, and also our benefactors, as circumstances outside of our control threatened to knock us off course.
Thanks to the dedication of the Society’s Trustees, members and staff, your Society stayed the distance, and, as a charity, is better set up to embrace the future, at a time when geography is needed more than ever. In 2021 and 2022 we undertook a governance review that modernised the Society’s Bye Laws, modified the size and structure of Council, and introduced a new membership category to support early career geographers. And, during 2023, we reviewed the Society’s strategic plan and agreed a series of investments in people and other resources to better support the delivery of our mission to advance geographical science.
As you will see in the accounts in the Trustees Report, it remains our aim to return to covering the costs of running the charity from the income we earn from membership, RGS Enterprises and other charitable activities in the next couple of years. The investments resulting from the strategic review are made with this aim in mind and include the appointment of a senior manager with responsibility for commercial activities and fundraising to help underpin the long-term financial future of the Society.
We will see the fruits of this focused investment in 2024 and beyond.
While there are many very rewarding aspects of the Presidency, I have to say that I have enjoyed meeting and talking to members the most. The diversity of our Fellows and Members is what gives the Society our breadth of influence and wide-ranging impact. So I am delighted that the Society is continuing to develop its work in the realm of equality, diversity and inclusion, and addressing some of the barriers faced by underrepresented groups within the discipline of geography.
Looking to the future, I wish my successor well – this is a wonderful role. I will long remember the unbridled enthusiasm and commitment of everyone involved in the Society, and I thank all of you, our Fellows and Members, for making my time as your President so fulfilling.
Image credit: Nigel Clifford © James Tye
Director’s report
Professor Joe Smith
In writing this year’s Director’s report, I am yet again struck by the volume and quality of work undertaken by the Society’s staff team and the impact we have had as an organisation during 2023 – especially when set against the backdrop of the long shadow cast by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our focus in 2023 was on ensuring the Society is fit for the future, with a review of our strategic plan, a major IT infrastructure project and the implementation of previously agreed governance changes completed during the year. At the same time, we sustained our wide and established range of activities to support geography and geographers through school and university into the workplace and beyond.
Replacing our membership database and website in the same year was never going to be easy, but I’m proud of how the team dealt with the challenges this presented. While there are still outstanding bugs to iron out, the potential of the new systems to deliver better ways of working and greater value to members is already clear.
Pausing to review the Society’s strategy proved to be a valuable exercise and I’d like to thank the Trustees and stakeholders who contributed their expertise and time to that process. The review concluded that our strategic plan remains very much fit for purpose, allowing us to go into 2024 with a clear direction and the confidence to invest in a growth plan. This includes a new senior role leading our commercial and fundraising work, and investments across all departments. I am also looking forward to how we develop our work with partners in the UK and around the world in pursuit of increased impact.
Among many personal highlights for me during 2023 was Ice Station RGS, an evening of ice-themed activities that blended the arts, sciences and humanities with the aim of driving fresh thinking and positive action on climate change. The unique programme, delivered in our very special setting, made for an extraordinary and inspiring event. We also piloted our Earth Stories initiative, which is aimed at refreshing environment and sustainability storytelling, and accelerating engagement and action. The programme included an influential gathering in our theatre of over 80 broadcast commissioners, and we will now move to fundraise for a multi-year programme to expand the impact and reach of this work.
Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Nigel Clifford for his significant commitment over the past three years as President. Our progress as an organisation in key areas, not least the governance and strategic reviews, has benefited enormously from his thoughtful insight and purposeful approach. He leaves us in good shape.
Image credit: Joe Smith © James Tye
Report of Trustees
The Trustees of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) present their annual report for the year ended 31 December 2022. The report presents the Society’s activities, significant achievements and successes in 2022 against plans derived from the current strategy and is set out under the four key strategic aims:
- Empowering and supporting geographers in the development and sharing of geographical knowledge.
- Amplifying the contribution that geography makes to understanding the world and how it makes a difference to everyone’s lives.
- Engaging, serving and developing the Society’s membership.
- Sustaining the reputational, financial and institutional future of the Society.
During 2023, the Society’s Council of Trustees, led by the President and supported by the Director, undertook a comprehensive review of the strategy, which concluded it remained fit for purpose. However, it also identified a couple of areas where the Society’s resources could be better directed in the delivery of our strategic aims. The subsequent changes and investments made on the basis of this review are highlighted where relevant throughout the report.
Working for the public benefit
We deliver public benefit through a wide range of activities that support the professional development of geographers and those using geographical skills, knowledge and understanding in their work, the production and dissemination of geographical knowledge, and the demonstration of the relevance and value of geography to society. The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit, and further confirm that the activities of the Society are carried out for public benefit.
Our activities reinforce our strategic aims and demonstrate our commitment to our charitable objective, as set out in our Royal Charter, to advance geographical science. Membership is open to everyone with an interest in geography. The Society actively pursues the involvement of the public in debates and discussions – through events, publications and resources – on geographical issues that help us understand the world’s people, places and environments and the connections between them. Members of the public can also access our historic geographical Collections, which contain over two million items covering 500 years of geographical discovery and research.
Image credit: Annual International Conference speaker © Digby Oldridge
Aim 1
Empower and support geographers, and those applying geographical expertise and approaches, in the development and sharing of geographical knowledge.
To advance the creation, interpretation, and dissemination of geographical knowledge, it is important that pupils, students, teachers, academics, professionals, and expeditioners have access to high quality resources, are well supported in their professional development and are able to achieve their full potential.
To achieve this, the Society will:
1. Advocate for geography to ensure it remains a vibrant discipline in school and at university, and that the value of its research findings and its importance to supporting positive change in society, the economy, the environment and in policy decision making are fully recognised.
2. Support the teaching and learning of geography and its uptake in schools by providing high-quality resources, professional support to geography teachers, and demonstrating geography’s value to further study and careers, with additional support for underrepresented and underserved groups and schools.
3. Convene and support the academic community to advance, interpret and share geographical knowledge fully, to ensure geography students have access to high quality courses that facilitate their development, and to ensure higher education institutions are able to meet the challenges of an ever-changing policy environment.
4. Work with employers to ensure recognition for the subject-specific skills, insights and knowledge of geographers, and those applying geographical approaches and expertise, in the workplace, and increase the number of Chartered Geographers to ensure high professional standards.
5. Demonstrate the many ways in which geographical skills and knowledge are embedded in decision making at all levels of civil society, government, business, and industry, and further promote their use.
6. Support those undertaking geographical field research and expeditions in order to facilitate safe, ethical and purposeful fieldwork.
Our key achievements in 2023
Supporting geography in schools
The number of entries for GCSE and A Level geography in England increased again in 2023. This year saw the highest number of geography entries at GCSE since 2001 (with entries up by 1.4% on 2022 to just over 283,000), making geography the sixth most popular subject at GCSE in England, and A Level entries rising by 1.8% to just under 35,000.
While the number of students studying geography has increased significantly over the past decade, research by the Society and others has shown that geography attracts a disproportionately low number of young people from disadvantaged and ethnic minority backgrounds to study the subject. To help improve the diversity of students studying geography, our Geography for all project provided events and resources to support teachers in addressing equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within the discipline, and to engage, support and inspire pupils from underrepresented groups to consider geography. In July, an online event connected students in Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 with professional geographers from Black and Asian backgrounds working across various industries to showcase the wealth of careers in the subject. The event was attended by over 1,500 students from 60 schools across the UK and received extremely positive feedback from teachers and students. The project, launched as a pilot scheme in 2022, came to an end in late 2023, however this area of work will be continuing based on what was learnt.
Throughout the year, over 1,000 teachers took part in more than 40 CPD events, including a series of sessions across the UK providing training and support using GIS in the classroom and events focusing on inclusive fieldwork, supporting geography candidates with university applications, and using the online mapping service Digimap for Schools with KS2 and KS3 pupils. We hosted a variety of events aimed at students in 2023, including our popular Student Member lectures. Our A Level study day attracted over 350 students, making it the largest we’ve organised. We also ran a series of online sessions supporting students considering geography at university to choose the right university and geography course for them, and to make the most of university open days. These were supplemented by a range of resources and additional online support. We also participated in the geography zone of the online outreach project I’m a scientist, get me out of here, answering pupils’ questions about what being a geographer is really like.
Through our competitions, we were also able to engage directly with pupils. The 2023 Young Geographer of the Year competition asked pupils for their ‘blueprint for the future’, and over 1,000 entrants shared their innovative ideas to address problems in areas such as food production and supply, energy and sustainability, water security, resources, and population growth through posters and Esri StoryMaps. The 2023 School Essay Competition, run in conjunction with the Financial Times, invited 16-18 year olds studying A Level geography or equivalent to explore the question: ‘what risks are associated with climate change and what should we be doing about it?’. During 2023, drawing on the latest studies of university researchers, we published teaching resources on drones and drone use, the UK oil industry, carbon colonialism and climate change among many others. Our Ask the geographer podcast remained a popular way for students to connect with geographical topics, with episodes exploring ocean plastics and their potential to enter the food web, geopolitics and Arctic governance, and campaigns to promote social and climate justice.
In September, Ofsted published its 2023 geography subject report, Getting our bearings. The Society helped to disseminate the findings of the report, including providing an overview of its implications for teachers which was published in Tes (previously known as the Times Educational Supplement). In parallel with this, we continued our advocacy work for schools by submitting consultation responses on artificial intelligence in education, Antarctic science, and post-16 maths.
To help foster the development of geographical skills and empower young people to make a difference for nature, the Society partnered with the Natural History Museum, Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Society, and others in a Department for Education funded project, the National Education Nature Park, to provide educators with the resources, support and guidance needed to put nature at the heart of education.
The strategic review identified the need for more effective partnerships with other geographical bodies working with schools, alongside a reconsideration of the Geography Ambassador scheme, which had been adversely affected by COVID-19 restrictions and changing priorities within schools. As a result, three posts that became vacant in the Schools team during 2023 were not replaced, including the Head of Education and Outdoor Learning, with the monies reinvested elsewhere to support our goals.
Image credit: Young Geographer of the Year winners © James Tye
Supporting geography in higher education
The 2023 Annual International Conference was hosted at the Society in London and included more than 400 sessions across four days with over 2,000 delegates attending, making it one of our largest ever conferences. The theme, chosen by the conference Chair, Professor Harriet Bulkeley of Durham University, was Climate changed geographies, inviting conversations about how climate change is, and is not, changing the discipline as well as the different geographies affected.
Reflecting our commitment to sustainability and inclusivity, alongside in-person, online and hybrid ways of participating, regional hubs were introduced in 2023 as a new way of engaging with the conference, allowing online attendees to connect in-person in their local region. For the first time, the plenary sessions, chaired by Harriet in London, were held with hubs across the globe, connecting participants across time zones. As in previous years, the Society’s Research Groups played a significant role in the programming of the conference, organising a huge number of in-person, online and hybrid sessions.
In May, the Research Groups launched a new cross-group mentoring initiative, with a series of online events sharing new approaches to mentoring and professional development. As well as being active in organising webinars and workshops for their members and awarding prizes for outstanding work within their areas of the discipline, several Research Groups celebrated significant anniversaries in 2023, including the Historical Geography Research Group’s 50th anniversary. During the year a new Animal Geography Working Group was created and the Geographies of Justice Research Group was renamed as the Radical Geography Research Group.
The Postgraduate Forum (PGF) held their Mid Term Conference in-person at the Society in April, for the first time since COVID, and the engaging set of speakers attracted 100 attendees. The PGF also worked jointly with the Society on the new Postgraduate insights webinar series, which provides support to geography postgraduate students.
In 2023, we entered into a new publishing partnership with LSE Press to publish the Society’s book series from mid-2024 onwards, with up to four open access titles to be published each year. To ensure accessibility and enable all books in the series to be published as open access, the Society and LSE Press have committed to jointly provide funding for up to two titles per year that do not qualify for available external funding to cover the cost of publication.
Articles from our scholarly journals were downloaded over 920,000 times in 2023 and were accessible by 10,523 institutions around the globe. Across the year, we received 444 journal submissions, published 203 papers, completed eight special sections, and published four books. New Editors were appointed to Geo: Geography and Environment, Area, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers and the book series. Driven by the journal’s new editorial team, Geo was relaunched in July with a renewed and refined scope which aligns the journal more closely with issues of climate, environment and sustainability.
Working with Professor Peter Hopkins of Newcastle University, we updated two of our existing guides for researchers, Publishing and getting read and Communicating geographical research beyond the academy, and launched a third on the topic of Working with voluntary and community groups.
Throughout the year, we continued to support teaching and learning in higher education with new resources focusing on wellbeing for postgraduate researchers, advice for master’s and PhD students on all aspects of academic life, and guidance for those new to teaching to help develop their pedagogical skills. We also partnered on a research project led by geographers from UK universities to understand experiences of precarious working arrangements within geography in the UK higher education sector. Results will be published in 2024.
In 2023, we approved the accreditation or reaccreditation of 54 geography programmes at 20 higher education institutions across the UK, recognising their good practice in teaching and learning. We used information gathered as part of this process to better understand the changes in approaches to teaching and learning by universities.
Image credit: A plenary session at the Annual International Conference, with online participants joining from a regional hub © Digby Oldridge
Supporting geography in the workplace
We continued our support for professionals using geographical knowledge and skills in the workplace with the publication of a new accreditation guide for geospatial professionals, providing an introduction to professional recognition across different domains. The guide was produced in collaboration with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors, Association for Geographic Information, Chartered Institute for IT and Institution of Royal Engineers.
Applications for the Society’s own accreditation scheme, Chartered Geographer (CGeog), remained consistent in 2023 with 60 Fellows awarded CGeog status across the year, recognising their competence and experience in the use of geographical skills and understanding in the workplace. We continued to provide support and guidance for those applying for chartership through our application accelerator webinars and tailored events for those working in the public sector, alongside in-person and online networking events for existing CGeogs to expand their professional networks. In June, the Society’s Council approved a new post- nominal for geographers who specialise in Earth observation and remote sensing, CGeog (EO), recognising the critical and growing role of Earth observation professionals in monitoring Earth’s systems.
Throughout the year, the Society worked collaboratively to support professional geographers and the pathways into geographical careers. In particular, we continued our work with the Government Geography Profession providing development and CPD opportunities for geographers in the public sector. We also hosted GeoCom, the Association for Geographic Information (AGI)’s, flagship conference, participating in sessions during the day, and had a presence at other industry conferences such as Geo Business, the Spatial Data Science Conference, and Esri’s UK annual conference. To engage with undergraduate geography students and encourage their future in geography, we continued our popular student visits and Use geography online events.
We worked to improve the Society’s presence on LinkedIn, making it a more effective platform for engaging with professional geographers and using LinkedIn events to attract relevant audiences for our Professional insights webinars, which share advice, inspiration and support for professionals. Throughout the year, we also published numerous case studies of geographical research, many based on the research evaluation framework (REF21) impact case studies, demonstrating the relevance of geographical work across the breadth of the discipline and its wider impacts.
Recognising and supporting the variety of avenues for skilled geographers to enter the workplace, the Society worked with Not Going to Uni to develop new resources for student geographers around apprenticeships, highlighting the benefits and opportunities apprenticeships offer. In partnership with groups from business and industry, we supported the development of a level 7 spatial data specialist apprenticeship, providing a new opportunity for those in employment to develop advanced geospatial skills. This received ministerial approval in December.
Image credit: The AGI’s GeoCom conference at the Society © RGS-IBG
Supporting geography in the field
In 2023, the Society’s grants programme awarded over £185,000 to support field research and school fieldwork projects in 37 countries across six continents, with the volume of applications received returning to pre-pandemic levels for the first time. In total, 66 projects were funded, with research topics covering the full breadth of geography, from reconstructing monsoon dynamics from glacial and ecological change in northeast India, to examining the politics of climate-driven relocation in southern Louisiana, USA. Alongside funding, we supported those undertaking field research with resources, advice and inspiration across our website, mailings and other digital channels. We also refreshed how we share information about our activities in this area, introducing a more holistic and storytelling-led approach, including developing a new content series for social media, ‘From the field’.
The RGS Explore festival returned for a second year in late October, celebrating exploration, field science and travel with purpose with eight days of events, including our flagship expedition and fieldwork planning weekend, the Explore symposium. Events included a practical workshop to develop the artistic skills needed to document journeys, an inspiring panel discussion focusing on overcoming adversity through adventure following catastrophic injury, and a series of microlectures reflecting on the experiences and lessons learned from recent expeditions and field research projects.
In November, the first episodes of a new podcast series, Explore: how to plan an expedition, commissioned by the Society and focusing on how to plan an expedition or field research project, were released. Produced by The Adventure Podcast and hosted by Matt Pycroft, a filmmaker, photographer and Society Vice President for Membership, the 10-episode series provides an invaluable resource for would-be explorers, sharing insights from experienced voices on all aspects of designing, planning and undertaking fieldwork and expeditions.
Throughout the year, we also supported teachers to successfully deliver school fieldwork sessions, with workshops supporting newly- appointed and experienced Educational Visits Coordinators to ensure best practice for off- site visits, and sessions exploring approaches teachers can use to raise students’ grades in the Non-Examination Assessment.
Image credit: Speaker on stage at the RGS Explore festival © Ewan Harvey
Looking forward, in 2024 we are
- Building on the successes of Geography for all by appointing a permanent member of staff and embedding widening participation activities within our work with schools and universities.
- Producing resources for the National Education Nature Park project including a series of short films showcasing green careers.
- Introducing new professional practice groups, with one supporting geographers in small and medium enterprises.
- Developing digital resources related to expeditions and fieldwork, following the launch of the Society’s new website in 2023.
- Developing an online system for grant applications linked to our database to help streamline the application process.
- Publishing our first open access books with new book series publisher, LSE Press.
Aim 2
Amplify the contribution that geography makes to understanding the world and how it makes a difference to everyone’s lives.
For the unique contribution that geography brings to the understanding of an ever-changing world to be fully realised, it is vital that the discipline, and its ability to connect the physical and social sciences and humanities, is widely appreciated across all sectors of society including the general public, civil society, policymakers and business.
To achieve this, the Society will:
1. Demonstrate the relevance and impact of geographical research, skills and knowledge to broad public, civil society, policy and business audiences.
2. Recognise excellence in advancing geographical knowledge and practice.
3. Develop the skills, infrastructure and partnerships needed to generate high quality geographical content that can be shared globally, including as mass media outputs.
4. Use an inclusive definition of geography and promote the distinctive capabilities that arise from its distinctive position, breadth and interdisciplinarity.
5. Use the Society’s reputation and convening power to develop and maintain effective networks of influence.
Our key achievements in 2023
We continued to deliver a wide variety of public events exploring all aspects of geography in 2023, drawing a collective audience of over 11,400 individuals across 55 events held at the Society in London and online. Among the highlights was Ice Station RGS in March, which featured talks, music, poetry and book readings, art, films, photography, and a quiz, as a way of engaging a public audience with climate change by blending the arts, sciences, humanities, and policy.
Other events during the year included an exhibition, panel discussion and awards ceremony as part of the Earth Photo competition, highlighting powerful stories about our planet, its inhabitants, and environments. Other panel discussions explored collaborative approaches to addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. A successful travel writing evening featured a panel of experienced travel writers sharing insights on capturing journeys through writing. We also participated in GeoNight, the international night of geography, contributing to discussions on environmental protections covering topics from water and air quality to nature conservation and climate change.
Once again, as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival, we collaborated with our neighbours in South Kensington to help deliver a weekend of free events celebrating the inspirational power of awe and wonder in science and the arts. This included the testing and refinement of a late-night programme for adults, featuring a DJ in the Society’s Main Hall and alcohol-free cocktails on the Terrace, as well as opportunities to meet and interact with researchers.
To help ensure that members and the public are seeing and engaging with our content across our communications channels, we worked to improve distribution tactics on our social media channels, including using LinkedIn events to attract and appeal to relevant audiences for our webinars, trialling the use of more video content and paid event promotion, and updating our digital brand to give our events a clearer visual identity. This work was supported by the recruitment of a new role of Digital Communications Officer, which increased capacity and specialist knowledge in this area.
The inaugural Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize, recognising outstanding achievement in the pursuit of geographical research with a particular focus on wildlife conservation or environmental studies, was awarded to Kenyan biologist and ecologist Dr Paula Kahumbu in April. Paula, an inspiring and committed advocate for international wildlife conservation in Africa, was presented with the prize at an event celebrating the life and work of the late, renowned geographer and conservationist Esmond Bradley Martin, whose generous bequest created the prize.
In June, we recognised the recipients of our 2023 medals and awards as part of our Annual General Meeting, celebrating the outstanding contributions of 23 individuals and organisations to geographical research, fieldwork, teaching, policymaking and public engagement. To increase visibility and recognition of the achievements of professional geographers and those helping to raise public awareness of geographical issues, in December the Society’s Council approved the introduction of two new awards for 2024 – the Professional Geography Award, recognising excellence in the use of geography in professional practice, and the Geographical Engagement Award, which will celebrate outstanding public engagement in relation to geographical issues through the media, design or other means.
Image credit: Dance performance at Ice Station RGS © James Tye
In November, the recipient of the 2023 Journey of a Lifetime Award, Chahrazade Douah, discussed her journey to retrace the steps of her Algerian ancestors, exiled thousands of miles from their North African home to the Pacific Islands of New Caledonia, in a BBC Radio 4 documentary which forms part of the award.
Several press releases issued in 2023 received significant media attention. Research led by Professors Gemma Catney and Chris Lloyd on the geographies of ethnic segregation and diversity published in The Geographical Journal in January generated 40 pieces of press coverage, including in The Guardian, Mail Online and BBC Online, as well as featuring on BBC Breakfast and BBC Scotland, while further analysis by the group published in November was featured in The Guardian. In August, research published in Geo: Geography and Environment exploring links between bird diversity and human mental health, led by Dr Rachel Buxton, was covered online by 21 outlets, including The Independent and Evening Standard. Comments by the Society’s Director, Professor Joe Smith, about geography’s enduring relevance in light of the rise in students sitting geography GCSE examinations in 2023, were covered in The Guardian’s live coverage of GCSE results day.
With competition partners, Forestry England and Parker Harris, we secured comprehensive coverage for the Earth Photo competition, including in the Metro, The Guardian (print and online), The Times, NatGeo Kids magazine and New Scientist. Over 1,400 entries were submitted by photographers and filmmakers around the world, and a selection of the shortlisted images and films were displayed at the Society over the summer months, followed by exhibitions at several Forestry England sites.
The Earth Stories initiative nurtures connections between subject experts and media industry decision makers to encourage and support engagement and action on environment and sustainability issues. During the year, three seminars in April, October and December brought together leading climate, biodiversity and sustainability specialists with key media industry figures and creative talent to inspire new ways of telling sustainability stories in the mainstream media and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
We continued to foster the Society’s range of partnerships, including with organisations such as the British Academy, the Academy of Social Sciences, the Science Council, the Association of Geographic Information, the Geological Society, the British Society for Geomorphology, the Geographical Association, the International Geographical Union, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, through collaboration and support for key activities. In September, we formally renewed our relationship with the Association for Geographic Information, the UK membership organisation for companies and individuals working in the geospatial sector, signing a new memorandum of understanding to help achieve shared aims and further collaboration between our organisations.
Image credit: Earth Photo exhibition at the Society © Digby Oldridge
Looking forward, in 2024 we are
- Celebrating the outstanding work of geographers through our medals and awards, including presenting the two new awards for the first time.
- Refining our approach to public events to ensure we continue to produce engaging events addressing the breadth of geographical ideas, while increasing the number of people attending.
- Publishing a new book of photography from the 1924 Mount Everest expedition, accompanied by an exhibition at the Society, to mark the centenary of the expedition.
- Expanding the tour of the Earth Photo exhibition to include selected National Trust venues.
Aim 3
Engage, serve and develop the Society’s membership
For the Society to remain a vibrant and relevant membership organisation, learned society and professional body, it is essential to retain the enthusiasm and expertise of the Society’s current Fellows and Members, while reaching and engaging new ones.
To achieve this, the Society will:
1. Ensure the vibrancy and relevance of geography and the Society’s work by actively seeking and enabling the participation of underrepresented groups.
2. Become more inclusive and diverse in terms of staff, members, trustees, audiences and outputs, and promote the Society as a welcoming institutional home for people with a wide range of experiences, interests and expertise.
3. Recognise and reward the importance of the contribution of Fellows and Members to the Society’s work.
4. Respond to the changing expectations and needs of potential members, in particular young people, in order to provide membership experiences that are valued at all stages of life.
5. Further develop, and invest in, the activities and capabilities that are required to support a strong regional, national and international presence for the Society.
6. Increase, and better target, the use of digital media to communicate and engage with Fellows and Members, while ensuring positive engagement for those without digital access is maintained.
Our key achievements in 2023
In 2023, the Society sustained forward momentum in our monitoring of EDI-related considerations for staff, Trustees, committee members, and job applicants, providing us with baseline data from which to track future progress and highlight areas for improvement. Plans are also in development to progressively extend this to other areas, including building monitoring into project proposals and business cases from the initial planning stages, where appropriate. In addition, a new EDI and Sustainability Review Group was created to replace the previous EDI Advisory Group, with members of Council co-opted onto the new group, allowing the most suitably qualified and experienced Trustees to be selected.
The Research and Higher Education team continued to deliver against the department’s EDI action plan, including hosting and co-funding a third cohort of student interns under the Fi Wi Road internship scheme, which provides opportunities for geography and geoscience undergraduate students of Black heritage. We also collaborated on the Equator project to improve equity and representation in geoscience postgraduate research, and were involved in the development of a new network of researchers to improve EDI in the research and innovation sector, EDICa, with Dr Catherine South, Head of Research and Higher Education at the Society, a Co-Principal Investigator for the project.
Following changes to the Society’s governance structure voted for at the Special General Meeting in October 2022, the new positions of Vice President, Membership and Vice President, Professional Practice were introduced and post-holders were elected at the AGM in June 2023.
In August 2022 we invited all Fellows and Members to share how they engage with the Society, their experiences of membership and how we could improve. While we were gratified to see that our Fellows and Members are generally very satisfied, we also received some helpful suggestions on how to improve our membership offering. In response to their feedback, we began offering more social events in 2023, such as private viewings of exhibitions for members and a guest. To help members to make the most of their membership, in the autumn we re-introduced welcome tours for new members, allowing recent joiners to discover more about the history of the Society, who we are today and how they can get involved, and began giving greater prominence to member benefits in the monthly member e-newsletters and welcome emails.
Throughout 2023, we focused our recruitment and retention activities on our core audiences to ensure that our membership processes effectively and fully serve the needs of our existing members before starting to target recruitment of new audiences. Retention rates for 2023 were 81% overall and 89% for Fellows. The renewal rates for both Fellows and the Society’s overall membership remained consistent with those reported in 2022, reflecting the concerted efforts to improve our connections with current members, especially after the disruptions to membership services during the roll out of our new website and membership database in the second half of 2023.
School Membership decreased by 12%, with a total of 585 School Members at the end of 2023. Interruption to the Society’s online joining provision following the installation of our new membership database, which meant that new members could not join online from August 2023, is likely to have contributed to this decrease, and we have been working to restore this functionality.
Recognising that many of our members join the Society on the recommendation of a friend, colleague or relative, in 2023 we ran a second ‘Refer a friend’ scheme to promote the benefits of membership, following a good response to this initiative the previous year. The returns were significantly lower than in 2022, suggesting this shouldn’t be an annual scheme.
Image credit: Members and guests socialising at the Society © James Tye
Our regional committees continued to play an integral role in supporting geography and the Society in 2023 with events and activities in their local areas. During the year, the committees organised over 65 events, which were attended by close to 2,000 people. Among the many highlights were talks about river microplastics and sewage pollution, the environmental impact of conflict in North West Syria, and the challenges of dual responses to the global climate and national housing crises, as well as field visits to explore Bronze Age sites in Devon and enjoy the local geography and spectacular views from Clough Head in the Lake District.
Recognising scope for the Younger Members Committee to increase its reach and impact, the committee was redesignated as the London Regional Committee, aligning it with the Society’s wider governance structures and allowing it to benefit from the support offered to, and between, regional committees. The London Regional Committee will continue to organise a programme of geographical events with a strong social element, providing an invaluable contribution to the Society’s London activities, and an opportunity for like-minded individuals to meet each other and to engage with geographical topics in an informal atmosphere.
With more members returning to our building in South Kensington following several years of restrictions on in-person activities, we introduced a new hot food menu, which is available at lunchtimes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in the Society’s Tea Room. The Tea Room is open to Fellows and Members every weekday from 11.30am to 2.30pm, with sandwich and salad options available on Thursdays and Fridays.
Image credit: Lecture organised by the North West Committee © Rob Fraser
Looking forward, in 2024 we are
- Gradually modernising our facilities to address areas where we are not quite meeting the high expectations of visitors to our building.
- Implementing improved member journeys and better integrating membership messaging into our wider work to help grow the Society’s membership.
- Restoring online joining to improve the ease and time needed to join the Society.
- Developing our membership offer further to take advantage of opportunities for organisational and joint memberships.
- Investing in infrastructure and staff to support future members.
Aim 4
Sustain the reputational, financial and institutional future of the Society.
To deliver the Society’s objectives and achieve its Vision requires diverse income streams, well-supported and well-trained staff, appropriate technology, and good governance structures.
To achieve this, the Society will:
1. Promote a working culture of collaboration, flexibility and mutual support, together with processes that enable the development of capable, empowered and motivated staff.
2. Maintain an agile Enterprise strategy that pursues financial stability in the context of far reaching economic uncertainties, while also actively pursuing new sources of income.
3. Sustain existing, and develop new, relationships with corporate and other sponsors and partners, valuing their financial support, while recognising the mutual benefits of collaborative activity towards shared goals.
4. Invest in the Society’s building in South Kensington to lower running costs, reduce environmental impact, grow income, and provide an inclusive, welcoming and inspiring place for all.
5. Encourage research and support informed debate on its unique Collections and history, to enable critical engagement with the development of the Society as an institution and geography as a discipline.
6. Ensure the balance of representation at all levels of governance reflects the breadth of the Society’s purpose and constituencies.
Our key achievements in 2023
A major strand of work in 2023 was the delivery of both a new membership database and website. With the Society’s previous customer relationship management (CRM) database approaching its end of life and the website also requiring replacement before 2025, it was decided that, given the high level of integration between the two, both systems would be replaced in parallel, minimising disruption and ensuring efficiencies could be maximised. As planned, the new CRM went live in mid- August, followed by the launch of the new website in mid-October.
Unfortunately, the implementation of the CRM proved more complex than anticipated, resulting in impacts on members and other web users, including difficulties logging in to the website and booking for events. By the end of 2023, all major issues impacting user experience had been resolved, but there is ongoing development into 2024 to rectify several outstanding issues. Despite the login issues experienced by many, the new website has greatly improved user experiences, providing more intuitive navigation and the capability for us to develop our digital presence further in future.
Work to repair and maintain the Society’s building continued during the year, with new sensors fitted to help automate and better manage heating in the building. To ensure a high level of security, a new CCTV system was installed in July, with the addition of two further cameras around the building, providing a higher level of protection during peak times and when the building is closed. To improve the organisation’s cyber security, a new VPN and firewall were installed in February, reducing costs and significantly reducing the risk of a cyber attack.
Two of our long-standing Corporate Benefactors, Esri UK and Trailfinders, renewed their support for aspects of the Society’s education and public engagement work in 2023, having first begun their support for the Society’s activities in 2011 and 2005, respectively. Inflexion Foundation partnered with the Society as a new Corporate Donor to support our work to widen access to geography and to engage public audiences with key environmental and sustainability topics.
During 2023, research on the Society’s historic Collections continued, and we welcomed 2,490 visitors to the Foyle Reading Room to consult or research items from the Collections. In addition, three Wiley Digital Archive (WDA) Fellowships were awarded to researchers undertaking projects that aimed to advance knowledge and provide new insights on key themes, including the science and technology of exploration, highlighting hidden and forgotten histories, and exploring under-researched parts of the Collections. Ellen Smith, one of the 2023 WDA Research Fellows, explored the digital archives to reconstruct the experiences of Minna Markham, who accompanied her husband on expeditions in South America, India and Sri Lanka in the 19th century, helping to inform understanding of the experiences of family, women and gender at the time. Four Collaborative Doctoral Award studentships were funded in late 2023, with projects on the Society’s Collections due to start in October 2024. We also collaborated with researchers on Mangareva in the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia, on a digital repatriation project to share digitised materials from the Society’s Collections relating to expeditions to the island with local school children and researchers.
Image credit: Sharing materials from the Society’s Collections with researchers and local schools on Mangareva in the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia © Émilie Perez
Across the year, we continued to facilitate access to our historic Collections through events and displays, and we began a project to digitise and conserve the Society’s negatives and slides from the 1953 Mount Everest expedition, enabling more of the images to become publicly available in the future.
During the summer, the large plaster model of Mount Everest was cleaned and conserved before being moved to a new home in the Education Centre. New display cases, funded by a Special Award from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, were installed on the ground floor, which will allow more flexible temporary displays of Collections materials.
We renewed our contract with Wiley to publish the Society’s academic journals for a further five years, with improved return to the Society. As part of the new contract, our journals moved to online-only publication from 2024, with paper publication ceasing at the end of 2023. This decision was not taken lightly and was based on many factors, including the cost and efficiency of print publication, and environmental sustainability considerations. All Fellows, Associate Fellows and Student Members already have digital access to our journals included in their core membership subscription and this will continue, providing direct access to the journals online.
In late autumn, the Society received an open letter signed by some members of the geographical community in response to the cancellation of a Venue Hire booking by the Palestinian Literature Festival due to security concerns. Since receiving the letter, the Director and relevant Trustees have been in dialogue with the community to address the concerns raised.
The strategic review led to agreement by Council in December to create a new senior management post of Director of Commercial and Fundraising to lead our work in this area and develop our licensing, venue hire and development activities to increase income. Alongside this, Council also agreed to the recommendation from the strategic review that the Head of Business Development within the Venue Hire team should not be replaced when it became vacant.
Image credit: The cleaned model of Mount Everest on display in the Education Centre © Eugene Rae
Looking forward, in 2024 we are
- Implementing the final changes to the structure of Council agreed at the Special General Meeting in October 2022.
- Resolving the remaining issues with the Society’s new CRM to ensure full functionality is achieved and anticipated efficiencies are achieved.
- Appointing a Director of Commercial and Fundraising.
- Continuing to improve the interpretation of the paintings and artefacts on display in the Society’s building.
Structure, governance and management
The Royal Geographical Society was founded in 1830 to advance geographical science and was granted a Royal Charter in 1859. The affairs of the Society are regulated by our charter and Bye Laws, which are amended from time to time. The Society is a charity, with the registered number 208791.
Council is the Society’s governing body, and members of Council are the Society’s Trustees. Council has responsibility for ensuring the Society operates within its charitable objectives, providing strategic direction and monitoring performance against annual workplans, and ensuring the effective management of the Society’s assets. Council meets four times a year.
There are 12 Council members elected by and from the Society’s Fellowship and up to four further Council members may be co-opted to bring further breadth, expertise and contacts. An induction into the work of the Society, as well as their statutory obligations as a charity trustee, is provided for all new Trustees. The training requirement for Trustees is kept under regular review.
In line with recommendations of good practice from the Charity Commission, Council identifies the skills and expertise gaps that would be most helpful to fill in the elections to the Council each June. Fellows standing for election are encouraged to state how they meet those identified gaps. However, this approach does not preclude any Fellow standing for election to positions relevant to their background. Council is also cognisant of the value of diversity, while seeking to attract the most appropriately qualified people to guide the Society’s governance.
One of the changes to the Society’s Bye Laws brought in from June 2023, was an increase in the length of each Trustee’s term of office from three to four years. This change only applies to new Trustees elected from June 2023, so Trustees elected before then still serve a three-year term.
The following Council members were in office at the date of this report:
President: Nigel Clifford
Immediate Past President: Rt Hon Baroness Lynda Chalker of Wallasey
Vice Presidents: Stephen Jones (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | Dr Melanie Norman (Education) | Ashley Parry Jones (Professional) | Matt Pycroft (Membership) | Professor Jamie Woodward (Research and Higher Education)
Honorary Treasurer:David Scott
Chair of Annual Conference: Professor Stephen Legg
Honorary Secretary: Dr Emma Rawlings Smith (Education)
Ordinary Members of Council: Prem Gill (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | Professor Helen Walkington (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | Narinder Mann (Education) | Dr David Preece (Education) | Dr Vandana Desai (Research and Higher Education) | Professor James Esson (Research and Higher Education) | Professor Beth Greenhough (Research and Higher Education)
Co-optees: Paul Dickinson | Professor Tariq Jazeel
The following also served as Council members until 5 June 2023 when they completed their terms of office:
Robert Lucas (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | Carol Lawson (Honorary Treasurer) | Steve Jones (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | Professor Peter Kraftl (Research and Higher Education) | Philip Avery (Education) | Professor Stephen Darby (Research and Higher Education) | Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB (co-opted) | Dr Niall McCann (Expeditions and Fieldwork) | David Lovell (Regions Representative) | Luke Green (Postgraduate Representative) | Ashley Parry Jones (co-opted)
Elected Council members also serve on the appropriate Committee of Council to provide liaison between the two levels of governance. The Council is advised by specialist committees for Education, Expeditions and Fieldwork, Finance, Professional Practice, and Research and Higher Education. Attendance at these committee meetings averaged 78% across the year. The Finance Committee meets four times a year and comprises a core membership of accounting, financial, legal and investment professionals. The other committees meet twice a year, to give advice on their areas of expertise to Council and Society staff.
In addition, advice was provided by the Regions Committee, a small number of specialist sub committees, including one for investments and, where appropriate, individual professional advisors. RGS Enterprises Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society, is governed by its Enterprise Board.
The following were Honorary Vice Presidents of the Society in 2021 but are neither Council members nor Trustees of the Society:
HRH The Princess Royal KG KT GCVO | Professor Sir Gordon Conway KCMG DL HonFREng FRS (Deceased August 2023) | Professor Sir Ron Cooke DSc | Sir Christopher Ondaatje KT CBE | Sir Michael Palin CBE
Key management personnel
The daily management of the Society is delegated by Council to the Director and Senior Managers. The Director reports to the Council and has responsibility for coordinating the Society’s activities and a staff that numbered 55 in December 2023.
Director and Secretary: Professor Joe Smith
Head of Education and Outdoor Learning: Steve Brace (left the Society in December 2023)
Head of Finance and Services: Andrew Munro
Head of Public Engagement and Communications: Caitlin Watson
Head of Research, Higher Education and Professional: Dr Catherine Souch
The strategic review concluded that the senior management team should have revised job titles to reflect better their responsibilities and to make any future recruitment into these roles easier. From April 2024, current senior managers will become Directors and the new role identified in the strategic review to lead the Society’s work on development and licensing will be Director of Commercial and Fundraising.
The majority of staff members, with the exception of a small number of remote employees, are based at the Society’s headquarters in Kensington, London, but are able to request to work remotely up to three days per week if their role allows.
The Society thanks everyone who has generously donated in support of our work.
Corporate Benefactors in 2023
Esri UK supported many aspects of our education work, including a GIS CPD programme for teachers.
Jaguar Land Rover supported our Earth Photo competition and exhibition which inspires people to get out into the landscape and appreciate their surroundings.
Ordnance Survey supported our work to advance geospatial understanding among young people, policy makers and professional geographers.
Rolex supported our historic Collections, helping to increase public access and conserving our holdings for future use.
Trailfinders supported our work with the public, promoting the relevance and enjoyment of geography to foster a greater understanding of our world.
Corporate Donor
Inflexion Foundation supported our work to widen access to geography and to engage public audiences with key environmental and sustainability topics.
Corporate Business Member
Silversea engaged the Society to provide informative enrichment materials for their cruise itineraries.
The Society’s Grants Programme is generously supported by
Albert Reckitt Award | Dorothy Hepworth Expedition Award | Dudley Stamp Memorial Award Fund | Edinburgh Trust | Frederick Soddy Award Fund | Geographical Club | Gilchrist Educational Trust | Gumby Foundation | Henrietta Hutton Memorial Fund | Hong Kong branch | H.R. Mill Trust Fund | Jasmin Leila Award | Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust | John and Anne Alexander | John Pilkington | Monica Cole Bequest | Neil Thomas Proto | Neville Shulman, CBE | Peter Smith Award | Postgraduate Grants Appeal Fund | Ralph Brown Memorial Fund | Ray Y Gildea Jr Award | Rob Potter Award | SUN Institute Environment & Sustainability | The Late Sultan of Oman – Thesiger-Oman International Fellowship | Walters Kundert Charitable Trust
Other donors and funders during 2023
Anonymous donors | Arts and Humanities Research Council | David Williams Founder and CEO Impact | Department for Education, through the Natural History Museum Programme (National Education Nature Park) | Economic and Social Research Council | Flotilla Foundation | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | Lake District National Park Authority | Mathematics in Education and Industry / Advanced Mathematics Support Programme | Natural Environment Research Council
Recognising excellence: medals and awards 2023
The Society’s medals and awards have recognised excellence in the breadth of geographical research, practice and public promotion since the foundation of the Society in 1830.
The two Royal Medals (The Founder’s and Patron’s Medals) are among the highest international accolades. They are awarded for ‘the encouragement and promotion of geographical science and discovery’.
In 2023 His Majesty the King approved the award of the Royal Medals as follows:
Founder’s Medal
Andrew Mitchell - For his lifetime’s contribution to protect tropical rainforests and combat climate change
Patron’s Medal
Professor Felix Driver - For his contributions to historical geography and to the Society
The Society also celebrated the following awards:
Victoria Medal
Professor Anson Mackay - For their transformative impact on the discipline of geography
Busk Medal
Professor Jos Barlow - For his outstanding contribution to understanding and conserving the Amazonian tropical rainforests
Cherry Kearton Medal and Award
Harriet Fraser and Rob Fraser - For their discipline-crossing work, aiming to shed light on the seldom-seen and seldom-heard in the context of rural landscapes
Murchison Award
Professor Noel Castree - For substantial and highly influential published work about the relationships between contemporary societies and the physical environment
Back Award
Jane Rumble OBE - For outstanding commitment to shaping public policy in polar settings
Cuthbert Peek Award
Dr Lisa Wedding - For contributions to advancing contemporary methods in remote sensing of the environment, with novel applications for marine management
Gill Memorial Award (two awards)
Dr Sarah Bell | Dr Jovan Scott Lewis - For exceptional early career research with a remarkable track record of achievement
Ordnance Survey Awards (two awards)
Ellie Barker | Simon Holland - For excellence in geography education at secondary level
Taylor and Francis Award
Dr Matt Finn - For excellence in the practice and promotion of teaching in higher education
Ness Award
Alastair Humphreys - For his long-standing contributions to promoting a greater understanding of our world and wider public engagement with the outdoors
Alfred Steers Dissertation Prize
Roisin Gilloch Boyle - For the undergraduate geography dissertation judged to be the best in 2022
Area Prize
Rosie Hampton - For the best article in the journal by a new researcher: Towards an agenda for oral history and geography: (Re)locating emotion in family narratives of domestic abuse in 1970s East Kilbride
Ron Cooke Award
Elysia Sanders - For her A Level project titled: How have glacial and physical post-glacial processes caused variation in the landscape of the Troutbeck Valley
Geographical Award
Endurance22 Expedition - For significant impact in inspiring and raising the understanding of geographical expedition and discovery
Honorary Fellowship
Professor Simon Catling | Ted Grey - In recognition of outstanding support for geography
Derry Corey - In recognition of outstanding support for the Society
Alasdair Macleod - In recognition of outstanding support for the Society and geography
The Society further recognised excellence through the Young Geographer of the Year Award, and the Rex Walford Award to recognise newly qualified teachers.
Contact details
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR
T +44 (0)20 7591 3000 | E enquiries@rgs.org
If you would like to receive a copy of this report in PDF so that it can be read in larger print or using Adobe Reader software, please visit www.rgs.org/annualreview
Registered Charity 208791