2023-06-30-accounts

believe 4ina BETTER FUTURE ANNUAL REPORT JULY 2022-JUNE 2023 TM Every choice counts

Contents

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As I see it, humanity needs to reduce its impact on the Earth urgently and there are three ways to achieve this: we can stop consuming so many resources, we can change our technology and we can reduce the growth of our population.

Population Matters patron, Sir David Attenborough

Population Matters is a UK-based charity working globally to achieve our vision of humanity co-existing in harmony with nature and prospering on a healthy planet. We drive positive action through fostering choices that will help achieve a sustainable human population and regenerate our environment. We promote positive, practical, ethical solutions to enable everyone to enjoy a decent quality of life whilst sustaining the natural ecosystems upon which all life depends.

We believe a better future is possible.

populationmatters.org[PopulationMatters] PopnMatters popnmatters PopulationMatters @populationmatters population-matters

Population Matters, The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7QY, UK Reg. charity: 1114109 Company: 3019081 Tel: [phone]

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR

An introduction to Population Matters’ Annual Report by Sara Parkin OBE.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Executive Director, Robin Maynard, reports on how Population Matters has been raising its profile at pivotal, international events and continues to speak out on-air, online, and in public debates, with discussions around the population issue being picked up by the global media.

OUR VISION, MISSION AND STRATEGY

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How we’re working to put our plans into meaningful action, to demonstrate that achieving a sustainable future for people and planet is possible.

OUR IMPACT

From insightful reports to campaigning and policy work and attending key conferences, this year has been a busy one for Population Matters. We’re also continuing to build global partnerships that are making a real difference to communities across the world.

OUR PATRONS

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The individuals whose varied expertise and passion for both people and the environment provide valuable endorsement for our work.

OUR EXPERT ADVISORY GROUP 17

This varied group of people bring specialist knowledge and provide us with an independent perspective on our strategy, performance, and decision-making.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

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Structure, Governance and Risk, Trustees Statement, Independent Auditor’s Report and Financial Statements.

Design, infographics & illustrations: Miller Design Editor: Anna Harris

Printed in the UK by Jamm Print & Productions using vegetable-based inks on carbon-balanced paper

statement by the chair

With both logic and the evidence on our side, we are redoubling our effort through making more alliances, building on what works, and harnessing positive energy.

In 1972, the year of the first United Nations ‘Earth Summit’, I marched the streets of Edinburgh with an organisation called Doctors and Overpopulation and signed a pledge (which I kept) to have no more than two children. So big was the publicity around that time, we campaigners thought we were home and dry.

How wrong we were! Half a century later and the ‘deadly trinity’ of Population, Resource Depletion and Pollution (so labelled by Max Nicholson, co-founder with Peter Scott of the World Wide Fund for Nature – WWF), is still with us. Not one significant negative trend has slowed, never mind halted or reversed.

Moreover, in the last 50 years, the number of people on Earth has doubled, reaching 8 billion in 2022. Our resource extraction has soared from 7 to 12 tonnes per person, per year , and, as a result, all kinds of pollutants have reached exceptional levels in air, water and land as well as in our own bodies; the same persistent chemicals are to be found in the breast milk of humans and polar bears.

Why should this be? Ignorance for one. Our species seems remarkably ill-informed about how the intricacies and interdependencies of even a small ecological system works, never mind the many-layered global systems affected by us humans and the way we use the Earth’s resources.

For example, we run our economies as if none of that mattered; no global or national economic success criterion judges the growth (or depletion) of ecological systems or human wellbeing. And I have met senior scientists and engineers ignoring the laws of physics which dictate the inevitability of pollution as the consequence of how we use resources. Burn coal and oil and you get heat, ash and climate-altering gas.

Make persistent plastics and they will infiltrate the natural world – from the top of Everest to the bottom of the ocean. There is no reverse gear.

Population Matters is one of the few organisations working to demonstrate the causal links between Population, Resource Depletion and Pollution – the umbilical connection between ever more people consuming ever more resources and levels of pollution so great that they are damaging the global climate system.

Each is only resolvable with the others and, of course, there is a special onus on the rich, high-consuming countries to cut back extra hard on resource use (including wasting less and lowering populations themselves) while working with poor countries so they can choose a people- and ecology-nurturing path to living well with nature and each other.

Thankfully, the penny is beginning to drop. Although Robin Maynard points out ( page 5 ) that getting that argument across everywhere we can – on the air, in print and at conferences – is hard work, it is beginning to bear fruit. With both logic and the evidence on our side, we are redoubling our effort through making more alliances, building on what works, and harnessing positive energy.

We have got to this point through the efforts of our wonderful staff, and the contributions of our Board, patrons, funders and many supporters. Enormous thanks to everyone. With your ongoing support we continue to learn from the past to make positive change in the future.

Sara Parkin OBE Chair, Population Matters

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

When people realise that population is connected to everything, it’s like a lightbulb moment.

Abimbola Junaid, Population Matters Partnerships, Advocacy and Voice Manager

Our growing numbers threaten everyone’s right to a fair share on a healthy planet over the critical decades ahead.

Population Matters is the only charity in the UK dedicated to talking about population growth and how it impacts our lives, choices and opportunities and the other species with which we share our planet.

Population Matters connects the dots and speaks up when no one else will.

Population Matters promotes positive, practical, ethical solutions. We believe that all women have a universal right to voluntary family planning, education, and economic independence.

Population Matters encourages smaller families and inspires people to reduce excessive consumption to help us all to live within our planet’s natural limits.

Population Matters believes that a better future is possible – one where humanity co-exists in harmony with nature, prospering on a healthy planet.

The natural world is incredible. We must achieve a sustainable human population to live in harmony with it.

I volunteer for Population Matters because I believe it is an essential but neglected part of the answer to saving the planet.

PM supporter Michael Walker, who ran a marathon and a half marathon to raise funds for us

Martin Earl, co-ordinator of the Population Matters London Group, a voluntary role he has held since its inception in 2017

POPULATION MATTERS IS

informed grounded in by experts science

a catalyst for change

connecting the pushing for a issues fairer world

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director’s report

Our team has spoken out at international conferences, on-air, online, and in public debates, with the courage and supporting evidence to raise the factor of population as a key driver of and solution to our ecological ills.

There have been many highlights for Population Matters over this reporting year. In particular, we raised our profile at three international conferences, highlighting the human population factor as both a driver of our ecological crises and as an opportunity to develop positive solutions.

Notably, Florence Blondel, our US-based Campaigns and Content Specialist, delivered a formal statement at the UN’s Commission on Population and Development in April 2023, citing the unimpeachable evidence that population is a determining factor of biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental degradation: “ Overconsumption in the Global North is the key driver of our global environmental crisis, but strong evidence from, among others, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, also shows the role of population growth in contributing to environmental problems. ”

Delegates needed to be made aware of those facts, especially given that only six months earlier the UN ‘celebrated’ our population exceeding 8 billion people by spinning a relentlessly positive narrative about “ 8 billion opportunities ”. This narrative ignored the reality for hundreds of millions of people, especially girls and women, in low-income, high fertility countries, denied their rights to education and choice over family size, their life-opportunities blocked, and potential to contribute to their communities and countries wasted.

PM worked hard to balance that ‘shiny, happy people’ spin, offering up the facts, and setting out the challenges and opportunities of achieving a better, healthier, and fairer world. And our ‘counter-narrative’ cut through, covered in more than 270 global media reports reaching an estimated one billion people in print, radio, TV and online outputs. More than a counter-narrative, we offered a reasoned conversation around the population issue. This was duly noted in an interview I had with Nihal Arthanayake on BBC Radio 5 Live, who asked: “ How often do you get the chance to discuss these issues? ”

Not often enough, but increasingly over this past year, we’ve seen journalists probe the ‘population silence’ and avoidance of the issue by other NGOs. It was gratifying to hear Oxfam’s Head of Inequity, Max Lawson, following an exchange on the Turkish World TV Newsmakers programme concede: “ I would not disagree that population growth is a pressure on the planet, and I would agree with Population Matters on that. ”

And Donnachadh McCarthy of The Independent used a PM briefing to call out the illogical avoidance of the ‘P’ word: “We are adding 80 million to the global population annually. That is just under the population of Britain, Belgium and Ireland combined. All of these people will require land, water, and other resources to feed, house, wash, transport, clothe and more. But the solution to the population crisis is one that all NGOs can support. It is simply to ensure that all women have a universal right to voluntary family planning, education, and economic independence.”

Exactly. He went on to question Friends of the Earth’s policy on population, writing: “ Nobody says that population is the only thing that needs to be addressed. The problem is the opposite: almost nobody is advocating action on one of the top two drivers of climate and ecological destruction. ”

Nobody, that is, apart from Population Matters. Our team has spoken out at international conferences, on-air, online, and in public debates, with the courage and supporting evidence to raise the factor of population as a key driver of and solution to our ecological ills. When we do so, others thank us for raising the issue, for saying what they’ve felt, but haven’t had the confidence to voice. We are certainly not alone in believing that by addressing the population issue, a better future is possible.

Robin Maynard Executive Director, Population Matters

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

our vision

Our vision is of a future in which humanity co-exists in harmony with nature, recognises and respects ecological boundaries, and prospers on a healthy planet. One in which future generations of children grow up in a regenerating, wildlife-rich world, sustained by resilient, thriving ecosystems.

A healthier future where everyone everywhere has the right and freedom to choose their family size.

A fairer future in which a greater proportion of people enjoy greater wellbeing.

A safer future in which our overall human population stabilises and ultimately reduces.

our mission

We catalyse positive action through fostering choices that will help achieve a sustainable human population and regenerate our environment.

We promote positive, practical, ethical

solutions – empowering people everywhere to choose smaller families and championing more sustainable consumption.

We foreground human rights, women’s empowerment and global justice . We are informed by experts with input from our Expert Advisory Group ( page 17 ), our patrons ( page 16 ) and other key stakeholders and partners.

We commission and publish independent research , including through the Journal of Population and Sustainability (JP&S) the editorially independent, interdisciplinary academic journal, which explores all aspects of the relationship between human population and environmental sustainability[i] .

Our work is grounded in science and a growing body of scientists endorse our analysis. Exemplified by the ‘World Scientists’ Warning’ signed by 15,000 scientists from 184 countries, which highlighted the need to address human population growth alongside excessive consumption.

i www.whp-journals.co.uk/JPS/index

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our strategy

‘Bending down’ the global population curve

So our overall human numbers peak at or below the UN’s low projection of 6.5 billion by 2100. Achieving this is possible if people are enabled to choose and realise the benefits of having smaller families.

Ensuring it’s culturally normal, practically possible, and personally desirable for women everywhere to choose smaller families

This means ending the current unmet need of more than 270 million women worldwide for safe, modern family planning, which the UN estimates would cost $68.5 billion over 10 years – less than $9 billion has been provided to date[ii] .

Getting the population factor and solutions widely accepted as key for easing climate and biodiversity emergencies, and for boosting human development and wellbeing

An analysis of climate change solutions by Project Drawdown ranks education and family planning as the third most impactful solution to combat climate change.

Tackling overconsumption and challenging the unsustainable economic growth paradigm

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Apple,
consumption,
and the future
of the planet
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Our environmental crisis is driven not just by our numbers, but our appetite for ever more resources.

Having a global impact

Population is a global issue, with different challenges and solutions appropriate for different countries, cultures and societies. We prioritise working with partner organisations, grassroots community groups, and individuals across the world.

Our charitable objectives for public benefit

1. To advance the education of the public in issues relating to human population worldwide and its impact on environmental sustainability.

2. To advance, promote and encourage research to determine optimum and ecologically sustainable human population levels in all or any part or parts of the world and to publicise the results of such research.

3. To advance environmental protection by promoting policies, in the UK or any other part or parts of the world, which will lead or contribute to the achievement of stable human population levels which allow environmental sustainability.

• In setting these objectives we have had due regard to the charity commissioners' guidance in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011.

ii unfpa.org/featured-publication/costing-three-transformative-results

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

our plans for the coming year

We will forge new alliances and relationships

Building on our existing relationships and contacts made at international events ( see pages 10-11) , we will find new ways to collaborate with others and catalyse change. Our newly appointed Partnerships, Advocacy and Voice Manager will further explore possibilities for collaborative work in South Asia and Africa. We will continue to work with our Empower to Plan partners and collaborate with key stakeholders, including at a new ‘ Population Conversation ’ event in Nigeria.

We will make our presence known at key international events

Following our successes at the

United Nations Commission on Population and Development in New York and the

International Conference

on Family Planning in Thailand, we will participate in further, carefully selected and relevant events. Our focus will be on bringing the population message to key audiences, and forging relationships that will help us to achieve our goals.

We will maximise the value of our research

We shall publish and promote the landmark Population Futures research project, which independently assesses the full range of drivers of population change and identifies ethical, equitable, progressive policy measures. We will create a new research strategy and increase our budget in this area to ensure it best supports our strategic goals and maximises opportunities and connections. Meanwhile, we shall continue to support the editorially independent Journal of Population and Sustainability , which provides a unique academic forum to raise the profile and authority of population issues and to disseminate key research.

We will develop our campaigns

We shall continue to promote our campaigns, including monitoring and responding to pronatal policies that threaten reproductive rights and free choice over family size, along with promoting global small families .

We will develop our HumaNature biodiversity campaign through advocacy to governments and conservation organisations, and by publishing a new report. We will build upon our We Don’t Buy It campaign to address unsustainable consumption and develop our work to promote discussion of and policy action to address unsustainable population in the UK .

We will optimise our internal processes and implement best practices

Reflecting our growth from an organisation of two permanent staff to 12 over the last seven years, we will review our procedures and policies to ensure we are minimising risk, maximising our effectiveness and providing a workplace that is professional, supportive and a positive experience for all.

We will maximise our reach

Through increased investment in staff and skills, we will improve our media output and relationships to secure better coverage. That work will include more closely monitoring the media landscape and public discussion to ensure our content is relevant and responsive. We will also ensure our website and social media utilise best practices to maximise our reach and engagement. In addition, we shall trial new social media platforms, including TikTok.

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our impact

2022 was a big year for population – just 13 years after the global human population reached 7 billion people, on 15 November 2022 it reached 8 billion.

For Population Matters, the date represented a critical moment and opportunity in our path towards global impact and global change – the fifth and critical element of our three-year strategy.

With this event as its centre point, the year saw us broadening our reach, scope, ambitions and relationships.

OUR RESPONSE TO 8 BILLION DAY ENGAGED THE GLOBAL MEDIA

We marked ‘8 Billion Day’ with a new report, Crisis point: the world at 8 billion , and a concerted effort to engage the media.

That effort paid off, with Population Matters featured in more than 270 news outlets globally on or around the day, including a flurry of TV and radio interviews for our Executive Director, Robin Maynard.

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CRISIS POINT
THE WORLD AT 8 BILLION PEOPLE
FACTSHEET
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The international scale of the coverage reflected PM’s status as one of the leading organisations addressing population worldwide.

That status has been bolstered by our consistent outreach beyond our UK base. Our 2022 Change Champions awards – issued to organisations and individuals each year to mark World Population Day on 11 July – featured inspiring recipients from Nigeria, the US, Poland, India, Uganda and the UK, and attracted media attention in Africa.

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our impact

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Some of Population Matters’ Change Champions 2022
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Meanwhile, we hosted guest posts on our website authored by campaigners from Uganda, Niger, Pakistan and the US among others.

WE AMPLIFIED DIVERSE VOICES

We took our role in amplifying diverse and marginalised voices a step further when attending the UN’s annual Commission on Population and Development (CPD) meeting in New York in April 2023. Our delegation consisted of our US-based communications specialist, Florence Blondel, and one of our Population Matters Choice Ambassadors , Ugandan youth climate activist, Nyombi Morris.

CPD brings together a global community of development, gender and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) agencies and campaigners. However, in recent years, it has frequently shied away from discussing population directly. Florence’s formal address to the Commission was well received, with a number of delegates praising her for raising an under-discussed issue.

Meanwhile, Nyombi took ample opportunities to speak about the issues of concern to him, including challenging the representative of his own government on its restrictive abortion policy. Writing about the event on our website, he said: “ It was an amazing experience to attend the Commission, and I thank Population Matters for giving me the opportunity. ”

CPD was the third of three carefully chosen international events in which PM

participated over the reporting year, to spread our message and forge new relationships.

In March, Florence Blondel and Robin Maynard attended the UN’s first conference on water for more than a generation, where they had many positive and productive private conversations. Prior to the event, we produced a fully referenced briefing, Achieving SDG6: Water and Population , outlining the relationship between population and water, and recommending specific actions.

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our impact

Slowing population growth through investments in sustainable development – including health and education for women and girls – will positively affect efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and will increase resilience.

Hannah Evans from Population Connection at the 2022 International Conference on Family Planning, Thailand

WE CO-SPONSORED THE WORLD’S BIGGEST FAMILY PLANNING EVENT

Our participation in the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Thailand in November, deepened and extended our capacity and knowledge in regard to the second strand of our three-year strategy – ensuring people have the opportunity and freedom to choose smaller families .

The event is the world’s biggest and most important gathering of family planning campaigners, experts and service providers, and last took place in 2020. PM was a co-sponsor of the conference, held a popular stall and hosted two live side-events. Delegates were overwhelmingly receptive to and positive about our message. It was inspirational to meet and forge relationships with so many working in incredibly challenging circumstances to deliver desperately needed services and opportunities.

Behind the scenes at ICFP, we also took the opportunity to explore possibilities for developing campaign activities in South Asia, following up on earlier exploratory research and discussions with key organisations working in the area.

In May, we created a brand new role – Partnerships, Advocacy and Voice Manager – with the specific responsibility of developing relationships such as those we made at all the events we attended, to inform our actions, collaborate with others to achieve our goals, and catalyse change.

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A POPULATION MATTERS REPORT
PRONATALISM AND THE THREAT
TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
WELCOME TO GILEAD
TM
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WE CHALLENGED DAMAGING NARRATIVES

World Population Day 2022 also saw us respond to the release of the UN’s latest population projections, which for the first time foresaw population peaking this century – at 10.4bn in 2086. An increasingly important part of our communications work is providing a persuasive alternative to the increasingly prevalent ‘baby bust’ narrative, which focuses on low birth rates and drives pronatal rhetoric and policies.

Since the launch of our ground-breaking Welcome to Gilead report in 2021, we have continued to monitor developments in places where the pronatal agenda threatens the rights of

people to access and use sexual and reproductive health services – such as Iran and China – and publicise them at key events such as ICFP and CPD, to the media and on our dedicated Gilead Watch webpage.

Indeed, we were very pleased to see the Welcome to Gilead report referenced twice in the UN Population Fund’s annual State of World Population report for 2023.

We also secured media coverage for our report exposing the fallacies of the person who has become the world’s most highprofile pronatalist – Elon Musk. Our What Planet Is He On? report dissected his many inaccurate claims – and we accompanied it with a ‘fake news’ award for Mr Musk.

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

our impact

WE CAMPAIGNED AGAINST UNSUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION

In line with our strategy’s fourth pillar, 2022 also saw the launch of another landmark campaign, We Don’t Buy It . Population Matters has always highlighted how population levels and unsustainable consumption combine to drive our planetary crisis – and the new campaign directly addresses this.

Many other environmental groups shy away from addressing underlying drivers such as consumption and population. However, our campaign challenges unsustainable consumer choices, the companies that try to persuade us to make them, and the system which prioritises growth and economic activity over human and planetary wellbeing.

We chose Apple and its needless annual phone upgrades as our first target in the campaign. Our iCon report exposes how a company with a polished environmental image still drives environmental damage.

Sustainable consumption was featured as a target in the new Global Biodiversity Framework agreed by 196 nations in December. This international agreement is intended to protect and restore biodiversity over coming decades. Yet, its measures on consumption are weak,

and, despite extensive lobbying by Population Matters and thousands of our supporters via email actions, the agreement did not include any targets or action related to population. This serves as a powerful reminder of the level of resistance faced by the population argument.

WE BOOSTED OUR ONLINE PRESENCE AND INCREASED OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REACH

A key tool in enhancing our global reach and spreading our message is our online presence. Our social media content reached over one million people in the reporting year, including 250,000 on Instagram. Necessary work upgrading our website’s security and content system had some impact on web traffic, but 680,000 people visited our website, nevertheless. We also saw 2,700 people subscribing to our monthly email over the reporting year, five times more than in the previous year – an increase of 15% in total subscribers.

WE ADDRESSED THE IMPACT OF POPULATION GROWTH IN THE UK

Our global work did not prevent us from engaging with population issues in the UK, where we responded to data from 2021

showing population growth of 3.5 million in England and Wales since the 2011 census. Our statement said:

“People know what 3.5 million more people in England and Wales and almost 1.5 million extra households means: more pressure on land, water, hospital beds, school places and public transport; more pollution, greater congestion and increasing climate emissions; and less space, less greenery, and a lower quality of life for current and future generations.”

In May, we launched a new campaign seeking an official expert advisory body to provide evidence and policy guidance on population issues to the government and the public, in order to neutralise the effects of political sensitivities, rhetoric and misinformation on this vital public debate. We also continued to promote the benefits of small families in the UK and elsewhere in high-income countries through our Global Small Family campaign, including through helping media outlets speak to individuals who have chosen smaller families.

WE COMMISSIONED AND PUBLISHED VITAL RESEARCH

Population Matters also continues to undertake, commission and publish vital research. We sponsored two major pieces of academic research, both due for publication in 2023/24. These included the Population Futures analysis of the impact of population

growth on child health. We also continue to publish the editorially independent, peer-reviewed Journal of Population and Sustainability (JP&S). The JP&S has achieved the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) 'seal' for best practice in Open Access publishing – only awarded to 10% of journals indexed with the DOAJ. In addition, the journal’s academic status was enhanced this year by inclusion in the prestigious CAB Abstracts and Global Health database.

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250,000

accounts reached on Instagram for the first time

17% increase in LinkedIn followers

276,432

Followers on Facebook

14,635

Followers on Twitter/X

15%

298 global media reports

increase in our email list

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DAILY NEWS
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We are delighted to count on the support of more than 24,400 people from 130 different countries who receive our monthly email updates.

on and around 8 Billion Day , reached an estimated one billion people in print, radio, TV and online outputs. These included Nile Post , AllAfrica.com, Emerging Europe, Africa Science News, The Japan Times , Media Indonesia , Hindustan Times , The Star (Kenya), BBC Futures, France 24, CBC (Canada), BBC Radio 5, The Sunday Times and The Guardian .

international 3 conferences

attended – comprising the UN Commission on Population and Development , the UN Water Conference and the International Conference on – Family Planning the world’s biggest family planning event.

more than for 200 donations received

for projects this year

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Change Champions Awards

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presented to inspirational change-makers
from Nigeria , the US , Poland , India ,
Uganda and the UK for their effective CHAMPIONCHANGE FamilyChoice
work promoting reproductive rights and 2023 Sheila Kay
defending the environment.
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Our ground-breaking Welcome to Gilead report (launched in 2021), which investigates the connection between extreme pronatalism and reproductive rights restrictions, was referenced twice in the UN Population Fund’s annual State of World Population report for 2023.

Population Matters Choice Ambassadors appointed to date

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These inspiring young people from Uganda, Kenya, Colombia and the UK help us raise awareness of the population issue, empowering solutions, and positive choices.

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

our impact

WE CONTINUED TO BUILD PRACTICAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT CHANGE LIVES AND COMMUNITIES

In Venezuela, there’s an ongoing humanitarian crisis, in which environmental defenders are killed and thousands of people are emigrating every month. A depressing 95% of people are living in poverty and acute malnutrition is on the rise, mostly impacting children under five and pregnant women. Turimiquire Foundation’ s healthcare and education services are a lifeline, where their focus on family planning and education, as well as sustainable livelihoods and agroecological community development, support rural communities. With Empower to Plan support, Turimiquire extended its services by offering 40 sex education sessions in seven partner schools, distributing low-cost contraceptives to young people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to source them.

Now in its sixth year, our Empower to Plan programme continues to enhance our global reach. More than that, it enables us to promote and support practical, ethical and uplifting on-the-ground education and healthcare solutions in communities across the world, whilst giving our supporters the chance to fund these life-changing projects.

We supported an inspiring group of partners this year and expanded our country list to include Albania, Pakistan and Venezuela.

Launched on the International Day of the Girl, our partnership with The Awakening , located in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, focused on building women’s leadership and gender equality – whilst a third of the country was underwater following the devastating floods in September 2022. The organisation’s Empower

“In each sexual and reproductive health workshop, I see young people overcoming taboos and imposed sociocultural norms.”

to Plan-funded project included engaging around 150 girls and boys through weekly groups as well as community elders, educators, and religious leaders. The Awakening also organised an event to support the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against gender-based violence, and reactivated their 24/7 safe abortion care hotline called ‘Saheli’, which translates as ‘female friend’.

Noris Cova, Turimiquire Sex Educator

WE ARE HELPING OUR MEMBERS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING US DURING THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

In Albania, the Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO) has been working to mobilise the potential of its young people to contribute to and improve their own futures. Importantly, they recognise the health of people and planet are intrinsically linked. With Empower to Plan support, one of the Network's members, Act for Society worked alongside Roma peer educators and community leaders to deliver workshops about sexual and reproductive and menstrual health to marginalised young people.

Population Matters was fortunate to weather the pandemic in terms of maintaining steady income from our generous members and donors. However, the cost-of-living crisis (especially in the UK) this year did impact on their ability to continue supporting our work with quite so much fervour. Understanding that finances were stretched, we were glad to see that suggesting our regular donors reduce – rather than cancel – their contributions was both effective in mitigating the financial risk but also proved positive for engagement. We received some wonderful feedback from members who appreciated our thoughtful approach to the challenging circumstances.

“In order to save the environment, all of us must think collectively, rather than individually.”

Mihallaq Qirjo, Director of the Resource Environmental Centre, Albania

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our impact

Feedback from our surveys is shaping our work

Our third annual supporter and member survey was circulated in December 2022, and we were pleased to receive feedback from those who receive our monthly email update (593) and members who support our work financially (619); collectively voicing opinions on our work from 53 different countries.

Our monthly news round-up continues to prove popular, our bi-annual magazine is reported to be very valuable to our members, with survey respondents primarily interested in our education and awareness-raising work.

The top themes of interest among our supporters continue to be ‘global population growth’, ‘nature and biodiversity’ and ‘climate change’, reflected in our ongoing campaign outputs.

WE ARE DEVELOPING OUR COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING AND ENGAGEMENT

Fundraising remained an important focus and we took part in The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge matched-funding appeal once more, which raised more than £15,000 towards our ongoing activities. A special thanks is due to those who pledged a donation and whose generosity made it possible.

We have also dipped a toe into the waters of community fundraising, asking our supporters to help us raise awareness as well as much-needed cash by taking part in events – from marathon running and fell walking, to selling charity Christmas cards or hosting a bake sale.

Although in its infancy, we hope new initiatives such as Spring Action Month will encourage more supporters to get involved in the years ahead.

“Your work is needed more than ever, please keep going!”

“Fantastic job. It is essential to keep pushing - in spite of the widespread apathy I think we all know that social breakdown is just round the corner and the need to reduce human impact on the planet is central to the welfare of our children and grandchildren.”

“It is a huge help to find others who are aware of the impact of human population, rather than simply being a voice in the wilderness.” Annual Survey 2022

Catalyst Members and major donors

Given we do not receive any income from government or contracts, the importance of the continued financial support from all our members – and our Catalyst Members in particular – cannot be understated. It is their generous support that underpins our continued growth and development as a catalyst organisation making a better future possible in partnership with others.

Our sincere thanks to:

Mrs Abigail Bagshaw, Mrs Katherine Balderson, Ms Janet Beal, Dr P Bermingham, Emma Blythman, Mr Scott Carlton, Mr Clive Catherall, Mr Edward Coleman, Mr William Gornall, Emeritus Professor John Guillebaud, Dr Reza Hossain, Mr Roger Jarrett, Mr Alan Johnson, Mr Christopher Lawson, Mr Damien McBraida, Mr François Micheli, Mr Norman Pasley, Dr Sofia Pineda Ochoa, Mr Martin Rayner, Mr Iain Richardson, Dr Stefan Sellbjer, Professor Caroline Series FRS, Mr Nigel Stevenson, Dr Hoon Seong Teo, and 26 others who wish to remain anonymous.

We were also delighted to receive significant donations from major donors and funders towards some of our projects this year, including our efforts to raise the profile of population on 8 Billion Day, and our co-sponsorship of the International Conference on Family Planning in Thailand.

We would also like to extend our thanks to the Rufford Foundation for their ongoing, generous support.

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

our patrons

We are honoured to count the following individuals as our patrons. With their varied expertise and passion for both people and the environment, our patrons help to emphasise the importance of concern about human population for achieving a sustainable future. We thank them for their high-profile, visible support of our vision and mission.

Sir David Attenborough

OM CH CVO CBE FRS FZS FRA

Internationally respected naturalist, broadcaster and presenter of several seminal series including Life on Earth, Blue Planet and Our Planet

“The human population can no longer be allowed to grow in the same old uncontrolled way. If we do not take charge of our population size, then nature will do it for us, and it is the poor people of the world who will suffer most.”

Dame Jane Goodall PhD DBE

Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace

“It’s our population growth that underlies just about every single one of the problems that we’ve inflicted on the planet. If there were just a few of us, then the nasty things we do wouldn’t really matter and Mother Nature would take care of it – but there are so many of us.”

Chris Packham

Naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author

“There’s no point bleating about the future of pandas, polar bears and tigers when we’re not addressing the one single factor that’s putting more pressure on the ecosystem than any other – namely the ever-increasing size of the world’s population.”

Leilani Münter

Ex-race car driver, child-free champion and environmental campaigner

Jonathon Porritt CBE

Director of Forum for the Future, former Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, President of Population Matters

Prof Sir Partha Dasgupta FRS FBA

Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge

Prof Paul Ehrlich ForMemRS

Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University

Prof John Guillebaud

Emeritus Professor of Family Planning and Reproductive Health, University College, London, and Medical Director, Margaret Pyke Centre for Family Planning

Gordon Buchanan MBE

Wildlife filmmaker and presenter. He was presented with an MBE for services to charity and wildlife conservation.

Adrian Hayes

Record-breaking polar explorer and adventurer, speaker, coach, campaigner and author

Malcolm Potts MB BChir PhD FRCOG

Professor in Maternal and Child Health and former holder of the Fred H. Bixby Endowed Chair in Population and Family Planning of the University of California

Sara Parkin OBE

Principal Associate of The Sustainability Literacy Project, Co-founder of Forum for the Future, Chair of the Board, Population Matters

Judy Ling Wong CBE

Hon President of Black Environment Network (BEN), focused on integrating environmental, social and cultural issues in the context of sustainable development.

Susan Hampshire OBE

Actress and population campaigner

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our expert advisory group

Our Expert Advisory Group (EAG) gives us an independent perspective on our strategy, performance, and major decisions. We are fortunate to have attracted experts from a wide range of disciplines to join the EAG, whose expertise and advice we can draw upon.

Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano

Currently DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian

Conservation Foundation, his previous positions include Assistant Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri; Project Director, Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands Project, Nigeria; and as Senior Adviser on Policy & Advocacy at the Birdlife International Secretariat, Cambridge.

Wendo Aszed Founder and Executive Director of Dandelion

Africa, a grassroots organisation in Kenya focused on women’s health and economic empowerment, providing economic and skills training, and health information to young people.

Prof Ugo Bardi Teaches physical chemistry at

the University of Florence, engaging in research on sustainability and energy with a special view on mineral resources, circular economy, and recycling. He is a member of the Club of Rome and chief editor of the Springer journal Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality .

Dr Patrick Curry

A tutor at the University of Wales Trinity St

David and former lecturer at the universities of Bath Spa and Kent, and author of Ecological Ethics: An Introduction. He is also the editorin-chief of the online journal The Ecological Citizen .

Dr Edu Effiom Assistant Director with the Nigerian Cross River Forestry

Commission, where she heads the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and Sustainable Forest Project Unit. A Councillor with the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation, she currently chairs its Africa Chapter.

Dr Rebecca Foljambe A GP with special interest in Family

Planning and Women’s Health, she set-up You Before Two, a charity which encourages and enables young women to consider their own education, life choices and autonomy. PM has worked in partnership with You Before Two through our Empower to Plan programme.

Dr Jane O’Sullivan

Honorary Senior Fellow at the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of Queensland. Executive Committee member of Sustainable Population Australia.

Alisha Graves

President of the California-based non-profit OASIS, and co-founder of the OASIS Initiative at University of California, Berkeley, an organisation that aims to advance education and choice for women and girls in the Sahel.

Laurel Hanscom

Sustainability research scientist and former CEO of the Global

Footprint Network, where she lead its overall operations and strategy.

Graeme Maxton

Specialising in environmental and sustainable

economics, Graeme also, coauthored Reinventing Prosperity with Jorgen Randers. He was Secretary-General of the Club of Rome from 2014-18 and remains a Full Member. He is an Advisory Board Member for the UN’s Economic Commission for Europe Pathways Project.

Prof Fred Naggs Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum, having

retired after 42 years at the museum in September 2016, and visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

Prof William Rees

Population ecologist, ecological economist, Professor Emeritus and former Director of the University of British Columbia’s School of Community and Regional Planning.

William Ryerson

Founder and President of Population Media Center (PMC), an

organisation that strives to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world through the use of entertainmenteducation strategies. He also serves as Chair of The Population Institute in Washington, DC.

Prof Jeroen Van Den Bergh ICREA Professor at the Institute of

Environmental Science and Technology of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics at VU University, Amsterdam.

Prof Peter Wadhams

Professor of Ocean Physics and Head of the Polar Ocean Physics Group in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (University of Cambridge). President of the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans Commission on Sea Ice and Coordinator for the International Programme for Antarctic Buoys. He is author of A Farewell to Ice – an authoritative account of our shrinking polar ice.

Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23 17

structure, governance and risk

Organisation Structure

Population Matters is a UK charity regulated by the Charity Commission

(No 1114109) and a company limited by guarantee as defined by the Companies Act 2006 (No 3019081). It is governed by its Articles of Association. Until 2011, Population Matters was known as Optimum Population Trust. The registered named was formally changed in April 2023 to ‘Population Matters’.

Board activities and composition

The Board meets quarterly to review the strategy and performance of Population Matters. Board meetings were held physically, with sub-committee meetings held virtually. To facilitate effective operations, the Board has delegated authority to the Executive Director, supported by the senior management team, for the management and implementation of operational strategy, staff, operations, finance, risk and governance. There are two Board sub-committees: the Finance, Risk, Investments and Audit Committee (FRIA), chaired by the Treasurer and the Nominations and Remunerations Committee, chaired by the Chair.

The Articles, which have been reviewed and revised during the year, provide for Board members to be appointed for a fixed term of three years, renewable once before at least a one-year break, with a provision that allows a Board member to serve longer, subject to an annual review, if other Board members consider exceptional circumstances justify it.

The recruitment of new Board members is managed by our Nominations and Remunerations Committee, using the widest possible networks and a rigorous appointment process, to ensure that we are finding Board members with the knowledge, experience and networks the charity needs to maximise its future impact. As part of this process, three new Board members joined the Board during the financial year.

New Board members are provided with an induction to their role through the provision of a range of internal information and guidance relating to the charity, as well as direction to sources of best practice.

Remuneration

Staff remuneration is reviewed annually. We have a salary grid based on a comparison of published salary scales to ensure that remuneration is consistent with that paid for similar roles in charities of a similar size. Board members give their time voluntarily and are not remunerated other than for modest expenses. No Board member or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year.

Risk

The Board has a duty to manage the charity’s resources responsibly and to ensure that there is an effective risk management process in place. Board members are assisted in meeting their responsibilities by the Finance, Risk, Investment and Audit Committee (FRIA), which oversees the Risk Management Process, making recommendations regarding present and future risks. Our Risk Register identifies the types of risks we face, rates them in terms of potential impact and likelihood and identifies risk management/ mitigation measures and is reviewed regularly. Risks are categorised into five domains: financial, operational, people, strategic and reputational. An evaluation of new and changed risks forms part of the regular meetings of the senior management team and a review of principal risks is included in the papers of each Board meeting.

We review and refresh our strategy regularly, ensuring that it is sufficiently flexible to enable us to take advantage of unexpected opportunities as they arise. Reputational risk is reduced through clear and strong rebuttal of any misrepresentation and false allegations, and by the firm management of our communications. In terms of nurturing our staff, we have a regular appraisal process which ensures that staff remain motivated and committed. We regularly review our data practices and cyber security, ensuring that key data and systems are backed up and appropriate safeguards put in place. We have made a number of operational improvements throughout the year to reduce risk, tighten processes and ensure they remain aligned, across all functions with our strategic objectives.

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Officers at year end

Chair – Sara Parkin OBE

Deputy Chair – Rebecca Foljambe Treasurer – Lisa Mitchell

Directors at year end

Rebecca Foljambe

Rebecca is an NHS GP with a special interest in Family Planning and Women’s Health. She is also the founder of You Before Two, a charity which empowers young women to value and protect their autonomy before making reproductive choices. Date of first appointment: 30/11/19 - Board meetings attended during year: 4 of 5

Pip Hayes

A part-time GP in Devon, Pip was a member of the PM Board previously and has recently re-joined. She also volunteers as a village wildlife warden for ACT (Action on Climate in Teignbridge). Date of first appointment: 06/10/18 - Board meetings attended during year: 5 of 5

Harry Marven

Harry is a Consultant at Green Park, an executive search firm campaigning to make the world of work diverse, inclusive, and representative. Prior to a career in recruitment, he started off campaigning on human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of choice, focusing on youth and student engagement. Date of first appointment: 30/10/21 - Board meetings attended during year: 3 of 3

Lisa Mitchell

Lisa is a qualified accountant and managing director with responsibility for finance and operations at a niche consultancy business. She has previously been a non-executive director in the charity sector and has led finance operations teams for over 20 years in professional services firms, PWC and Arthur Andersen. Date of first appointment: 30/10/21 - Board meetings attended during year: 3 of 3

Emma Olliff

Emma is an ecologist focusing on farming and its future. She is working on a project called RegenerEat, which aims to build holistic food systems that reconnect people with their ecosystem. Date of first appointment: 21/10/17 - Board meetings attended during year: 3 of 5

Sara Parkin OBE

Sara is Principal Associate of The Sustainability Literacy Project, Chair of the Richard Sandbrook Trust, and a Trustee of the St Andrews Prize and the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. She is also author of several books and was co-founder of Forum for the Future. Date of first appointment: 18/06/19 - Board meetings attended during year: 5 of 5

Vicky Poll

Vicky has always been passionate about creating environments for life to thrive and studied genetics at UCL to better understand our foundations and the interplay between nature and nurture. Since then, her career has been focused on people and organisation development. Date of first appointment: 30/10/21 - Board meetings attended during year: 2 of 3

Simone Filippini

As a senior Dutch diplomat, Ambassador Filippini served as Head of the Gender, SRHR and Women’s Rights department in the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consul-General for the Southeastern United States and Dutch Caribbean, and Ambassador to North Macedonia. In January 2023, she started a new role as Chairperson of the Dutch International Commission for social and environmental Impact Assessment. Date of first appointment: 30/10/21 - Board meetings attended during year: 2 of 3

Senior Management Team at year end

Robin Maynard Executive Director

Joshua Hill

Head of Finance and Operations

Alistair Currie

Head of Campaigns and Communications

Izi Clery

Head of Fundraising and Engagement

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

financial summary

OVERVIEW

provide a complementary income profile for the financial year, though we are taking steps to further diversify into grants.

Income rose 204% this year to £3.0 million, mainly driven by a number of windfall legacies, up £2.2 million from the prior year. Legacies have seen large increases across the sector following the easing of the post-Covid backlog and, while making a significant contribution, these remain difficult to predict due to their inherently variability. Conversely, donations were down 34%, largely due to cost of living and inflationary pressures restricting household disposable income. While membership income was largely robust, campaigns underperformed throughout the year. Gift aid income is dependent on our donor mix, with corporate and payroll giving, as well as overseas donations, included in the sources of income that do not qualify for gift aid. Our diversified strategy continued to

We use our resources to further our charitable aims for the public benefit; to that end, we analyse our expenditure in relation to our three charitable objectives, which effectively translate into campaigning (to bring about change), raising awareness (education of the public) and research (into population sustainability). Raising awareness of the issue has been a key part of our activities over the last year, particularly around 8 Billion Day. We have also continued to increased expenditure on research that will help to underpin our increasingly targeted campaigning activities.

Despite pressures from the cost-of-living crises, our overall income remained

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

Expenditure increased overall by £79,860 (8%) to £1,051,100. Spending has been allocated to the three principal areas of campaigning (to bring about change), raising awareness (education of the public) and research (into population sustainability), all of which rose during the year.

Income grew year on year by £1,990,375 (204%) to £2,964,356, largely driven increases in legacies (£2,201,048), offset by reductions in donations (£233,897), among small variations. New legacies in the year were from six individuals, with the largest single legacy totalling £1,543,760. Membership income dropped during the year, though overall membership numbers remained relatively robust. A number of campaigns underperformed during the year, though contributions our Empower to Plan programme remained robust, totalling £57,067 (up 62%) as we secured grant income to support reduced donations.

Expenditure on raising awareness (up 3% to £395,568) grew as we focused on 8 Billion Day, World Population Day, as well as our attendance at the International Conference on Family Planning in Thailand and various UN conferences.

Research also saw a significant increase, up 15% to £134,295, as work continued on our own independent research to evaluate the feasibility of achieving a population future at (or ideally, below) the United Nation’s (UN) low projection of 7.3 billion

Beyond this, our fundraising activities have focused on diversifying our income streams with campaign-focused appeals and increased targeting of grantmaking trusts.

buoyant, largely due to legacies, which are relatively uncorrelated to donation income. This resilience was reflected in total income, which rose by £1,990,375 in the year to 30 June 2023, while expenditure increased by only £78,860 which resulted in a large surplus of £1,913,256, compared with a deficit of £13,533 in the previous year. The management team closely monitors financial performance to ensure the outturn aligns to the approved budget. Notice of two legacies, totalling £1.6m, were received in the last few days of the year, and remained receivable as at 30th June 2023. Thus, the large surplus is almost entirely driven by accounting, rather than cash inflows.

Unrestricted reserves at the year-end amounted to £2,728,187 and cash totalled £744,057, both considerably in excess of the minimum level of £500,000 required by the charity’s reserves policy.

by 2100, in addition to a number of smaller research projects. We have also continued to increase expenditure on fundraising, up 34% to £171,448 further committing to professionalising our fundraising capabilities.

We have continued to develop our website and other communication tools, helping to raise the profile of Population Matters and the issue of population sustainability (some of which has been capitalised), as well as supporting our campaigning and fundraising activities.

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RESERVES

The purpose of reserves is to ensure sufficient funds for the continuing operation of the organisation in the event of a drop in income or of other risks manifesting and to enable it to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities.

Following the most recent review, the Board has determined that the minimum level of unrestricted reserves required to meet its objectives is £500,000. Our reserves policy is based on four core pillars: short-term fluctuations in income, fixed contractual commitments, general operational provision and strategic considerations. The reserve is reviewed at least annually, with a formal evaluation completed during the annual budget process to ensure reserves remain aligned to our strategic objectives and financial capabilities.

At the year-end, reserves are significantly higher than the £500,000 minimum level, at £2,777,071 (of which £2,728,187 is unrestricted). This is almost entirely due to accrued legacies, totalling £2,155,570. There is some uncertainty around when most of this balance will be received as, due to legal conditions attached to the largest legacy, some of the funds may not be received for up to three years. Our policy is to propose and plan activities based on cleared and accessible funds, which stand at £744,057 as at 30th June 2023.

The Board has approved the use of some of these excess reserves in the forthcoming year to advance the charity’s strategic aims and plan to run a deficit in the year 2023/24. At the date of signing the £1,543,760 legacy recognised is still receivable and no funds have been received against this balance.

INVESTMENTS

During the year we disposed of our investment in a Responsible UK Income and Global Equity Portfolio with Colombia Threadneedle for £177,787, realising a gain of £77,787. We have cash funds spread across a number of deposittaking institutions, with over 50% of our cash funds held with CAF Bank and Triodos. Given the macro-economics backdrop, at the year-end date, our investment objective was to ensure funds remained on hand without putting value at risk, while achieving the best overall return possible.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023

The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing

these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102 - 2019);

• make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees’ Statement was approved by the Board and signed on its behalf by S.L. Parkin and authorised for issue on 27th January, 2024: S.L. Parkin (Chair) - Trustee

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

independent auditor’s report

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF POPULATION MATTERS

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Population Matters (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 30 June 2023 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities incorporating the Income and Expenditure account, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 30 June 2023, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

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Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the trustees’ report (incorporating the directors’ report) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

• the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the directors’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

independent auditor’s report

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud are detailed below:

We gained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the charity and the sector in which it operates and considered the risk of the charity not complying with the applicable laws and regulations including fraud; in particular those that could have a material impact on the financial statements, including financial reporting. In relation to the operations of the charity this included compliance with the Charities Act 2011 and Companies Act 2006.

The risks were discussed with the audit team and we remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit. We carried out specific procedures to address the risks

identified. These included the following:

• Review of legal fees incurred;

• Reviewing minutes of Trustee Board meetings;

• Agreeing the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;

• Enquiring of management including those charged with governance;

• Reviewing key accounting policies and estimates

Management override: To address the risk of management override of controls, we carried out testing of journal entries and other adjustment for appropriateness. We also assessed management bias in relation to the accounting policies adopted and in determining significant accounting estimates.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or noncompliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at:

https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/ Audit/Audit-and-assurance/ Standards-and-guidance/Standardsand-guidance-for-auditors/Auditorsresponsibilities-for-audit/Descriptionof-auditors-responsibilities-for-audit. aspx.

This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Other matters

The financial statements of Population Matters for the year ended 30 June 2022 were not audited

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Michael Cooper-Davis FCCA ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of

Price Bailey LLP Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors 24 Old Bond Street London W1S 4AP

Date: 27th January 2024

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financial statements

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023

Income Note Donations Legacies Grants Gift aid Other trading activities 2 Investment income 3	Unrestricted funds £ 433,067 2,323,392 10,000 49,730 416 18,043 2,834,648 78,754 349,790 395,568 123,635 947,747 1,886,901 - 1,886,901 68,750 772,536 2,728,187	Restricted funds £ 12,773 - 115,558 1,377 - - 129,708 92,693 - - 10,660 103,353 26,355 - 26,355 (68,750) 91,279 48,884	Total funds 2023 £ 445,840 2,323,392 125,558 51,107 416 18,043 2,964,356 171,447 349,790 395,568 134,295 1,051,100 1,913,256 - 1,913,256 - 863,815 2,777,071	Total funds 2022
				£
				679,737
				122,344
				113,427
				55,197
				421
				2,855
Total income				973,981
Expenditure Raising funds 4 Charitable activities 5 Campaigning Raising awareness Research Total expenditure 6 Net income / (expenditure) 7 Unrealised net gains on investments Net income for the year Transfers between funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward
				128,336
				341,745
				384,613
				116,545
				971,240
				2,741
				(16,274)
				(13,533)
				-
				877,348
				863,815

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derives from continuing activities.

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

financial statements

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
2022
2023
Restated
Fixed assets Note £ £ £ £
Intangible fixed assets 10 11,880 -
Tangible fixed assets 11 4,841 2,780
16,721 2,780
Current assets
Debtors 12 2,173,104 162,917
Investments 13 - 166,826
Cash at bank and in hand 14 744,057 665,416
2,917,161 995,159
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due within one year 15 (156,811) (134,124)
Net current assets 2,760,350 861,035
Total net assets 2,777,071 863,815
Funds 16
Unrestricted funds 2,728,187 772,536
Restricted funds 48,884 91,279
Total funds 2,777,071 863,815
----- End of picture text -----

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and were signed on its behalf by S.L. Parkin and authorised for issue on 27th January 2024: S.L. Parkin (Chair) - Trustee. The policies on page 28 and notes on pages 29-31 form part of the financial statements.

Charity: 1114109 Company: 3019081

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CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
2023 2022
Notes £ £
Cash flows from operating activities 14 (52,811) (42,340)
Cash flow from investing activities
Purchase of assets (17,331) (1,799)
Investment income (18,043) (2,855)
Sale of investments 166,826 -
Net cash used in investing activities 131,452 (4,654)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the
reporting period 78,641 (46,994)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of
665,416 712,410
the period
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
744,057 665,416
reporting period
Analysis of changes in net debt
Cash and cash equivalents as at 1 July 2022 665,416 712,410
Cash flows 78,641 (46,994)
Cash and cash equivalents as at 30 June 2023 744,057 665,416
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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2023

Note 1: Accounting policies

1.1 - Basis of preparation

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. Population Matters meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. The functional and presentational currency is pounds sterling.

1.2 - Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

1.3 - Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

1.5 - Intangible assets

Website development costs are being amortised over their estimated useful life of 2 years.

1.6 - Tangible assets

Office equipment is depreciated at an annual rate of 20% in order to write down each asset over its estimated useful life.

1.7 - Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

1.8 - Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

1.9 - Pension costs and other post retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) in the period to which they relate.

1.10 - Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. Accrued income is included at the best estimate of the amounts receivable at the balance sheet date.

1.12 - Financial Instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently recognised at their settlement value. Trade and other debtors, cash at bank and creditors are recognised at cost which is their fair value and fixed assets are valed at cost less depreciation. Investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value, with movements taken directly to the SoFA.

1.13 - Investments

In the prior years investments were measured at historical cost. This year investments are measured at fair value through the SoFA. Net gains and losses on revaluation are shown in the SoFA. Unrealised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the fair value at the year end and their carrying value.

1.14 - Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty

No judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have been made in the process of applying the above accounting policies. The trustees make estimates and assumptions concerning the future based on their knowledge of the charity and the environment in which it operates. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual outcome.

1.11 - Creditors

1.4 - Allocation and apportionment of costs

Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute directly to more than one activity are apportioned between those activities. Support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between the activities being supported. Further detail on the basis of allocation of support costs can be found in note 6.

Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estmated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

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Note 2: Other trading activities

Unrestricted £ Sales 416	Restricted £	Total 2023	Total 2022 421
	-	416

All 2022 income was unrestricted

Note 3: Investment income

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
	£	£	2023	2022
Investment fund distributions	12,339	-	12,339	1,406
Deposit account interest	5,704	-	5,704	1,449
	18,043	-	18,043	2,855

Note 6: Analysis of support costs

Governance costs Membership & finance costs Website & IT costs Other staff costs Office costs Other costs	Expenditure on raising funds 8,487 11,303 7,521 21,237 4,217 1,503	Expenditure on charitable activities 42,045 55,996 62,319 116,705 20,892 7,448	Total 2023 Total 2022 50,532 35,687 67,299 22,557 69,840 30,266 137,942 140,293 25,109 74,560 8,951 12,753 359,673 316,116
	54,268	305,405

All 2022 income was unrestricted

Note 4: Expenditure on raising funds

Fundraising direct costs Other events Advertising, promotions & website costs Fundraising support costs	Direct £ 98,891 202 17,035 -	Support £ - - - 55,319	Total 2023 98,891 202 17,035 55,319 171,447	Total 2022 62,367 1,732 24,760 39,477
	116,128	55,319		128,336

Note 5: Expenditure on charitable activities

Campaigning Raising awareness Research	Direct £ 231,056 256,144 88,100	Support £ 118,734 139,424 46,195	Total 2023 349,790 395,568 134,295 879,653	Total 2022 341,745 384,613 116,545
	575,300	304,353		842,903

Note 7: Net Income/expenditure

	Total	Total
	2023	2022
Net income / (expenditure) is stated after charging:
Depreciation - owned assets	2,398	1,891
Trademarks amortisation	-	12
Website costs amortisation Audit / Examiner's Fees	992 15,100	- 4,800

Note 8: Trustees remuneration and benefits

Trustees’expenses	Total 2023	Total 2022
	3,288	1,153

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Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

Note 9: Staff costs

Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs	2023 £ 384,133 37,176 22,153	2022 £ 305,172 24,188 17,746
	443,462	347,106

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2023 10	2022 9
10	9

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £70,000 was:

£70,001 - £80,000	2023 1 1	2022 1
		1

The charity carries out its operations by engaging a mix of full time and part time staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers.

Note 10: Intangible fixed assets

Cost At 1st July 2022 Additions At 30th June 2023 Amortisation At 1st July 2022 Charge for year At 30th June 2022 Net book value At 30th June 2022 At 30th June 2023	Website costs £ - 12,872
	12,872
	- (992)
	(992)
	-
	11,880

Note 11: Tangible fixed assets

Cost At 1st July 2022 Additions Disposals At 30th June 2023 Depreciation At 1st July 2022 Disposals Charge for year At 30th June 2023 Net book value At 30th June 2022 At 30th June 2023	Office equipment £ 11,908 5,145 (1,080)
	15,973
	(9,128) 394 (2,398)
	(11,132)
	2,780
	4,841

Note 12: Debtors: Amounts falling due within one year

Accrued income Other debtors Gift aid debtors Legacies accrued Prepayments	2023 £ 1,908 - 11,302 2,155,570 4,324 2,173,104	2022 £ - 4,657 8,328 132,011 17,921
		162,917

Note 13: Current asset investments

Listed investments	2023 £ -	2022 £
		166,826

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Note 14: Reconciliation of net expenditure to net cash flow from operating activities

Note 15: Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Net movement in funds Depreciation charge (Increase)/decrease in debtors Increase/(decrease) in short term creditors Investment income (Gain) on investments	2023 £ 1,913,256 3,390 (2,010,187) 22,687 18,043 - (52,811)	2022 £ (13,533) 1,903 22,451 (72,290) 2,855 16,274
		(42,340)

Trade creditors Deferred income from grants Accrued expenses Other creditors	2023 £ 23,625 68,750 48,567 15,869 156,811	2022 £ 58,542 68,750 6,300 532
		134,124

Note 16: Movement in funds

Unrestricted funds General Fund Restricted Funds Empower to Plan Overheads Research Restricted, not earnt Total	At 1.7.22 Restated 772,536 22,529 - - 68,750 91,279 863,815	Income 2,834,648 57,067 52,083 20,558 - 129,708 2,964,356	Expenditure (947,747) (40,610) (52,083) (10,660) - (103,353) (1,051,100)	Transfers In/Out 68,750 - - - (68,750) (68,750) -	At 30.6.23
					2,728,187 38,986 - 9,898 -
					48,884
					2,777,071

Empower to Plan is funding to deliver family planning projects on the ground. Overheads is funding obtained to support support costs, such as our physical office and some back office staff costs. Research refers to income received for specific commissioned research.

Restricted, not earnt relates to a transfer resulting from a reclassification within the opening reserves balance.

Note 17: Analysis of net assets by fund

Intangible assets Tangible assets Current assets	Unrestricted 11,880 4,841 2,711,466	Restricted - - 48,884	Total 11,880 4,841 2,760,350
	2,728,187	48,884	2,777,071

Note 18: Related party disclosures

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 30th June 2023 (2022: None).

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered company number: 3019081 (England and Wales) Registered charity number: 1114109 (England and Wales) Registered office: The Chandlery, 50 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7QY UK

AUDITORS

Price Bailey LLP Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors 24 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4AP

BANKERS

CAF Bank – 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling ME19 4JQ

Triodos Bank – Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AS

31

Population Matters | Annual Report 22/23

FUTURE IS POSSIBLE A

After reducing food waste and switching to plant-rich diets , Project Drawdown, the world-leading study of climate change solutions, rates family planning and education as the next most effective solution to limiting global warming below 2°C.

DISCOVER MORE AT POPULATIONMATTERS.ORG

Population Matters campaigns to achieve a sustainable human population, to protect the natural world and improve people’s lives. We are committed to human rights, women’s empowerment and global justice.

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