BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY(THE)

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Next accounts due

2026-09-30 (in 4mo)

Last filed for 2024-12-31

Confirmation statement due

2027-01-26 (in 8mo)

Last made up 2026-01-12

Watchouts

None on the register

Cash

£976K

-47.9% vs 2023

Net assets

£18M

+4.6% vs 2023

Employees

-2.6% vs 2023

Profit before tax

£260K

+900% vs 2023

Net assets

2-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median

BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY(THE)·Consumer Discretionary median · n=5592

Accounts

2-year trend · latest reflected 2024-12-31

Metric	2023-12-31	2024-12-31
Turnover	£4,737,000	£5,371,000
Operating profit	£26,000	£260,000
Profit before tax	£26,000	£260,000
Net profit	£26,000	£260,000
Cash	£1,875,000	£976,000
Total assets less current liabilities	£17,021,000	£17,801,000
Net assets	£17,021,000	£17,801,000
Equity	£17,021,000	£17,801,000
Average employees	39	38
Wages	£1,569,000	£1,656,000

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Ratios

Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest

Ratio	2023-12-31	2024-12-31
Operating margin	0.5%	4.8%
Net margin	0.5%	4.8%
Return on capital employed	0.2%	1.5%
Current ratio	2.92x	2.46x
Interest cover	0.44x	3.77x

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Audit & accounting basis

Accounting basis: FRS 102
Reporting scope: Standalone (parent only)
Abridged: Yes — abridged accounts (limited disclosure)
Auditor: HaysMac LLP
Audit opinion: Unqualified (clean)
Going concern: Affirmed
“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.”

Group structure

BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY(THE) · parent
1. BES Trading Company Limited 100% · England and Wales · organised the 11th International Congress of Ecology in August 2013 and continued to be dormant

Significant events

“In 2024, the BES invested £0.5M through our revised grants portfolio, funding and supporting 142 students and researchers from 32 countries.”
“The BES worked with nearly 40 experts to publish a report launched on BBC Today to help Defra navigate freshwater policy.”
“We celebrated ten years of our successful Summer School in 2024 in the stunning scenery of North Wales.”
“Our net carbon emissions for 2024 were 116 tCO2e, a 23% reduction from 2023.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

People

15 active · 85 resigned

Name	Role	Appointed	Born	Nationality
BROOKER, Robin, Professor	Secretary	2021-12-13	—	—
AUSTEN, Melanie Clare, Professor	Director	2024-12-11	Jul 1962	British
BROOKER, Robin William, Dr	Director	2021-12-13	Feb 1974	British
COULSON, Timothy Neal, Professor	Director	2022-12-19	Jul 1968	British
DUNN, Christian Philip, Professor	Director	2025-12-16	Mar 1981	British
DWYER, Ciara Marie, Dr	Director	2023-12-13	Jun 1992	British
EICHHORN, Markus Peter, Dr	Director	2022-12-19	Jan 1978	British
EMMETT, Bridget Anne, Professor	Director	2022-12-19	Dec 1964	British
FRECKLETON, Robert Peter, Professor	Director	2022-12-19	Dec 1970	British
GRAHAM, Laura Jane Eileen, Dr	Director	2021-12-13	Apr 1982	British
HOLLAND, Elizabeth Penelope, Professor	Director	2025-12-16	Aug 1981	British
HOWE, Caroline, Dr	Director	2024-12-11	Feb 1982	British
MEDUPIN, Cecilia, Dr	Director	2025-12-16	Sep 1977	British
PINCHES, Clare Elizabeth	Director	2024-12-11	Sep 1976	British
VICK, Pamela Elizabeth	Director	2021-11-08	Nov 1955	British

Show 85 resigned officers

Name	Role	Appointed	Resigned
HODGSON, David James, Dr	Secretary	2010-09-08	2015-12-15
MALLOCH, Andrew John Cadoux, Dr	Secretary	—	1994-12-20
MASTERS, Gregory James, Dr	Secretary	2003-09-10	2010-09-08
TURNER, Bryan Dennis	Secretary	1994-12-20	2003-09-10
VANBERGEN, Adam, Dr	Secretary	2015-12-15	2021-12-13
ANDERSON, Penny	Director	1992-12-14	1994-12-20
ANGEL, Martin Vivian, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
AULD, Martin Henry Denham	Director	1994-12-20	1999-01-06
BAKER, Alan John Martin, Dr	Director	—	1994-12-20
BALE, Jeffrey Stuart, Professor	Director	2008-09-04	2012-12-19
BALE, Jeffrey Stuart, Professor	Director	1996-12-18	2001-01-04
BARDGETT, Richard David, Professor	Director	2016-12-13	2020-12-16
BARDGETT, Richard David, Professor	Director	2011-09-13	2014-12-11
BARKER, Susan, Dr	Director	1997-12-17	2001-12-19
BATTARBEE, Richard William, Professor	Director	1997-12-17	2001-12-19
BATTY, Lesley Claire, Dr	Director	2012-12-19	2014-12-11
BATTY, Lesley Claire, Dr	Director	2007-09-11	2011-09-13
BAYLEY, John Adrian, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
BECKERMAN, Andrew, Dr	Director	2010-09-08	2015-12-15
BECKERMAN, Andrew, Dr	Director	2005-09-06	2009-09-09
BEGON, Michael Edward, Professor	Director	2008-09-04	2011-09-13
BENTON, Rick Arthur, Dr	Director	—	1999-01-06
BIRCH, Paul, Dr	Director	—	1994-01-05
BIRKETT, Alison Jane, Dr	Director	2017-12-13	2020-12-16
BLACKBURN, Timothy Michael, Professor	Director	2008-09-04	2012-12-19
BLANCHARD, Julia Louise, Dr	Director	2011-09-13	2014-12-11
BLOCK, William Charles, Dr	Director	1995-12-20	1999-12-20
BONSALL, Michael Booth, Dr	Director	2004-09-08	2008-09-04
BROOKER, Robin William, Dr	Director	2004-09-08	2008-09-04
BROTHERTON, Peter Nicolas Meade	Director	2015-12-15	2018-12-17
BROWN, Valerie Kathleen, Dr	Director	1992-12-15	1995-12-20
BUCKLEY, Yvonne Maria, Dr	Director	2020-12-16	2022-02-25
BUCKLEY, Yvonne Maria, Dr	Director	2015-12-15	2017-12-13
BULLOCK, James Michael, Dr	Director	1997-12-17	2001-12-19
BURSLEM, David Francis Robert Philip, Dr	Director	2001-01-04	2004-09-08
CAMARGO BANKS LEITE, Cristina, Dr	Director	2016-12-13	2019-12-11
CAREY, Peter David, Dr	Director	2006-09-06	2010-09-08
CHERRETT, John Malcolm, Dr	Director	1995-12-20	1999-01-06
CLARKE, Stewart Jonathon, Dr	Director	2018-12-17	2024-12-11
CLYMO, Richard Stringer, Dr	Director	—	1994-12-20
COOMES, David Anthony	Director	2009-09-09	2013-08-22
CRAWLEY, Mick John, Professor	Director	2012-12-19	2014-02-04
CROTHERS, John Hugh, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
DALRYMPLE, Sarah	Director	2004-09-08	2008-09-04
DAVENPORT, John, Professor	Director	1996-12-18	2001-01-04
DAVIES, Zoe, Dr	Director	2014-12-11	2018-12-17
DOUGLAS, Angela Elizabeth, Dr	Director	—	1995-12-20
DYTHAM, Calvin	Director	2004-09-08	2010-09-08
EDGAR, Melanie Jane, Dr	Director	2020-12-16	2023-12-13
EDWARDS, Peter John, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
EICHHORN, Markus Peter, Dr	Director	2014-12-11	2017-12-13
EMMERSON, Mark Charles, Professor	Director	2018-12-17	2024-12-11
EMMETT, Bridget Anne	Director	2001-12-19	2004-09-08
EMMETT, Bridget Anne	Director	1996-12-18	2001-01-04
EZARD, Thomas Harold George, Dr	Director	2016-12-13	2022-12-19
EZARD, Thomas Harold George, Dr	Director	2009-09-09	2013-08-22
FITTER, Alastair Hugh, Professor	Director	2002-12-19	2006-09-06
FITTER, Alastair Hugh, Professor	Director	1997-12-17	2001-01-04
GANGE, Alan Christopher, Dr	Director	1999-01-06	2001-12-19
GILBERT, Diana Jane, Dr	Director	2013-08-22	2017-12-13
GILLER, Paul Stanley, Professor	Director	1999-01-06	2002-12-19
GILLER, Paul Stanley, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
GIMMINGHAM, Alison Caroline	Director	—	1995-12-20
GODFRAY, Hugh Charles Jonathan, Professor	Director	2008-09-04	2012-12-19
GOLDBERG, Emma, Dr	Director	2010-09-08	2014-12-11
GOODE, David	Director	—	1992-12-15
GOSLING, William Daniel, Dr	Director	2010-09-08	2020-12-16
GRACE, John, Professor	Director	2001-01-04	2004-09-08
GRAY, Alan John, Professor	Director	2010-09-08	2016-12-13
GRAY, Alan John, Proffessor	Director	1994-12-20	1997-12-17
GREEN, Rhys Edward	Director	1994-01-05	1995-12-20
GRUBB, Peter John, Dr	Director	—	1992-12-15
HAILS, Rosemary Susan, Professor	Director	2014-12-11	2018-12-17
HAILS, Rosemary Susan, Professor	Director	2009-09-09	2013-08-22
HARTLEY, Susan, Professor	Director	2014-12-11	2018-12-17
HARTLEY, Susan Elaine, Prof	Director	2004-09-08	2010-09-08
HARTLEY, Susan Elaine	Director	1994-12-20	1999-01-06
HASSELL, Michael Patrick	Director	1996-12-18	2001-01-04
HAUTEKEETE, Nina, Dr	Director	2015-12-15	2018-12-17
HELGASON, Thorunn, Dr	Director	2019-12-11	2025-12-16
HESTER, Alison Janet, Dr	Director	1992-12-15	1996-12-18
HILL, David Arnold, Dr	Director	—	1994-01-05
HILL, Jane	Director	2013-08-22	2022-12-19
HILL, Mark Oliver, Dr	Director	1992-12-15	1996-12-18
HODGSON, David James, Professor	Director	2017-12-13	2020-12-16

Ownership

Persons with significant control

No persons with significant control on record.

Filing timeline

Last 20 of 422 total filings

Date	Type	Category	Description
2026-01-13	CS01	confirmation-statement	Confirmation statement with no updates	PDF
2026-01-06	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2026-01-05	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2025-12-22	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2025-12-22	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2025-12-22	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2025-09-03	CH01	officers	Change person director company with change date	PDF
2025-07-01	AA	accounts	Accounts with accounts type full
2025-01-13	CS01	confirmation-statement	Confirmation statement with no updates	PDF
2024-12-17	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2024-12-16	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2024-12-16	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF
2024-12-16	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2024-12-16	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2024-12-16	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2024-10-23	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2024-07-05	AA	accounts	Accounts with accounts type full
2024-01-16	CS01	confirmation-statement	Confirmation statement with no updates	PDF
2023-12-18	TM01	officers	Termination director company with name termination date	PDF
2023-12-18	AP01	officers	Appoint person director company with name date	PDF

Public-record activity

Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months

Filings: 8
Capital events: 0
Officers appointed: 3
Officers resigned: 1

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

Year-on-year

FY2023 → FY2024 · period ending 2024-12-31 vs 2023-12-31

Turnover

+13.4%

£4,737,000 £5,371,000
Cash

-47.9%

£1,875,000 £976,000
Net assets

+4.6%

£17,021,000 £17,801,000
Employees

-2.6%

39 38
Operating profit

+900%

£26,000 £260,000
Profit before tax

+900%

£26,000 £260,000
Wages

+5.5%

£1,569,000 £1,656,000

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers

Official Companies House page