Trustees report and financial statements 2020

STRATEGIC REPORT GOVERNANCE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OTHER INFORMATION THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 10 SCIENCE SHAPING THE WORLD WE LIVE IN 11 Public benefit statement The Society’s mission is to recognise, promote and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity. Research and innovation advance our economic, social and cultural well-being, provide health benefits and are key to sustainable long-term economic growth. The Society is concerned with excellent science, wherever and by whomever it is done, and is committed to increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Society furthers its mission through its three key roles: as a fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientists; as the UK national academy of science; and as a registered charity. The Society has a number of attributes that help to further its mission: • the expertise of its Fellowship, which includes world leaders across all scientific fields; • the breadth of its scientific disciplines; this removes barriers and enables leading scientists in different fields to come together; • its independence from government and other organisations allows the Society to provide science advice that is unfettered by other interests; • its ability to convene groups of individuals in key roles and with relevant expertise to address major issues in science and wider society; and • its history and the successes of the Society’s Fellows act as a source of inspiration for what science can achieve. The activities that the Society undertakes to promote science and its benefits, for the ultimate benefit of humanity, include: • recognising scientific excellence; • providing financial support for scientists at various stages of their careers in the UK and internationally; • funding programmes and research that advance understanding of our world; • organising discussion meetings to advance scientific discussion and discovery; • providing expert scientific advice to policy makers; • promoting excellence in the teaching of STEM subjects and supporting teachers to be part of the scientific community; • promoting the importance of science internationally; and • staging programmes to engage the public with science. Above: Summer Science Exhibition 2019: Living on the moon exhibit.