Spotlight: Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) was founded in 2009, with the aim of promoting the circular economy. The founding partners included companies who supported Ellen MacArthur’s sailing career.

For 2023/24 the group reported total income of £14.6 million and total expenditure of £19.6 million, leading to an accounting deficit of £4.9 million at group level. Management argues this headline deficit is largely an artefact of charity SORP income recognition, where multi‑year grants are booked up‑front, and presents a “normalised” view showing income rising from £17.4 million to £18.5 million (+6%) year‑on‑year.