Trustees’ compliance with their statutory duties

The trustees of Islamic Relief Worldwide are required to state how they have complied with their duties in ‘regard to matters in Section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006’. The matters alluded to are given as headings below and in each section, we have detailed how the trustees have complied.

The likely consequence of any decision in the long term

In 2023, the charity launched a new 10-year Global Strategy, under which we will operate until 2033. In order to meet the strategy’s objectives, the Board of Trustees has to pay due regard to the long-term consequences of its decisions. Throughout the life of the strategy, its implementation is led by Islamic Relief family-wide inclusive task forces and regularly monitored through biannual progress reports, which help inform the long-term decision-making required to achieve the objectives set out in our strategy.

The interests of the charity’s employees

The trustees fully appreciate the work of our colleagues and involve them to the greatest extent possible so that their interests are served. For example, we conduct general consultation with our colleagues on policies before bringing them to the Board of Trustees for approval. Another example is that of the Gender Equality Steering Group, which is chaired by a trustee, supported by two co-chairs from among our staff. The Group is made up of individuals from across the Islamic Relief Worldwide workforce, representing all sections of the organisation. The Chair of the Board of Trustees and the CEO hold organisation-wide webinars in which colleagues are encouraged to express their views and concerns. The Chair then reports back to the rest of the Board so that appropriate actions can be taken to address any matters raised.

The need to foster the charity’s business relationships with suppliers, customers and others

The trustees recognise the value in fostering relationships with all the charity’s stakeholders. This leads to loyalty, mutual respect, trust and openness. Although our vetting processes for onboarding partners and suppliers are necessarily rigorous, we try to build their capacity whenever possible by offering advice and sharing policies and procedures. Islamic Relief Worldwide would not exist were it not for the generosity of our donors, so we exert a great deal of effort in keeping in touch with them in the manner that they prefer and informing them of what their contributions have achieved. We try to give our volunteers the most rewarding experience possible, not least because we know that such an experience may lead to them becoming a committed employee, donor or advocate. Most volunteers support our fundraising effort; volunteering at our charity shops, getting involved in campaigning, joining our call centre operations, delivering fundraising cakes or acting as brand ambassadors. We value their time and commitment and offer our recognition through initiatives such as our annual Volunteer Award Ceremony. We have also created several volunteer development programmes that attract young adults and working professionals alike to develop the leadership and life skills needed to be effective volunteers. Our flagship programme, AimIR, enables learners to earn a Level 3 certificate in Leadership.

The impact of the charity’s operations on the community and the environment

Islamic Relief is committed to tackling climate change and spends considerable resources advocating and campaigning in this regard. It is incumbent on us to pay due regard to the impact our operations have on the environment. Accordingly, all our programmes are now designed to ensure that due attention is paid to their environmental impact. We are also endeavouring to reduce our carbon footprint by seeking to cut back air travel and making our future headquarters more energy efficient. More detailed information can be found in streamlined energy and carbon reporting.

Maintaining a reputation for high standards of business conduct

Our trustees are fully aware that the charity’s reputation for high standards of business conduct has played a major part in our growth. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees considers it imperative that this reputation is maintained. To this end, we employ rigorous vetting procedures when recruiting staff and set out clear standards of behaviour expected from them in the Code of Conduct, which is instilled in them at their induction and subsequently reinforced. We have fostered a culture that abhors bribery and corruption, and actively implement policies to prevent wrongdoing. Our procurement and ethical vetting procedures ensure that values are a key deciding factor in our selection of suppliers. Islamic Relief Worldwide requires all suppliers to adhere to our Code of Conduct, which encompasses the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the International Labour Standards as defined by the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Global Compact’s 10 principles, which cover human rights, labour, the environment and anticorruption. In this way, we aim to attract and do business with partners who strive for the same high standards, cementing our reputation still further.

The need to act fairly between members of the company

We are committed to acting fairly between all members of the company, ensuring that decisions are made with integrity, transparency, and respect for the diverse perspectives within our governance. This includes treating members equitably, managing potential conflicts of interest responsibly, and upholding the highest standards of accountability in all deliberations. By fostering a culture of fairness and mutual respect, we strengthen trust, support effective decision-making, and safeguard the long-term interests and mission of Islamic Relief.

Public benefit

We develop strategic plans to make certain that we deliver maximum public benefit and achieve our strategic objectives, which fall under purposes defined by the Charities Act 2011. The trustees have carefully considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit in setting our objectives and planning our activities.

Employees

The organisation recognises that it is only as good as the staff that it employs. Accordingly, Islamic Relief Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer, and we are proud to recruit and promote staff based on aptitude and ability, without discrimination. The steps we take include ensuring ‘blind shortlisting’ when recruiting to new roles, so applicants cannot be identified when we decide who to shortlist for interview. In 2025, a comprehensive training module was rolled out to ensure our recruiting managers are aware of their roles and responsibilities.

As set out in our Recruitment and Selection Policy, we make all reasonable adjustments necessary for candidates who tell us they have a disability, and give full and fair consideration to all applications. It is the policy of Islamic Relief Worldwide that the recruitment, training, career development and promotion of people with disabilities should, as far as possible, be identical to that of other employees. Our policies and procedures fully support our colleagues with disabilities, and we take active measures to do so. The organisation is responsive to the needs of its employees and as such, should any employee develop a disability during their time with us, we will make reasonable adjustments to their working environment, where possible, to keep the employee with the organisation.

Determined to do more, we have embedded an Equal Opportunities Policy throughout our organisation and remain committed to ensuring that learning and development opportunities are accessible to all colleagues. We actively support employee growth and development by providing opportunities to enhance skills and capabilities. We also encourage colleagues to engage with our organisational strategy and objectives, and to share their ideas, suggestions, and feedback to help inform and shape our future direction.

In 2025, Islamic Relief’s learning arm, the Humanitarian Academy for Development (HAD), received approval from the Board of Directors to establish a Coaching Academy to strengthen leadership capability and embed a coaching culture across Islamic Relief. This Academy will develop a pool of accredited internal coaches, creating sustainable in-house capacity to support colleagues across levels and geographies.

We strive to promote a healthy workplace. Islamic Relief has over 26 Mental Health First Aiders offering support and guidance to colleagues. We continue to provide greater flexibility to allow staff to achieve a better work-life balance and, in 2025, we continued with the model of hybrid working in the UK to allow staff to continue working from home for most of the week while developing a functional return to work premises to enhance cohesion and collaboration and boost morale. We provide all our UK-based staff with a healthcare cash plan and access to an employee assistance programme which includes online consultations with a doctor.