The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)".
The company is a charity and exists to advance the education of the public in the field of biological stress. Under the company objects, within clause 3 of the Memorandum of Association, it is also able to carry on any other charitable activity.
The Memorandum of Association states that the company may not do anything unlawful, necessary to promote its objectives as stated above.
All income and property must be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects. No dividends, bonus or payment of profit must be made to members.
The Trustees have have complied with their duty to have due regard to guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.
During the year, ISMAUK continued to promote sound knowledge and best practice in stress management, mental health, wellbeing and workplace performance.
A key highlight was the Global Stress & Wellbeing Summit, held online on Wednesday 6 November 2024, during International Stress Awareness Week. The 2024 Summit marked a particularly important year, recognising the 50th anniversary of ISMA, the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and the 20th anniversary of the HSE Management Standards on Stress.
The Summit programme addressed major current issues including workplace health, safety and wellbeing, organisational duty of care, resilience, healthy workplace culture, AI and technological change, and the future of stress management. It included live panel discussions, expert speakers, Q&A sessions, networking and the inaugural ISMA Stress Management Awards, recognising contributions to reducing stress and improving employee mental health and wellbeing.
Throughout the year, ISMAUK also delivered regular webinars for members and non-members, strengthened its partnerships and professional networks, and continued to raise public awareness through press activity, articles, conference contributions and podcast appearances. These activities supported ISMAUK’s charitable objectives and helped extend its reach across individuals, organisations and professional communities.
The Chair is supported by the Trustees and by a group of active members known as the A-Team. This vibrant and energetic group meets online every six weeks to share thoughts, discuss new ideas and support the ongoing development of ISMAUK’s activities. This collaborative approach continues to bring fresh thinking, commitment and practical support to the organisation.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The statement of financial activities shows a surplus funding of £180 (2024: £1,900) for the year, leaving a total of £12,783 (2024: £12,603) as the unrestricted fund balance.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 28 September 2000 and registered as a charity on 17 August 2001. The organisation commenced trading on 1 September 2001. It has no share capital. The liability of each member, in the event of winding up is limited to £1. The governing document is its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 4 March 2014.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
The trustees have the power to appoint new trustees. Trustees are appointed based on the skills and experience they bring to running the charity.
None of the Trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the Trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The Trustee's report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
In order to assist you to fulfil your duties under the Companies Act 2006, we have prepared for your approval the financial statements of International Stress Management Association UK for the year ended 31 August 2025, which comprise the statement of financial activities, the cash flow statement and the related notes from the charity’s accounting records and from information and explanations you have given us.
As a practising member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, we are subject to its ethical and other professional requirements which are detailed at https://www.icaew.com/regulation.
This report is made to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement letter dated 30 April 2026. Our work has been undertaken solely to prepare for your approval the financial statements of International Stress Management Association UK and state those matters that we have agreed to state to the charity's Trustees, as a body, in this report in accordance with ICAEW Technical Release 07/16 AAF. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than International Stress Management Association UK and the charity's Trustees as a body, for our work or for this report.
It is your duty to ensure that International Stress Management Association UK has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory financial statements that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and surplus of International Stress Management Association UK. You consider that International Stress Management Association UK is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year, and is not required to obtain an independent examiner's report.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit or a review of the financial statements of International Stress Management Association UK. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the statutory financial statements.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
International Stress Management Association UK is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Congress House, Lyon Road, Harrow, HA1 2EN, England.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).
The charity had no material debt during the year.