Corporate Information

RBGE as an organisation

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a charity and a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) sponsored and supported through Grant-in-Aid by the Scottish Government's Environment and Forestry Directorate (ENFOR).

It is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by Scottish Ministers. The RBGE senior management team is headed by the Regius Keeper, Simon Milne.

The organisation comprises over 240 staff drawn from a variety of disciplines, contributing in many different ways to its overall objectives and functions. The Garden is organised into five areas: Science, Horticulture & Learning, Enterprise & Communications, Resources & Planning and Development with the Leaders Group supporting the Regius Keeper.

RBGE also has a legal status as an academic institution.

How we are financed

Scottish Government's Environment and Forestry Directorate (ENFOR) is our sponsor department and as such provides income as Grant-in-Aid. As a registered charity, we raise funds from trusts and foundations and from corporate supporters. In addition we rely on donations from the public and through membership fees. We generate trading income from the shops at the four Gardens; and obtain income from investments, education courses and admission charges at the Regional Gardens, events, publishing, exhibitions and other sources. We also raise income across several other sources including consultancy work and research and capital grants. For a detailed breakdown of our income, please read the “How we are financed” information sheet.

Vision

A world that increasingly values, protects and benefits from plants

Mission

To explore, explain and conserve the world of plants for a better future

Strategic Objectives

Maintaining and developing our internationally important collections in order to maximise their value as a research, education, heritage resource

Delivering world leading plant science and conservation programmes to reduce the loss of global biodiversity and to achieve a greater understanding of plants, fungi and environmental sustainability

Providing learning and training in horticulture, plant science and biodiversity conservation to stimulate people to appreciate, understand, and to contribute to the conservation of plants and our natural environment

Offering a first-class visitor attraction to enable more communities, families and individuals to enjoy and be inspired by our gardens and their facilities, become more environmentally responsible and to support the work of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Enabling Objectives

To be effective and efficient in managing and developing our staff and volunteers, financial resources, estate and infrastructure, profile and health and safety at work

To be environmentally sustainable in our operations

In preparation for the development of the RBGE Corporate Plan 2020-2025, we are undertaking a detailed review of our strategic objectives to ensure they are fit for purpose to meet the Scottish Government’s objectives and to address the emerging challenges in biosecurity and in the protection of our irreplaceable national collections.

We will produce an interim Operational Delivery Plan for 2019/20 with our new Corporate Plan following for 2020 to 2025

Complaints and Comments

If you have a complaint we would like to hear from you to help us develop as an organisation (select 'Secretariat')