Finances and Pay
Who finances Amnesty International's work?
The overwhelming majority of our income comes from individuals the world over.
These personal and unaffiliated donations allow Amnesty International (AI) to maintain full independence from any and all governments, political ideologies, economic interests or religions.
We neither seek nor accept any funds for human rights research from governments or political parties and we accept support only from businesses that have been carefully vetted.
By way of ethical fundraising leading to donations from individuals, we are able to stand firm and unwavering in our defence of universal and indivisible human rights.
The global Amnesty movement is made up of a network of national sections and the International Secretariat.
Global Financial Reports
The results presented here are a consolidation of the individual results of each Amnesty International country operation. They are separately audited and published in compliance with the legal requirements of the relevant jurisdiction.
This report shows information for the global movement as a whole. Ratios and measures will be different for specific country offices. Further information on a particular country operation can be found in the relevant audited accounts. Contact details for each country can be found here.
The 2017 financial results of the global Amnesty International movement are presented here.
The 2016 financial results of the global Amnesty International movement are presented here.
The 2015 financial results of the global Amnesty International movement are presented here.
The 2014 financial results of the global Amnesty International movement are presented here.
International Secretariat Financial Reports
Financial Reports and Accounts
The work carried out through AI's International Secretariat is organised into two legal entities, in compliance with United Kingdom law. These are Amnesty International Limited ("AIL") and Amnesty International Charity Limited ("AICL").
The audited financial statements cover the operation of the International Secretariat working through the two entities.
Amnesty International Limited: Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013
Amnesty International Limited: Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2014
Amnesty International Limited: Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2015
Amnesty International Limited: Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2016
Amnesty International Limited: Report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2017
Income Reports
The vast majority of AIL income comes from Amnesty entities around the world.
For details of the sources of our income
Amnesty International is the world’s largest human rights organization with a global income of c.€279m, employing c.2500 staff in 70 Countries.
We believe it is important to strive for transparency and accountability throughout all of our work, including our approach to pay.
In keeping with the 2014 report on executive pay by the National Council for Voluntary Organizations we have outlined our approach to pay for members of the Senior Leadership Team.
Our performance impact report contains further information about Amnesty International and the impact we achieve.
Pay at Amnesty International
Our pay philosophy
We are acutely aware of our reliance on members funding and of the need to deliver value for money and genuine human rights impact on the ground.
We offer attractive and competitive terms and conditions to all our staff, in order to ensure we can attract and retain the best human rights expertise in law, research, activism and campaigning, communications and fundraising.
We recognize that we are able to attract staff at a discount to market rates for similar roles in other sectors. When setting levels of pay, particularly for the senior roles, this level of discount is taken into account.
Our approach to pay reflects the multiple countries in which we employ our staff and the values-based culture of the organization overall.
How pay is governed
The International Board, whose members are directly elected by the International Council Meeting, is responsible through its Remuneration Committee for ensuring an objective approach to the management of pay and benefits that is free from any bias or potential for actual or perceived conflict of interest. The Remuneration Committee decides upon the salaries of the Senior Leadership Team.
The Committee comprises the Board Chair, two Board members and one independent expert. It meets at least twice per year. Amnesty International works to ensure:
- Reward packages are affordable to the organization
- Our pay and approach to pay is non-discriminatory
- All roles are benchmarked using a job evaluation system to ensure equity and transparency
- We do not make any additional salary payments by way of bonus or long-term incentive schemes
- All of our salaries are taxed in accordance with the relevant local regulations
- We benchmark benefits such as pension, or in certain jurisdictions medical cover, to ensure they are in line with recognized practice and equitable with the benefits offered
- A performance management system ensures there is a link between pay increases and a standard of performance being met. To be eligible for an increase individuals will need to have achieved a rating that, at least, meets performance expectations with a higher level of increase being awarded to individuals who exceeds performance expectations in the review
- We review pay levels on an annual basis with any increases subject to a test of a) affordability b) performance and c) the market
- We report annually on the ratio of pay both from our 1) highest and the median UK-based salaries; and 2) the highest to lowest UK based salaries
- We report annually on the total of the five highest salaries paid to members of the International Secretariat wherever they are based in the world, in addition to showing the breakdown in bands of all higher paid staff salaries (paid above £60,000) as presented in the AI Ltd audited annual accounts in compliance with the UK Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)
- We benchmark roles at the 50th percentile against relevant comparator charity sector organizations with a broad-banded range of -15% and +15%, where the top of this range would be the target salary for a high performing individual
Latest pay data
The figures are based on the statutory accounts of Amnesty International Limited for the year ended 31 December 2017. The total of the five highest salaries in 2017 was £721,272 (2016: £679,760, 2015: £606,771, 2014: £618,281). The total amounts include employees paid outside of the UK and not part of the Senior Leadership team. The highest salaried member of staff (the Secretary General) is based in the UK; the lowest salary figure used for this calculation is the lowest full time employee paid in the UK.
- The ratio of the highest salary to the lowest is 7.0 (2016: 7.0, 2015: 5.8, 2014: 6.9).
- During 2017 paid internships were introduced; using the salary of a paid intern position as the lowest salary increases the ratio to 11.2.
- The ratio of the highest salary to the midpoint salary of the grade structure is 4.1 (2016: 4.1, 2015: 3.4, 2014: 4.0). The midpoint salary figure used for this calculation is the midpoint full time grade paid in the UK.
- As of 15 August 2018, Kumi Naidoo joined Amnesty International, International Secretariat as the Secretary General, his salary is £145,000 GBP, this has not been included in the Financial Accounts as they are for the period ending 31 December 2017.
- Details of all our staff, director, board member and pension costs can be found in the audited Report and Financial Statements (Updated August 2018)
- In the spirit of transparency and progress, Amnesty International released information on its gender pay gap, broken down by regions. (Updated: December 2017)