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Royal Society of Chemistry

Logo: Royal Society of Chemistry, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Learned society in the United Kingdom

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society, and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new Royal Charter and the dual role of learned society and professional body. At its inception, the Society had a combined membership of 49,000 in the world.2 It is headquartered in Burlington House.1 It employed 752 people in 2024.1 Its revenue was £73.4 million in 2024.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1980Founded1
  • HeadquartersBurlington House1
  • Websitewww.rsc.org
  • Legal formroyal charter company1
  • LEI549300MDGVWLLQ1N15223
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered addressBURLINGTON HOUSE, W1J 0BA London, United Kingdom3
  • Registered withCharity Commission for England and Wales, 2078903

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ChemistryCentreLondon
Photo: Willzuk, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons6

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society, and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new Royal Charter and the dual role of learned society and professional body. At its inception, the Society had a combined membership of 49,000 in the world.2

The story

The Royal Society of Chemistry has been resident at Burlington House since 1857 (at which time it was known as the Chemical Society) – at the heart of which is the RSC's Library and Information Centre which itself dates back to 1842. Over the years, the library for the RSC has received many gifts from notable fellows including Michael Faraday. The library became a centre for information on the chemical sciences during the World Wars when extensive use was made on the chemical reference material available.

From Wikipedia’s article on Royal Society of Chemistry, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Leadership

Who has led Royal Society of Chemistry, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chair

  1. Gillian Reid2022–now
1990200020102020
Board members and other officers (1)

Products and brands

The society is organised around nine divisions, based on subject areas, and local sections. There are thirty-five local sections covering the United Kingdom and Ireland. Divisions cover broad areas of chemistry but also contain many special interest groups for more specific areas.

Analytical Division for analytical chemistry and promoting the original aims of the Society for Analytical Chemistry; 12 Subject Groups.

Dalton Division, named after John Dalton, for inorganic chemistry; 6 Subject Groups.

Education Division for chemical education; 4 Subject Groups.

Read the full text

Faraday Division, named after Michael Faraday, for physical chemistry and promoting the original aims of the Faraday Society; 14 Subject Groups.

Organic Division for organic chemistry; 6 Subject Groups.

Chemical Biology Interface Division; 2 Subject Groups.

Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division; 3 Subject Groups.

Materials Chemistry Division; 4 Subject Groups.

Industry and Technology Division; 13 Subject Groups.

From Wikipedia’s article on Royal Society of Chemistry, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded Chemical Society1
  2. Succeeded Faraday Society1
  3. Succeeded Royal Institute of Chemistry1
  4. Succeeded Society for Analytical Chemistry1

Employees over time

Royal Society of Chemistry employees by year1752 in 2024+38% since 2016
02004006008002016: 54454420162017: 5295292017−3%2018: 5645642018+7%2019: 5935932019+5%2020: 6276272020+6%2023: 7357352023+17%2024: 7527522024+2%
  • 20247521
  • 20237351
  • 20206271
  • 20195931
  • 20185641
  • 20175291
  • 20165441

Revenue over time

As stated on Wikidata, in the currency reported.

Revenue

Royal Society of Chemistry revenue by year173.4M GBP in 2024+30% since 2016
020.0M GBP40.0M GBP60.0M GBP80.0M GBP2016: 56.2M GBP56.2M GBP20162017: 63.5M GBP63.5M GBP2017+13%2018: 63.6M GBP63.6M GBP2018+0%2019: 67.3M GBP67.3M GBP2019+6%2020: 64.8M GBP64.8M GBP2020−4%2021: 63.7M GBP63.7M GBP2021−2%2022: 66.0M GBP66.0M GBP2022+4%2023: 70.9M GBP70.9M GBP2023+7%2024: 73.4M GBP73.4M GBP2024+4%
  • 202473.4M GBP1
  • 202370.9M GBP1
  • 202266.0M GBP1
  • 202163.7M GBP1
  • 202064.8M GBP1
  • 201967.3M GBP1

Timeline

  1. 1980Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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