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The Reef-World Foundation Impact Report 2024-25

The Reef-World Foundation is a UK-registered charity working internationally to protect coral reefs and marine environments through sustainable tourism, leading the Green Fins initiative with the UN Environment Programme. Its 2024-2025 Impact Report shows members achieved an overall 26% reduction in negative environmental threats and a 31% reduction in single-use plastic.

Report snapshot
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About

The Reef-World Foundation is a UK-registered charity working internationally to inspire and empower people to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources, particularly coral reefs. It leads the Green Fins initiative in partnership with the UN Environment Programme, supporting dive and snorkel operators, governments and communities to reduce environmental threats.

Key Metrics

Reduction in environmental threats Members achieved an overall 26% reduction in negative environmental threats this year.
Reduction in single-use plastic 31% reduction in single-use plastic, recycling and waste-related threats across members.
Campaign reach 16,961 people engaged through a targeted social media campaign.

Key Outcomes

  • Dive and snorkel operators worldwide cut environmental threats to coral reefs by 26% through the Green Fins programme.
  • Sustainable tourism practices adopted across members, including a 31% reduction in single-use plastic.

Geography

International

Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
5,999 active volunteers contributed 776,242 hours in 2025/26
Key Metric 2
137 winter maintenance projects across 45 canals; 109 lock gates replaced
Key Metric 3
101,640 children participated in Explorers/STEM outdoor learning, including 67,896 water-safety participants
Over 80% of the network kept fully open despite drought.
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
The Eco-Schools programme reached over 1.4 million pupils, with 2,162 schools awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag in 2024/25
Key Metric 2
326,000 volunteers pledged to the Great British Spring Clean, picking up 425,626 bags of rubbish, supported by 288 local authorities and parish councils
Key Metric 3
2,227 Green Flag Awards given to parks and green spaces in the UK; 151 beaches given a Blue Flag and/or Seaside Award
98.3% of educators felt the Eco-Schools programme significantly supports young people's development of 'green skills'
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
First known breeding success of spoonbills in the Norfolk Broads in around 400 years, recorded at Hickling Broads and Marshes
Key Metric 2
Over 60 nature reserves managed across Norfolk, with land owned or managed for wildlife exceeding 5,000 hectares
Key Metric 3
1,500 volunteers helped protect wildlife across the county during the year
New urban nature reserve co-designed with the local community, expanding accessible green space in Norfolk
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
61,819 native oysters deployed across UK restoration projects in 2024/25
Key Metric 2
15,064 people participated in the Beachwatch beach clean programme, submitting 1,256 litter surveys — the highest in the programme's 31-year history
Key Metric 3
17,613 young people engaged through in-person or online youth programme sessions
£11.5 billion Ofwat investment package secured for storm overflow cuts in England and Wales following sustained MCS advocacy