16 November 2012

Equip launches the Publishing Equalities CharterUK’s leading publishers sign charter to promote equality in publishing

Two of the UK’s largest publishers, Pearson and Hachette, have joined other leading UK publishers by signing up for the Publishing Equalities Charter (PEC) which aims to promote more participation in the industry by people from diverse backgrounds. The landmark project – the first of its kind in the publishing industry – aims to remove the barriers to participation that exist for many trying to start a career in publishing.

The PEC is a four-point charter that encourages publishers to actively engage in attracting new talent, and improve their performance regarding equality. Most importantly it requires signatories to perform two actions per year to help improve equality in the publishing industry. It has been developed with support from the Publishers Association, Independent Publishers Guild, the Society of Young Publishers, and Creative Skillset.

Pearson and Hachette will join the other founding signatories, Atwood Tate, Bookcareers.com, Faber and Faber, Hot Key Books, Profile Books, Walker Books and Zed Books. Equip will be celebrating the launch of the Charter with an event at City University London on Thursday 22 November. Bobby Nayyar, Equip’s project manager, will be speaking alongside Andrew Franklin, MD of Profile Books.

Franklin said, ‘As a publishing house committed to equality and diversity, Profile Books is proud to be a signatory of the Publishing Equalities Charter. We look forward to working closely with Equip on this pioneering and necessary scheme.’

Stephen Page, Publisher and CEO of Faber and Faber, said ‘The aims of the Publishing Equalities Charter has the full support of Faber and we look forward to working with Equip to help attract new talent into the industry from all backgrounds.’

Professor Stephen Cottrell, Head of the Department of Creative Practice and Enterprise at City University London, observed:

‘The Publishing Equalities Charter is unique in that it creates a focus for equality and diversity initiatives to come from within the industry. It will build a network of publishers for Equip to develop future projects and opportunities for its membership, which is anticipated to surpass 2,000 people by the end of 2012. This high impact project will confirm Equip as the vital hub for equality and diversity development in this rapidly changing creative industry.’

If you would like to find out more about the Publishing Equalities Charter or if you would like to attend the launch on Thursday 22 November please visit: http://equalityinpublishing.org.uk/equalities-charter/ or contact bobby.nayyar.1@city.ac.uk.

--------------ENDS----------------Notes to Editors:

City University LondonCity University London is an international University with a commitment to academic excellence, a focus on business and the professions and a central London location. It is placed in the top 5% of universities around the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2010-11 and is ranked in the top 30 UK higher education institutions by the Times Higher Education Table of Tables 2011.

The University's Student Centre holds the 2011 Times Higher Education Leadership & Management Award for Outstanding Student Services Team. City is a broadly-based University with world leading strengths in business; law; engineering and mathematical sciences; informatics; health sciences and the arts including journalism and music.

The University attracts over 21,000 students from more than 160 countries and academic and professional staff from over 50 countries. City University London's predecessor, the Northampton Institute, was founded in 1894. City will celebrate its first half century as a University in 2016.

Equip backgroundEquip’s 2012–13 funding from ACE will enable it to build on the achievements of Dipnet since 2004. Dipnet was established in 2004 by two publishing professionals, Alison Morrison and Elise Dillsworth, in response to the Decibel In Full Colour report, which highlighted the significant under representation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) professionals in the publishing industry. Beginning as a membership organisation with support from publishing houses, professionals and artists, the organisation provided mentors to 11 trainees under an ACE-managed scheme in 2005–7. From 2006–12, Dipnet was managed by the charity Booktrust. Equip was created at City University London in 2012 and will be hosting a series of events and conducting research into the industry. Find out more at www.equalityinpublishing.org.uk.