Equip Press Release about the launch of the Publishing Equalities Charter.

1. 16 November 2012
Equip launches the Publishing Equalities Charter
UK’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.’

2. 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.
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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.