OECD wins University Press Redux Sustainability Award

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is the first recipient of the University Press Redux Sustainability Award, for its digital discovery tool SDG Pathfinder.

The award was launched in January by the Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) and Cambridge University Press. The prize recognises an initiative, publication, product or project that is aimed at addressing one or more of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include addressing global issues such as poverty, equality and the environment.

The OECD's SDG Pathfinder tool was designed to enable policymakers to find and use up-to-date content and data about the goals from an number of international organisations.

The winner was decided by director of research at Cambridge Global Challenges David Good, Dr Emily Shuckburgh and Mandy Hill, m.d of Academic Publishing at Cambridge University Press.

Hill announced the winner on 27th July at the latest instalment of this year's Redux conference, which is being held as a series of free webinars. The sustainability-focused webinars will end on 30th July .

In a joint statement, the judges said: “We loved the Pathfinder for its innovative, collaborative and thematic approach, and felt it was a great way to facilitate access to research just where it is needed. In the end, what really made it stand out was that innovative approach, and the fact that it is really helping across a range of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Also shortlisted was Taylor & Francis' digital platform Sustainable Development Goals Online, alongside Bristol University Press imprint Policy Press.

Hill challenged other university presses to develop resources to engage with the climate crisis, and other global issues. “We are mission-based organisations, driven by our academic communities, and for each and every one of us there must be at least one of the SDGs that resonates with our mission and our organisation’s goals," she said.

“Let’s use the next couple of years before the next Redux to develop clear actions and programmes so that we can collectively say that we are stepping up to play our part on this critical, global range of issues.”