PRH report reveals increase in workforce diversity

Penguin Random House has revealed the progress it has made under its Inclusion Pledge in a bid to reflect UK society in its workforce by 2025 with an increase in the number of BAME new starters. 

Instead of a Corporate Responsibility Report, the Creative Responsibility report, covers the publisher’s approach to reading, community, inclusion and sustainability. More than 1,800 colleagues took part in the report in 2018. The report, which saw 64.5% of new hires complete the survey (167 new joiners out of a total 259), says PRH has doubled the number of new employees with a disability and has seen the number of white staff fall by 6%.

According to the 12-page report, ethnic data showed more diverse hiring with 6.9% of new hires in 2018 reporting as black or black British, up significantly from 3.1% the previous year. There was also a slight rise in Asian or Asian British recruits, from 6.9% to 7.1% and while new starters of mixed ethnicity almost doubled from 3.7% to 7.2%. Other ethnicity dipped from 1.9% to 1.2%. Overall the proportion of white new hires reduced from 84.4% to 78.4% - according to the 2011 census 86% of the UK society identify as white. Authors and illustrators reported as 83.75% of the make-up, with the biggest non-white group at 6.25% - Asian or Asian British.

There was a significant shift in employing more people with disabilities with a doubling of new hires reporting disability: from 8.2% to 16% in 2018. According to PRH, 30% of authors and illustrators filled in the survey with only 4.8% of authors and illustrators reporting a disability compared to 19% of UK society. It is the first year there has been author and illustrator data to publish.

In regards to gender, the survey revealed an uplift in female hires from 2016 to 2018, from 64% to 76%. Meanwhile 53% of the authors/illustrators identified as female.

Regarding sexual orientation, a lower proportion of new hires in 2018 reported as heterosexual (83.8% from 89.4% the previous year) with 6.6% identifying as bisexual and 2.4% as gay. A higher proportion of the authors and illustrators reported as bisexual (11.25%) and gay (5%). This compares to 0.6% of society reporting as bisexual and 1.1% as gay.

The education level revealed that overwhelmingly the new starters and authors acquired had degrees: 84.4% and 87% respectively, compared to 40% of UK society. There was no data recorded from previous years.

Siena Parker, head of creative responsibility at PRH, told The Bookseller: “Publishing this report is a moment for celebration, but also a chance for us to reflect on where we need to now focus our efforts. Inclusion remains a number one priority. We’ve made good progress in reducing barriers to entry, such as introducing 450 paid work experience placements each year and hosting interactive careers workshops across the country. But we need to do more to create a stronger sense of belonging for colleagues once they’ve joined Penguin Random House, and to ensure everyone is able to flourish and progress.” 

In regards to the sustainability pledge, PRH says it is also making strides with a 10% reduction in tonnes of carbon dioxide from 2017 to 2018, from 30,874 to 27,250 tonnes. It aims to source 100% of its paper sustainably by the end of 2020. PRH said that with 99.6% of our paper from FSC certified sources.

Three years on from introducing the annual report, the latest report sheds light on new initiatives such as those run with the National Literacy Trust, announced in autumn 2018. 

youtu.be/ehqlwSjWQsg">The Puffin World of Stories launched in 50 primary schools in partnership with the National Literacy Trust last year, with plans to roll out the scheem in 80 new schools next year. PRH said it responded to key needs from primary schools across the country including lack of trained librarians and lack of budget to buy new books. It focused on working with schools with higher than average numbers of pupils receiving free school meals and donated 500 free books to each shool, access to selected audio books, bespoke training from the National Literacy Trust for library coordinators and free resources and materials to help schools bring reading for pleasure to life in their school including lesson plans, posters, stickers and bunting.  

Another freshly introduced scheme is Penguin Talks, a new programme of free creative talks in state secondary schools across the UK and Ireland. The sessions “gives young people the opportunity to both hear from and directly question a world-renowned thinker, writer or influential figure from our family of authors – including Michelle Obama, Yuval Noah Harari and Scarlett Curtis – on the issues which matter to them,” a PRH spokesperson said.

On the environmental progress, Parker said: “We’re close to meeting our goal to source 100% of our paper from FSC certified sources (we reached 99.6% in 2018). And while we reduced our carbon footprint by around 10% last year, it’s not enough and like every individual, family and business we need to consider how we can do more.

“It’s so exciting to see over 1,000 colleagues from every corner of our business playing a part in Creative Responsibility - that’s more than half of our workforce. Whether volunteering in a school on World Book Day, or mentoring one of our WriteNow authors – the progress we’ve made is down to their hard work.

The report is also available as a PDF.