Sustainability in publishing recognised in new LBF International Excellence Award category

Bloomsbury Publishing, Penguin Random House UK, and New Society Publishers (Canada) have been shortlisted for the London Books Fair’s new Sustainability Initiative Award, part of the organisation’s annual International Excellence Awards. The category has been introduced this year to recognise the “growing importance of sustainability measures within publishing”.

Entering their 10th anniversary year, the International Excellence Awards (IEAs) recognise publishing achievement across four categories, championing organisations and individuals demonstrating “passion, creativity, and ingenuity”.

This year’s shortlists feature seven different countries, with Kosovo shortlisted for the first time, and North America the stand-out with five nominations. Across the categories, Bloomsbury Publishing appears twice, in the Sustainability and Inclusivity categories, while Canada’s New Society Publishers and USA’s Pushkin Industries make their shortlist debut.

Bloomsbury Publishing, Bonnier Books and Springer Nature have been shortlisted for the Inclusivity in Publishing Award, which is only open to UK entries. Meanwhile, the USA-dominated Audiobook Publisher of the Year shortlist comprises Macmillan Audio, Princeton University Press and Pushkin Industries. 

Elsewhere, the Bookstore of the Year category is filled with debuts, with Dukagjini Bookstore (Kosovo), MINOA (Turkey) and STRANDLÄUFER Verlagsbuchhandlung (Germany) all in the running.  

Gareth Rapley, director of The London Book Fair, said: “Excellence in publishing lies at the heart of everything The London Book Fair champions, and 2023’s International Excellence Awards shortlist is a timely reminder of the many inspirational companies working hard to make publishing a more inclusive and accessible place.

“LBF is especially proud to welcome the new Sustainability category, in recognition of its growing importance within the industry. We congratulate our shortlistees, and look forward to uniting, and spotlighting, our global colleagues at The London Book Fair 2023.”

The winners of the International Excellence Awards, alongside the recipient of the London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, will be celebrated at a public ceremony at Olympia London on Wednesday 19 April.

The full shortlists of The London Book Fair International Excellence Awards are:

The Audiobook Publisher of the Year

• Macmillan Audio (USA)
• Princeton University Press (USA)
• Pushkin Industries (USA)
• Readyland LLC (USA) – Special Commendation

The Bookstore of the Year Award

• Dukagjini Bookstore (Kosovo)
• MINOA (Turkey)
• STRANDLÄUFER Verlagsbuchhandlung (Germany)
• Rovingheights (Nigeria) – Special Commendation

The Sustainability Initiative Award

• Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
• New Society Publishers (Canada)
• Penguin Random House UK

Inclusivity in Publishing Award (eligible for entries from the UK only)

• Bloomsbury Publishing
• Bonnier Books
• Springer Nature