PublisHer started as an informal group in 2018, when industry leaders Bodour Al Qasimi of the IPA and Maria Pallante of the Association of American Publishers launched a network to promote women’s role in shaping leadership in the publishing business. The group seeks to focus on how exclusion and gender bias affect women in their careers and impacts on content and diversity in books, and how diversity and inclusivity can be prioritized in the publishing industry.
As part of their PROSE award, the Association of American Publishers donates hundreds
of copies of books, written by award nominees, to colleges and universities. Up to 400
academic and professional books are given to various colleges and universities following
the announcement of the annual PROSE award winners.
The goal of Research4Life is to reduce the knowledge gap between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. Since 2002, the five programmes have provided researchers in low- and middle-income countries with free or low-cost online access to leading journals and books in the fields of health, agriculture, environment, applied sciences and law.
The Publishers Association (UK) has, in collaboration with the Department for International
Trade, launched The Literacy Project. In this targeted and concentrated initiative, the goal is to match the assets of the publishing industry (people, authors and books) with organisations and local initiatives, in a bid to drive up low levels of literacy and facilitate social mobilisation in the country’s poorest communities.
The Pearson Affordable Learning Fund, launched July 2012, invests in companies that build solutions for affordable and high quality education services across Africa, Asia and Latin America. For instance, Pearson has made investments in some school groups that supply low cost schools for students in countries including Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and the Philippines. This will enable children to access education where it is not provided by local governments.
“Our Principles of Publishing” document prepared by TPA aims to support the publishing industry and its stakeholders to accept and apply the stated principles to achieve common nominators of more equal individuals and institutions in terms of race, color, ethnic origins, age, religion, beliefs, disability status, gender, sexual identity, and sexual orientation. It also sets the rules for professional conduct.