Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Diversity is not simply a matter of regulatory compliance, or even social justice. Attracting talented people from all backgrounds enriches our business and the lives of our employees and leads to better culture and performance.
We know that diversity drives productivity, creativity and innovation. As such, it is integral to the delivery of our strategy, as is creating an environment in which all Bloomsbury employees feel a sense of belonging. We believe that diversity and inclusion go hand in hand.
In 2021, we launched our Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion “(DE&I”) Action Plan (see https://www. bloomsbury.com/media/yjvjngs2/ dei-action-plan-web.pdf), created in collaboration with staff, and appointed a dedicated Diversity and Inclusion and Training Administration Manager to organise and lead our work in this important area. Since then, we have been driving tangible positive change across all areas of our business and continue to contribute to wider industry discussions on this important topic. Bloomsbury is a signatory to The Publishers Association Inclusivity Action Plan, developed with Creative Access, which comprises a set of ten commitments for publishing businesses to undertake over the period 2023 to 2026 aimed at ensuring an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace.
In January 2023, we published our first DE&I Annual Report, outlining the significant progress the company has made since launching our DE&I Action Plan two years ago. In recognition of the strides which Bloomsbury has made in this area, we were awarded the 2022 Independent Publishers Guild Diversity Award and the 2022 London Book Fair Inclusivity in Publishing Award, and have been shortlisted for both awards in 2023 as well as for the 2023 Small Cap Diversity and Inclusivity Award.
We recognise that there is much more to do to drive change and increase the representation of minority groups within the publishing industry, and we will continue to prioritise this work, including by evolving our recruitment processes to increase access to the industry by those from underrepresented backgrounds and communities.
Gender diversity at Bloomsbury
We have a diverse workforce and management team led by a gender diverse Board. The majority of senior managers and employees worldwide in the Group are women. The number of employees by each gender as at 28 February 2023 is shown below.
In line with UK regulations, Bloomsbury has provided information on its gender pay gap in the UK (see www.bloomsburyir.co.uk). We benchmark our gender pay gap against the publishing industry, taking into account the differences that arise from the operation by other publishers of their own warehouse and distribution businesses where the gender ratio in certain quartiles will differ from Bloomsbury’s. We continue to monitor and interrogate the reasons for the existence of any gender pay gap from year to year. Bloomsbury’s gender pay gap, as reported in respect of 2022, is due to fewer men than women being employed in the lower quartiles of the Company.
- Includes the heads of publishing Divisions, Group functions and country heads who are not Executive Directors on the parent Company Board..
- Excludes workers who are freelance consultants and temps.
Ethnic minority representation at Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce, including the representation of ethnic minority groups.
One out of the six Directors on Bloomsbury’s Plc Board is from a minority ethnic group, in line with the recommendations of the Parker Review.
One out of the eight members of Bloomsbury’s Executive Committee is from a minority ethnic/mixed background. In 2022/2023, we started to collect equal opportunities data from colleagues on a voluntary basis, to enable us to better understand the demographics of our workforce and monitor progress against our goals.
Our DE&I Action Plan has set a target for Black and minority ethnic groups to represent 20% of new UK recruits, and 35% of new US recruits, by 2024.
Our recruitment platform enables us to track applicants and monitor year-on-year recruitment data to ensure we are reaching our goals. Jobs at Bloomsbury are posted on various platforms to reach diverse audiences, such as Creative Access, Diversify, io, and The Dots, with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies and staff benefits clearly signposted.
DE&I Governance and staff networks
The Board receives regular updates on strategic DE&I initiatives across the Group with a view to ensuring that the strategies in place and in development are supportive of a culture that upholds Bloomsbury’s principles of equity and inclusion for all.
Bloomsbury’s Global DE&I Steering Committee supports our DE&I Project Managers, Staff Networks and Employee Resource Groups (“ERGs”), which provide valuable feedback to management on DE&I initiatives and help set priorities for future action.
82%
of respondents to a Company-wide pulse survey conducted in March 2023 agreed that people at Bloomsbury are treated fairly regardless of their age, ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation.
Bloomsbury’s DE&I Manager, Annie Muyang, is responsible for DE&I work across the company. This includes supporting Staff Networks projects and initiatives related to advancing our work in this area. She is also responsible for developing and implementing Bloomsbury’s DE&I Action Plan and tracking progress against our targets.
Our Staff Networks are the backbone of ensuring that DE&I is woven into the workplace and that staff are represented at all levels. These networks are run by colleagues and led by Chairs who are committed to cultivating spaces of shared experience, as well as educating colleagues across the Company. Their work helps foster an environment that is welcoming and supportive of difference and individual wellbeing and promotes an inclusive culture in which our workforce feels connected by a common purpose and shared values.
2023 Annual General Meeting
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Preliminary announcement for the year ended 29 February 2024
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