Author & Illustrator Inclusivity Survey

Your questions answered

Why are Penguin Random House UK collecting this information?

Our aim is to become a more diverse and inclusive publisher and employer. We want our new hires and the books we acquire to reflect the rich diversity of UK society by the end of 2023.

To achieve this goal we are taking action in a number of ways, including removing the need for a university degree from all our jobs, offering paid work experience placements and training colleagues on inclusive language and allyship in the workplace. Through our WriteNow programme we are also working with regional writer development agencies to find, mentor and publish talented new writers from under-represented communities across the country.

To understand whether our actions are making a difference we need to have a measurable way of tracking our progress – which is why we are asking authors and illustrators for personal information including their gender, ethnicity and sexuality.

You can read more about our inclusion strategy and progress here.

What specific questions are asked?

The process of capturing this information directly from authors and illustrators, and the questions we ask, are based on best practice from expert organisations such as The Business Disability Forum, Stonewall and The Social Mobility Commission. 

The survey is an online questionnaire which includes several standard questions that are regularly included on similar forms regarding ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socio-economic background. 

What will happen to my data?

If you decide to complete the questionnaire online, your answers will at no stage be attributed to you individually and you will not be asked to submit your name or details of your book. It is not possible to delete or update your responses after you have submitted the questionnaire, as the data is not attributable to you.

The data will then be collated by a central team within Penguin Random House UK through our approved survey provider. The team will analyse and aggregate the data for publication on an annual basis at a company level and for internal publication at a publishing house level. All data will be stored confidentially and securely.

What data will be published?

We will publish data annually for both our acquisitions and new hires on our website, www.penguin.co.uk. The only data released will be the combined figure for Penguin Random House UK and will not include any individual’s specific data. The data will include statistics on gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability and sexuality, which will be presented alongside total UK population statistics (using figures from the most recent national census). Internally, we will publish the same statistics at a publishing house level.

Who receives the questionnaire?

The survey is sent by email to all authors and illustrators who receive a new contract from any Penguin Random House UK imprint. This includes authors who we may have published in the past, if we are renewing their contracts. This will also apply to authors based overseas where we acquire UK rights.

What if I don’t want to participate?

Taking part in the questionnaire is entirely optional. PRH do not record who takes part as the survey does not record names or book titles, and there are no negative consequences if you opt not to complete it.  If you do choose to participate, you can choose to complete only the questions you feel comfortable answering.

Will this change Penguin Random House UK’s acquisition standards?

No. This isn’t about imposing a quota system or changing our acquisition standards. Instead this is about measuring the impact of our actions over time to help make our company more inclusive and representative of the society we live in.

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