Dec 7, 2020

Bristol University Press becomes a signatory to the UN SDG Publishers Compact

BUP is proud to announce it has become a signatory to the UN Sustainable Development Goals Publishers (SDG) Compact, which was launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2020. The Compact is a collaboration between the United Nations and the International Publishers Association and is designed to inspire action among publishers to accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 

BUP, and its imprint Policy Press, is a non-profit, mission-driven publisher with a long-standing commitment to publishing for global impact and social change. It has long championed work which tackles poverty, inequality and social justice issues, and which addresses global social challenges. Its publications give voice to those underrepresented and disadvantaged in our society and demonstrate the role a publisher can play in making a difference. It has always worked with experts from both within and beyond academia and sought to ensure its publications impact policy and practice as well as research.   Signing this Compact to support the UN’s ambitious Global Goals is a natural next step for BUP in demonstrating its commitment to publishing with a purpose. 

In signing the Compact, BUP commits to ensuring that not only will it actively promote and acquire content on themes represented by the SDGs, but that it will advocate for the SDGs among those it works with.  Lead by Publisher Philippa Grand, projects are already underway to examine the Press’s environmental impact and develop its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) programme. BUP also undertakes to take action as a company to contribute to progress towards the SDGs as part of its developing EDI strategy.

CEO Alison Shaw says:

“Since our inception, our publishing has focused on many of the SDG issues and the Millennium Development Goals before them. Aiding positive social change is central to our ethos and actions and we are delighted that a wider community of publishers is now focused on this. Our strong social and environmental justice ethos, and focus on tackling global social challenges, ensures that our organisational goals and practices align closely with those of our authors, readers and partners and I am sure they will be delighted that we are taking this next step in supporting the UN’s Publishers Compact in this way.”