Today marks a special milestone for our industry with 100 publishers and publishing organizations signing up to the SDG Publishers Compact. Launched in collaboration with the IPA, at Frankfurt Book Fair last October, the set of 10 action points are designed to accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by the deadline of 2030. At the IPA, we are proud to see many of our own members become signatories and warmly welcome those publishers leading the industry in taking action to deliver a sustainable future.

Putting sustainability at the heart of our industry

Over the past 6 months there have been a number of analyses that have assessed the initial impact of the pandemic on our industry. These have focused on the financial aspects, the impact of employment and more importantly how the very essence of the book, as an “essential good”, was called into question. So, it is amazing that during this period, the SDG Publishers Compact was not only launched but gained incredible momentum to hit the 100th signatory milestone in less than a year.

Clearly, publishers and publishing organizations recognized that we are uniquely positioned to drive progress towards achieving the SDGs by the deadline of 2030. Like our own Inclusive Publishing and Literacy Committee, these 100 signatories form a new community of likeminded organizations ready to demonstrate the power of the book and the value we contribute to society.

When we asked the signatories about why they decided to sign up to the SDG Publishers Compact, many told us of a long history of positively contributing to society. Whether this is through the content they publish or their organization’s busines practices. In every case, our values aligned with the UN’s vision for a more sustainable, equitable and inlcusive future.

To find out more about why the SDG Publishers Compact community continues to grow see the IPA website.