Keynote speech by , Minister of State for Creative
Industries, at the London Book Fair's Building Inclusivity in
Publishing Conference 2017
Good morning, and thank you for inviting me to speak at this
important and timely conference.
The UK publishing industry is unequivocally world-beating. Of the
9 books to have ever sold more than 100 million copies, 6 are by
British authors. To top it off, the Nobel Prize for Literature
this year was won by British author Kazuo Ishiguro.
We are here to celebrate that success. And we are here to
confront one of the biggest challenges facing publishing:
diversity.
From Harry Potter to Never Let Me Go, publishing is our shop
window as a nation. That’s why, more than any other industry,
it’s essential that publishing reflects the rich diversity of the
British people.
But diversity isn’t just a social responsibility, it’s an
economic one: drawing on the largest possible talent pool makes
business sense.
New ideas come when ideas collide. Ideas collide when people of
different perspectives collide. Let us set ourselves the goal so
eloquently put by Idris Elba: of diversity of thought.
There’s still much progress to be made. the most recent DCMS
statistics show that only 11% of those working in the Creative
Industries are BAME; though this is up 15% on 2015, an
improvement more than 2 and half times that of the wider UK
workforce.
Meanwhile, recent events in the entertainment industry serve as a
reminder of the importance of building a Creative Industries
workplace where all are treated equally and with respect, and
opportunities are genuinely equal.
Significant strides towards diversity and inclusivity in
publishing have been made in recent years: HarperCollins’s BAME
Scheme, Penguin Pride, Little Brown’s new “inclusive” imprint
Dialogue Books, to name just a few. These bold initiatives mark
progress on diversity in the publishing industry, and I look
forward to seeing their outcomes.
But it will take more than individual initiatives to make
profound and lasting change to the publishing industry.
I’m delighted PA are bringing industry together around this new
Action Plan. The plan addresses a number of potential stumbling
blocks to diversity, from unconscious bias to a lack entry level
opportunities and strong ambassadorship. Progress on diversity
requires us all to do our part: I hope that the PA’s members will
do theirs and commit to fully embracing this plan.
Government is doing its part, too, whether that’s role modelling
diversity within the Civil Service through our new Diversity and
Inclusion Strategy, or by supporting the Creative Industries
sector to diversify through the excellent work of the Creative
Industries Council.
Diversity is a particular priority for me: next year I plan to
host the inaugural DCMS Diversity and Social Mobility Forum,
scheduled for earlier this year but postponed due to the
Westminster terror attack. At the Forum, heads of industry from
sport to tech, media to museums will come together to share best
practice on diversity. I hope some of you will join me there.
British people are defined and united by our rich publishing
history, of which you are the latest chapter. Yet only by
understanding our differences can we truly celebrate what we have
in common: our desire to make the UK publishing industry the best
in the world.
Let us take away this thought: we must be confident in that which
binds us together, to give confidence to celebrate that which is
unique in each person’s heart. Let us set that as our goal. And
let us go forward, together.
