No change to UK publishing’s BAME numbers in three years

In the UK, the Publishers Association’s (PA) latest annual workforce survey has found representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in the industry has ‘stalled’ at 13% for the past three years, reports the Bookseller.

At around 13%, BAME group staff are still underrepresented in the trade, below the estimated population of England and Wales at 14% and London’s 40%, as well as below the PA’s target of 15% by 2022. By sector, academic publishing had the highest representation of people from BAME groups (14%), followed by education (12%) and consumer (11%).

The survey also found representation of people with a disability has increased four-fold, from 2% in 2017 to 8% in 2020, and the proportion of LGBT+ respondents was at 11%, up from 8% in 2018.

The PA praised the industry on the proportion of women in senior management and leadership positions, which is at 50%, compared with just 36% of FTSE 100 boards, and on increasing representation of people with disabilities and those who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. However, it said the results pertaining to BAME staff serve as ‘a stark reminder we must do much more to attract, retain and progress staff from these groups’.

Category: International news