At OUP, our mission — to further the University’s objectives of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide — is at the heart of everything we do.
We fulfil our mission through producing and disseminating high quality products and services as widely as possible.
Introduction
By Nigel Portwood, CEO
However, we recognize that as a global organization with a presence in around 50 countries, we have a responsibility to be mindful of our wider impact on society—whether that’s through our ways of working, our products and services, or through how we engage with and support our customers, users, and colleagues
Across all aspects of our work, we seek opportunities to be more sustainable, to extend our reach, and above all, to work responsibly. That is why I am proud to share our first ever Responsible Publishing Report. While we have regularly shared updates through our website and our Annual Report on initiatives that speak to our wider societal impact, we have not until now presented information on our activities and any associated targets in one place.
This report provides an overview of the key dimensions that enable us to operate responsibly—from considering our environmental footprint, to behaving ethically and extending our reach into the most deprived areas of the world.
It captures our achievements from the past year and speaks to our ambitions for the future. It also demonstrates the steps we are taking collectively to support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
I am encouraged by the progress we have made across the organization to support our communities, and of the steps we have taken towards our targets, especially given the challenges all of us have experienced over the past two years.
Just some of the highlights we cover in this report include:
The creation of a new development programme to support women and other under-represented groups within OUP
The launch of our sustainability strategy
The steps we have taken to prevent acts of modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring within our business and supply chain
Supporting Book Aid International to provide books all over the world with access to valuable education resources
'Our hard work doesn’t stop here, though. We will continue to reflect on what we have achieved and identify opportunities where we can have an even greater impact on our communities, and indeed the world around us.'
Nigel Portwood
Chief Executive Officer, Oxford University Press
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