Society of Young Publishers ensure diversity and inclusivity SYP create new Inclusivity Committee and join Book Job Transparency campaign
The SYP announced the launch of its Inclusivity Committee at the London Book Fair in April. The Committee consists of a representative from each branch of the society — London, Oxford, the North, Scotland and Ireland — and is co-ordinated by a member of the UK committee. The new Committee will be overseeing all action from the SYP, ensuring that diversity and inclusivity is ensured.
The first aim of the Committee is to identify the elements of the society that need changing in order to create fair experiences for all members. Not wanting to presume which changes need to be made, the Society is asking its members and non-members to complete a ten-minute anonymous survey to provide constructive criticism. The survey will be live until Friday 27th July 2018.
Following the results of the survey, the SYP will publicise its key findings anonymously in September. Conclusions drawn from the results will aim to create a better experience for SYP members and to provide awareness and movement within the publishing industry as a whole.
Georgia Goodall, SYP Membership Secretary, who is heading up the Inclusivity Committee, said:
“It is in honour for me to be co-ordinating the first Inclusivity Committee for the SYP, and I want to make sure that we do this crucial subject justice. I have faced by own personal struggles to get to where I am today, but I would never presume to know every setback or issue that our members face every day; this survey aims to make sure we don’t overlook any possible area in which the Society can help current and future publishers to reach their full potential.”
The SYP are asking members and non-members to have their say in order to make its Society more inclusive. Whether that includes holding more events in venues that are wheelchair accessible or making sure speakers represent a range of backgrounds, the SYP are looking to make changes to create a fairer, more diverse and inclusive society.
Alongside the survey, the SYP are championing Inclusivity by joining the Book Job Transparency campaign. In order to support aspiring publishers to make their first few steps in to the industry, the SYP has introduced a new organisation-wide policy for managing its Jobs Board.
The SYP will encourage all employers listing a job on their website to provide a salary range, and only positions with a salary advertised will be promoted on social media. The Society will not promote any unpaid internships lasting more than two weeks.
