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Changing the Story: promising results to mark its fifth anniversary 

Hachette UK has marked the fifth anniversary of its Changing the Story diversity and inclusion programme by releasing the results of its 2021 staff and author censuses in the “Changing the Story: People and Publishing Transparency Report”.

The report provides a detailed snapshot of representation today, reflects on what progress has been achieved so far, and reveals some of the new initiatives that will help to address areas of under-representation and shape the next five years of Changing the Story. In 2021, representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees at Hachette UK increased to 11.5%, against a five-year target of 15% by 2024.

In 2021, Hachette UK launched several initiatives focused on improving diversity and inclusion:

• relaunch of the traineeship programme, partnering for the first time with literary agency Curtis Brown and booksellers Waterstones;
• organisation of a series of free, virtual events called “Opening the Book”, attended by around 1,000 people, to demystify publishing, with a renewed drive to make publishing more transparent and accessible to under-represented groups;
• continuation of development programmes for writers from under-represented backgrounds;
• commencement of a new, three-year partnership with the National Literacy Trust (NLT), where the two organisations will co-create programmes to help children, young people and adults in disadvantaged communities to develop life-changing literacy skills.

www.hachette.co.uk