Hachette UK statement on Black Lives Matter

David Shelley, CEO of Hachette UK, said:

“All of us at Hachette UK have been watching events unfold after the murder of George Floyd, the most recent victim in a series of horrific incidents, with increasing shock, sadness and anger. Nobody should ever have to fear for their safety because of the colour of their skin, but they still do. It’s difficult to imagine what the Black community must be feeling and with atrocities like this still happening, there is a more urgent need than ever for us to stand together and educate ourselves, become better allies and offer financial support where we can.

“These events highlight the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and, closer to home, they underpin the vital work of THRIVE, Hachette UK’s network for BAME employees, Changing The Story, our strategy to make the company more inclusive at all levels, and Dialogue Books, our imprint focused on illuminating voices often excluded from the mainstream. We want people to feel seen, heard, understood and supported by everyone at Hachette, particularly at a time when terrible things are happening in the world around them.

“We wanted to do something tangible to help support organisations working towards a more inclusive culture, so we have made a donation of £10,000 to The United Families and Friends Campaign and £10,000 to The Inclusive Indies Fund.

“Finally, books are among the most potent agents of change in the world. The work of Layla F Saad and her book Me and White Supremacy helped me learn a lot about the institutional racism of the world we live in, to realise a lot about my own biases and false assumptions, and helped to open my eyes to the extra barriers people of colour face.”