Pearson's scale and our commitment to learning means we have to take care of much more than producing good products, serving customers well and generating strong growth. We're determined to do all those things, but we have wider responsibilities. We play a part in educating children, making the news and informing the public debate. That means we occupy a privileged position in society and we aim to earn (and constantly re-earn) commercial success and public trust. We don't believe those are conflicting goals; in fact one thing we've learned through Pearson's rich history is that you can't have one without the other.

The idea of 'corporate responsibility' or 'corporate citizenship' isn't new to any part of Pearson. When asked what he was most proud of, Penguin founder Allen Lane said: "The fact that we are regarded as possibly the greatest popular educators in our generation." And the Financial Times set out its stall as long ago as 1888, declaring itself: "The friend of the honest financier, the bona fide investor, the respectable broker, the genuine director, the legitimate speculator. The enemy of the closed stock exchange, the unprincipled promoter, the company wrecker, the guinea pig, the bull, the bear, the gambling operator."

So, for many years the notion of responsibility has been at the core of our business. Inside Pearson we express that in three values: brave, imaginative and decent. We're proud that our record has been recognized with many awards and quality standards for responsible business; but at the same time we are determined that we should keep on learning and improving.

 

The Pearson Foundation

The Pearson Foundation is the non-profit arm of Pearson and serves to assist leading international non-profit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance worldwide. Click here to read more.

 

Responsibility

Pearson have outlined 3 key priorities which are: to raise literacy levels, improve learning outcomes and contribute to competitiveness. Click here to read more.

 

The Smith Family: helping disadvantaged kids stay in school and reach their full potential

The Smith Family is a national, independent, social enterprise committed to unlocking opportunities for financially disadvantaged families to participate more fully in society by using practical and effective programs to help families break the cycle of poverty. Click here to read more.

 

The Indigenous Literacy Project

The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a partnership between The Australian Book Industry and The Fred Hollows Foundation which aims to provide books and other learning materials to remote communities. Click here to read more.