Social impact has always been part of our DNA. In 1935 our founder, Allen Lane, established Penguin to make good quality books affordable and accessible to everyone. In doing so, he created a paperback revolution that democratised literature and transformed publishing.
We remain true to Allen Lane’s original vision today through our mission: we make books for everyone, because a book can change anyone.
Our social impact strategy
#1 We give everyone equal access to books
We make books for everyone, but the reality is that not everyone has the means or opportunity to read. We’re working with charities, schools and prisons to put books into the hands of people and communities who may not otherwise be able to afford or access them.
Picture copyright Tom Banks 2023
#2 We create the readers of the future
We know that books can change minds and transform futures. By connecting young people to the power of our books and authors, we help them to see the world from many different viewpoints.
Picture copyright Tom Banks 2023
#3 We make books for everyone
We believe every reader should find books and authors that speak to them and reflect their life experiences. From our authors and illustrators to our publishing teams, we want to ensure the creators of our books represent the society we live in.
Underpinning everything we do, every day:
We defend our editorial independence We publish responsibly, with our editorial principles in mind We protect freedom of speech
In our interim Environmental, Social and Governance Report, we reflect on our progress and outline areas of focus for the coming year. We also showcase some of our social impact programmes in more detail to share a deeper insight into how we are working with stakeholders to create positive change.
About Lit in Colour
“Literature is a curator of our imaginations, and schools are the caretakers of our young people’s education. They are currently being denied […]
Prison reading groups
We work closely with Prison Reading Groups, a charity that helps to start, fund and support reading groups in prisons, to donate books to reading groups in over 40 prisons nationwide. Participants in reading groups share their thoughts and responses to the books when they meet each month, before choosing their next read. ‘When I […]
Our recent impact, 2025
In our interim Environmental, Social and Governance Report, we reflect on our progress and outline areas of focus for the coming year. We also showcase some of our social impact programmes in more detail to share a deeper insight into how we are working with stakeholders to create positive change.
About Lit in Colour
“Literature is a curator of our imaginations, and schools are the caretakers of our young people’s education. They are currently being denied […]
Prison reading groups
We work closely with Prison Reading Groups, a charity that helps to start, fund and support reading groups in prisons, to donate books to reading groups in over 40 prisons nationwide. Participants in reading groups share their thoughts and responses to the books when they meet each month, before choosing their next read. ‘When I […]
Our recent impact, 2025
In our interim Environmental, Social and Governance Report, we reflect on our progress and outline areas of focus for the coming year. We also showcase some of our social impact programmes in more detail to share a deeper insight into how we are working with stakeholders to create positive change.
About Lit in Colour
“Literature is a curator of our imaginations, and schools are the caretakers of our young people’s education. They are currently being denied […]
Prison reading groups
We work closely with Prison Reading Groups, a charity that helps to start, fund and support reading groups in prisons, to donate books to reading groups in over 40 prisons nationwide. Participants in reading groups share their thoughts and responses to the books when they meet each month, before choosing their next read. ‘When I […]
Our in-depth facts and figures
These stories offer just a glimpse into our recent activity.
For more detailed information on our social impact and sustainability progress, read our in-depth data report for 2023. This includes up-to-date data on carbon emissions, diversity and belonging, and pay gap reporting.
