As Chair of the IPA's Inclusive Publishing and Literacy Committee I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to Peter Dowling, the Immediate Past President of the Publishers Association of New Zealand about their efforts to make their industry more inclusive.
Michiel Kolman (MK): There are two main drivers to address D&I: it is the right thing to do and there is a compelling business case. Which one is more important in NZ?
Peter Dowling (PD): The two are really intertwined. PANZ wants to do the right thing and in particular to adhere to the Treaty of Waitangi/Tiriti o Waitangi. There are a diverse range of books in New Zealand but the publishing workforce doesn’t reflect the make-up of society. So to continue publishing books that reach and reflect all readers, we need to break down any barriers to entry for people of diverse backgrounds. MK: D&I rose to the PANZ agenda in 2020: what triggered that? (PD): Diversity & inclusion have been on the agenda for some years now. PANZ Council has previously focused on reflecting our bicultural nationhood and respect for Māori. We’ve also observed the good work being led by the UK Publishers Association and others. |