The United Nations SDG Publishers Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact open to publishers, associations, booksellers and other organizations involved in the publishing industry, in support of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The involvement of academic publishers reflects the importance of research and education as essential elements for making progress towards achieving the SDGs.
The SDG Publishers Compact contains 10 commitments for signatories to take in support of reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Signatories are encouraged both to develop sustainable practices within their own industry and to "inform, develop, and inspire action” on the SDGs worldwide through the publication of relevant books, journals and other materials.
As of February 19, 2023, 285 organizations worldwide were signatories of the SDG Publishers Compact, including 15 international and national publishers associations. An action group and signatory of the Compact, known as the SDG Publishers Compact Fellows, translates the ten commitments into actionable steps. The SDG Compact Fellows develop detailed action lists and tip sheets for use by signatories and other supporters. Member organizations are taking a wide variety of actions in support of the SDGs.
Formation
Development of the SDG Publishers Compact followed the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals Book Club, organized in 2018 and launched at the 2019 Bologna Children's Book Fair. The International Publishers Association (IPA) and others partnered to release a reading list of books appropriate for children ages 6- to 12, with a monthly focus on Sustainable Development Goals. The first month's reading list focused on SDG 1: No Poverty, and included both newer works such as A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams and older public domain titles such as The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. Books were listed in the six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. Local chapters of the SDG Book Club formed in Norway, Indonesia, Brazil, Africa, Portugal, and Germany, working with librarians, teachers, and parents. The intention was to support young people in understanding and dealing with the SDGs in their daily lives.
Development of the SDG Publishers Compact was further informed by the 2020 IPA report of publisher's activities relating to the SDGs, Publishers and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The report outlined the ways in which the SDGs are relevant to the publishing industry, with a strong emphasis on ways to take action.
The SDG Publishers Compact was formally launched by the non-profit International Publishers Association (IPA) and the United Nations and the first signatories were announced on 14 October 2020 at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The SDG Publishers Compact was presented by Juergen Boos, President and CEO of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Hugo Setzer and Michiel Kolman of the International Publishers Association (IPA), Sherri Aldis for the United Nations and Nadja Kneissler for the German Publishers and Booksellers Association.
Commitments
The UN asks signatories to the SDG Publishers Compact to commit to 10 action points, in support of reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Signatories
After launching in 2020, the SDG Publishers Compact gained 100 signatories in its first nine months. As of July 23, 2022, 226 publishers and other organizations worldwide were signatories to the Compact. Approximately 1/2 were from Europe (116) and 1/5 from the Americas (47), followed by Asia and the Pacific (41), Africa (16) and the Middle East (6). By country, the most signatories were from the UK (46), the USA (21), Germany (15), India (13), and Turkey (13). As of February 19, 2023, 285 organizations were signatories (Europe 139, Asia-Pacific 62, Americas 59, Africa 19, Middle East 6).
As of February 19, 2023, 15 publishers associations were signatories of the SDG Publishers Compact. The Compact is supported by international publishing societies including the International Publishers Association, the International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers (STM) the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP), the Association of University Presses, and the European Association of Science Editors (EASE). National publishing societies who are signatories include the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, Syndicat national de l’édition (France) Fédération Nationale de la Presse d’information Spécialisée (France), The Publishers Association (United Kingdom) and Canadian Science Publishing.