Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
World of Books is committed to operating in a just, equitable, diverse and inclusive way, across our operations, for our customers, and in the communities we affect. This statement sets out what that means for us and how we hold ourselves to it.
Our business and the people we affect
We’re on a mission to connect readers with preloved books through our online shop. We source, grade and redistribute used books at scale, working with charity partners, libraries, schools and independent resellers. We employ people across warehouse operations, logistics, and head office, and we work with a wide range of suppliers, charitable partners and customers across many communities.
Our decisions about hiring, pay, promotion, sourcing and customer service affect people's opportunities, safety and day-to-day experiences. The circular nature of our business, extending the life of books and diverting waste from landfill, also means we have a part to play in making reading and learning more accessible to people who face financial barriers.
Who we are especially accountable to
In our JEDI work we are accountable to all our colleagues, to temporary and agency workers who may experience different legal protections and workplace norms, to small and charitable suppliers, and to customers who may face barriers related to income, disability, language or migration status.
We recognise that some of these stakeholders have less power to influence our decisions, or to easily choose a different employer, partner or service provider. We are also aware that systemic inequalities, including those rooted in race, gender and socioeconomic background, show up differently across our operating contexts, and we are committed to understanding and responding to that.
What Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion mean to us
- Justice — identifying and addressing unfair barriers and harms in and around our business.
- Equity — working towards fair access to opportunities and outcomes, recognising that people do not all start from the same place.
- Diversity — valuing the wide range of identities, experiences and perspectives that our colleagues, partners and customers bring.
- Inclusion — creating conditions where people can take part and speak up with dignity and without fear of retaliation, and making our products, services and workplace accessible regardless of ability, background or location.
Accountability
Our executive team are responsible for approving this commitment, overseeing it, and ensuring it is reflected in our policies and practices, across our operations, our products and services, and our relationships with customers, partners and communities. They are accountable for communicating progress to our colleagues and stakeholders, for responding when harms or exclusions are identified, and for reviewing this commitment regularly in light of new evidence and stakeholder feedback.
How this works in practice
This statement is put into practice through our Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, which applies to everyone who works for or on behalf of World of Books and sets out how we approach recruitment, training, promotion, monitoring and the handling of concerns. Our Inclusive and Accessible Language Guide supports colleagues to communicate respectfully day to day. Both are reviewed regularly and are available on request.