Pearson

Pearson Plc is an international media company recognised for its prestigious brands
including the Financial Times, Penguin, Edexcel and Pearson Education. Working across 60
countries and employing over 34,000 people, women make up 55% of its workforce. Pearson
has embraced the challenge of ensuring that its workforce reflects the diversity of the
societies in which it operates. It believes that creating a diverse company is not just the right
thing to do, but that it helps it to achieve commercial goals by offering new opportunities in
growing markets and by reflecting diverse customers.

Pearson always seeks the best candidates for a role without regard for race, gender, age,
physical ability, religion or sexual orientation. It does not set specific numerical targets for
recruitment or promotion of particular groups, but places great emphasis on ensuring its
pool of candidates is diverse. It works to ensure that its philosophy of valuing, recognising
and developing talent is inherent in everything that it does. It believes that this has resulted
in a culture where everyone can succeed.

It has publicly stated that it wants to be a fair company – where pay, retention, promotions
and redundancies are determined without discrimination and it works to ensure that this
intention is a reality. For example its top 100 business leaders are formally measured during
the appraisal process, on how they are helping to drive diversity & inclusion throughout their
businesses. Pearson believes that having a large number of women in senior positions offers
inspiration for women throughout the organisation, as there are many visible and successful
role models. The company is not complacent about its figures, and acknowledges that it still
has much to do, however it believes that a culture which recognises and nurtures talent has
been instrumental in its high level of women leaders.