Air Business Group to help tackle the UK’s Literacy Crisis

Officially announced as one of the first signatories of the Vision for Literacy Business Pledge 2017, the Air Business Group positions itself at the forefront of businesses committed to literacy and social mobility.

Air Business joins other internationally-recognised brands, such as Amazon, Sainsbury’s, Facebook and KPMG, in promising to take action to increase UK literacy levels. Having served the publishing sector for over 30 years and actively supporting this industry through its high level of service and strategic partnership with the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) for the past 8 years, the UK literacy crisis is a cause which resonates strongly with the global distribution and subscriptions company.     

According to the Department for Innovation and Skills, up to 35% of the adult population in the UK’s most deprived wards lack the literacy skills expected of an 11-year old. Meanwhile the CBI reports that 37% of employers are dissatisfied with young people’s literacy levels. The Vision for Literacy Business Pledge 2017 seeks to address this crisis by calling on businesses to elevate the national literacy issue and take practical action to help close the current literacy gap.

By signing the Pledge, the Air Business Group promises to engage its employees in this literacy challenge and, on a wider level, support the drive to increase literacy rates both locally and nationally throughout 2017. It plans to use its established position in the UK publishing market to spread greater awareness of the initiative amongst its network of clients and partners.

Adam Sherman, Air Business Group Managing Director, comments:

“As a company whose roots lie firmly in the publishing industry, the UK’s literacy crisis is something the Air Business Group is not prepared to ignore. Being the official UK distribution partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, enrolling our employees’ children onto the programme and also offering our staff language development courses, Air Business has long recognised its social responsibility to assist in driving up literacy levels.”

ENDS

Want to learn more about the Pledge? Check out the National Literacy Trust's coverage on the Pledge here.