U.S. (2021)
In 2021, Penguin Random House Audio spearheaded the new bi-annual Audio Narrator Mentorship program to discover a diverse range of talent and help actors new to audiobook narration polish their craft and learn about the industry. The inclusive program was designed to reflect the diversity we see in the world daily in the audio space by giving actors in underrepresented communities an opportunity to break into the audiobook world.
From a pool of 1,680 applications, the six-month program welcomed 15 mentees. The cohort comprises actors from around the world, including the U.S. and U.K., Canada and Singapore, nine of whom were hired to narrate audiobooks for Penguin Random House Audio before the program concluded.
MIAMI, FL (2021)
In September 2021, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial in Miami got together in-person for the first time since the start of the pandemic to lead a beach cleanup at Matheson Hammock Park. We partnered with Waterway Advocates, a nonprofit organization that develops and hosts meaningful community service and learning opportunities to empower individuals from all backgrounds to embrace their role in the conservation of the environment.
U.S. (2022)
At our warehouses in the U.S., we are working to minimize the use of plastic filler inside our outbound cartons. In our Crawfordsville, IN, Hampstead, MD, Reno, NV and Westminster, MD facilities, we are using 100% curbside recyclable paper filler inside our loose cartons. The innovative shape of the paper padding provides a more sustainable option, while still protecting our books. We have ten paper cushioning machines to produce carton filler packaging in two of our distribution centers, with plans to add more in Crawfordsville, IN, and Westminster, MD. We are aiming to reduce plastic filler by 90% by the end of 2023.
NEW YORK, NY (2023)
Corporate Services and the Sustainability Subcommittee have formed a Zero Waste Task Force to execute on a long-term Zero Waste initiative for the company’s New York City office, rethinking how we reduce, divert, and dispose of waste that ends up on-site. Achieving zero waste means conserving all resources with responsible production, consumption, and reuse of materials with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health. We have been tracking our waste diversion for 1745 Broadway on a monthly basis for over a year now to inform and quantify our waste diversion efforts. We diverted 167 tons of items from landfill primarily through recycling and donation programs in the first 12 months of tracking.
U.S. (2022)
To show support for authors, illustrators, students, parents, librarians, and teachers, PRH and School Library Journal partnered with PEN America, the National Coalition Against Censorship, the National Council of Teachers of English, FReadom, and Library Journal to create a poster that emphasizes the importance of free expression as book bans and challenges spread across the country. The poster was included in the May 2022 issue of School Library Journal and amplified by a social media campaign.
Titled “Open Books, Open Doors,” original artwork for the poster was created by award-winning artist Rafael López, illustrator of Just Ask by Justice Sonia Sotomayor and several other children’s books published by Penguin Random House. The vivid, colorful illustration features a child stepping into a larger-than-life book as they’re transported into a beautiful new world. The back of the poster outlines a call-to-action to visit the Penguin Random House Banned Books Resource Hub, which provides tools, materials, and organizations that educators, librarians, parents, students, authors, and illustrators can turn to in the face of book bans and challenges.
In addition to distribution in School Library Journal, a limited run of printed poster copies is available to educators, librarians, and parents at select industry events and retail locations throughout the summer. The 18×24 poster and social media assets are available for direct digital download at slj.com/readfree.
We care deeply about the planet and creating a business that gives back to nature. In 2022 we partnered with One Tree Planted, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to global reforestation that plants trees to restore nature and biodiversity. Through this partnership, we plant a tree for every new PRH U.S. employee and commemorate work anniversaries with additional tree donations to help restore forests worldwide. In 2025 CEO Nihar Malaviya pledged an additional contribution on behalf of PRH, reinforcing our companywide commitment to environmental stewardship.
To learn more about One Tree Planted, click here.
NEW YORK, NY (2021)
PRH Authors Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, joined NYC Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter on a visit to P.S. 123, a community school in Harlem that provides wraparound services to students through their partnership with Graham Windham, a nonprofit in New York City that provides youth and family service programs.
The Duke and Duchess donated two garden boxes filled with vegetables and herbs to help support a growing need in the community for easy access to fresh and healthy food. Their impact-driven nonprofit, the Archewell Foundation, worked with partner Proctor & Gamble to stock P.S. 123’s pantry with free-of-cost products to help families take care of their personal health and hygiene and create clean and healthy homes. The Duchess of Sussex donated reading nooks to many Graham Windham locations in New York City, to support families’ access to books and facilitate bonding opportunities for parents and children.
U.S. (2021)
Ahead of the publication of The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story on November 16, 2021, One World, an imprint of Random House, partnered with Bookshop.org, the ethical online marketplace which supports independent bookstores. The expanded book version of the 1619 Project – one of the most significant journalistic events of recent years by Nikole Hannah-Jones that places slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our national narrative – provides readers with the definitive account of how racism and Black resistance have shaped the nation.
Independent bookstores across the U.S. have identified local organizations such as schools, libraries, and book banks that will benefit from donated copies of this momentous book.Through Bookshop.org, customers can support local bookstores and communities directly, as well as through We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit organization that distributes books to low-income classrooms, educators, and organizations across the country. Over 15 percent of the participating independent bookstores are Black-owned and managed, with many playing a significant role in their local communities. This partnership will allow them to continue supporting their communities by making the stories of The 1619 Project widely accessible. The initiative runs through January 31, 2022.
For more information on The 1619 Project and Nikole Hannah-Jones, visit 1619Books.com
NEW YORK, NY (2021)
This past October, we began partnering with Harlem Grown , a remarkable organization serving the children of Harlem by offering resources, inspiration, and a safe place where they can just be kids. In partnership with Grandma’s Place and supported by Humans of New York’s fundraising efforts, Harlem Grown is now building twelve libraries on their urban farms across the community. To support this community-based organization, we are curating and stocking these libraries with a commitment of more than 10,000 books a year. It’s imperative that children have access to stories that uplift, empower and inspire them to dream big.
The organization aims to help young people, especially those that live in community homeless shelters, lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition.
