Engagement sociétal | Groupe Hachette Livre

Hachette Livre embraces its societal responsibility as an international leader in culture and education. Across the more than 70 countries where we operate, the Group is committed to defending freedom of expression, promoting diverse voices, and making culture accessible to all. Through its publications, partnerships, and on-the-ground initiatives, Hachette Livre actively works to make reading and culture accessible to as many people as possible by adapting to a wide range of audiences and needs.

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Supporting diverse voices

Developing socially aware, responsible catalogs

All our imprints contribute to the diversity of books published by the Group, which publishes special collections of works on current issues in our societies.

In France, collections such as La Grenade and Les Insolentes explore feminist and social topics.

In the United Kingdom, Dialogue Books showcases authors from LGBTQIA+ and minority ethnic and social communities, while the Mo Siewcharran Prize recognizes emerging authors from diverse backgrounds.

In Spain, the Feminismos collection published by Catédra explores feminine identities and equality movements.

In the United States, the Legacy Lit imprint gives a voice to underrepresented communities.

Defending the freedom of expression

Freedom of expression is a core value at Hachette Livre. A founding member of the PEN International Publishers Circle, the Group actively supports persecuted authors through awareness events and donations. In 2025, Hachette Book Group extended its support for PEN America, which defends fundamental rights and fights censorship.

Supporting access to culture and reading

Ensuring reading is within everyone’s reach

The accessibility of content is a priority for the Group.
In 2025:

100 %
new written publications were available to level 1, i.e. available in ePub 3 format
98 %
of these works achieved level 2, developed in-house, which certifies enhanced compliance with digital accessibility standards

In France, 20 imprints work with Mobidys to adapt their books to the needs of dyslexic readers. Meanwhile, Hachette UK, Hachette Book Group and Grupo Anaya are also using tools and partnerships to make their digital content accessible to people with a visual, cognitive or language impairment.

The development of audiobooks provides another path to accessibility. In 2025, Hachette Livre in France launched a partnership with Spotify. Internationally, more than 29,000 titles are available in audio format.

The Group is also working to help young people rediscover the joy of reading. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the Raising Readers program encourages adults to support children as they learn how to read, so that they find lasting enjoyment in books.

Supporting culture through solidarity initiatives

Fondation Hachette pour la lecture

Since 2022, Fondation Hachette pour la lecture, a foundation under the aegis of Fondation de France, supports non-profit projects that promote reading, writing and the French language for all audiences, especially those with the least access both inside and outside France.

The foundation works toward two complementary aims: preventing and combating illiteracy and school dropout, while also promoting community, career integration, and inclusion for people who are vulnerable, excluded, or marginalized.

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The Group also supports innovation in education through an investment and role in the impact fund Educapital since 2017.

This institutional approach is complemented by direct solidarity initiatives led by our subsidiaries. In 2025, book donation was a major focus, especially in the United States, where Hachette Book Group (HBG) gifted more than 29,000 new books. This massive effort is undertaken through partnerships with about 30 organizations, such as Book Rich Environments (14,000 books distributed), as well as the Behind the Book and Read Ahead programs. In the United Kingdom, Hachette UK distributed more than 14,000 books in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust.

Alongside these donations, the Group encourages skills-based volunteering. In France, a partnership with Libraries Without Borders gives employees the chance to help sort and find a new home for books, and take part in collaborative workshops like the Design Jam, to imagine innovative solutions for providing access to reading in underserved communities.

Employees are encouraged to get involved in all the countries where we operate

In Spain, Grupo Anaya held a charity Christmas market with the non-profit FDI.
In the United Kingdom, employees can dedicate two work days per year to volunteering, which they often use for the Chapter One program.
The teams in the United States take part in local projects on Community Service Day, building connections between the company and those around it.

Strengthening local roots and community engagement

The Group also works hand in hand with local authorities.

Hachette Livre is a signatory of the Grand Paris Seine Ouest Climate Charter, which has expanded the Group’s involvement in the regional environmental transition.

As part of the Charter project, pupils take school trips to the Vanves head office to learn about biodiversity and the book lifecycle.

Our commitments to society