Equality, diversity and inclusion – where we stand

Page owner: Equality, diversity and inclusion director

The CIEP is working to embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across everything we do. We aim to foster an environment where all members feel safe and equally able to contribute to CIEP activities.

Take a look at the following resources to discover more about our values and where we stand.

 

Membership Codes

All CIEP members are bound by its Membership Codes – principles-based policies that describe the Institute’s expectations of conduct and its procedures for handling complaints.

Read the Codes

 

Publishing opportunities for freelancers from under-represented backgrounds

Publishers are increasingly recognising that many aspects of their business have long suffered as a result of the industry's lack of diversity. Many of them are now actively trying to put that right.

In this guide, you'll find a list of publishers that have told us they're specifically seeking editors and proofreaders from a wider range of backgrounds, along with their contact details.

In the additional sources section, we've listed a number of other organisations whose aim is to support under-represented groups in the publishing workforce.

Publishing opportunities

Download the guide

 

CIEP members in need: Hardship funds and other support

Many of us will experience periods of financial hardship at some point during our working lives. This has become more apparent during the past couple of years of turmoil and uncertainty, and in the current difficult economic climate. For those of us who are freelancers, some of the safety nets that provide workers with protection in times of need may not be available to us.

That’s why we've put together this brief booklet. It lists various funds and other resources that can assist CIEP members in need of financial support.

CIEP members in need

Download the booklet

 

Discover the CIEP knowledge bank

We’re building a bank of resources to help members understand some of the key issues and concerns in relation to inclusive language. We’ll be adding to this page on an ongoing basis so don’t forget to bookmark it!

If there’s something specific you’d like us to cover, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Blog posts

Fact sheets and focus papers

What's in a name? The state of gendered language In a globalised world, should we retain different Englishes?

Guide

Editing Fiction Containing Gender-Neutral Pronouns

Glossary

Newsletter article

 

How to source expertise

It always pays to consult a variety of sources on current preferred terminology and alternatives to potentially offensive or otherwise inappropriate language.

CIEP anti-racism work

Our Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) is a group of members who came together to help us put the CIEP commitment to anti-racism into action.

More resources to guide you

There are many other online resources available that can help you with language, inclusivity and representation. We’ve started to collect some of them here.

We do our best to feature resources that are aligned with our values. However, the CIEP isn’t responsible for content on external sites and doesn’t necessarily endorse every view expressed.

 

Where we stand – public statements from the CIEP

 

A STATEMENT BY THE CIEP, 5 June 2020

As editors and proofreaders, there is so much that we can each do to make space for and amplify voices that have historically been and continue to be marginalised and silenced.

As we draw to the end of a week of action centred on the US but exposing structural racism that is no less evident here in the UK and which resonates worldwide, the CIEP Council:

  • commits to continuing action to ensure that CIEP spaces are inclusive of and safe for our BAME members and members of colour
  • commits to exploring and dismantling the barriers to participating in our profession that face BAME editors and proofreaders
  • commits to advocating for and modelling inclusive language, and delivering content that supports our members in doing the same
  • commits to seeking out and amplifying BAME voices and the voices of editors/proofreaders of colour worldwide
  • commits to supporting BAME members and members of colour in conceiving of and implementing ideas that can drive change within the CIEP.

 

A STATEMENT BY THE CIEP COUNCIL AND THE CIEP ANTI-RACISM WORKING GROUP, 13 August 2021

As a UK chartered body representing an international membership of editors and proofreaders, the CIEP stands with, and condemns the racist abuse of, the authors of colour who have highlighted slurs, stereotyping and other problems in Kate Clanchy’s book Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me.

The CIEP is committed to doing whatever it can to help dismantle systemic barriers faced by writers of colour, and by those of other backgrounds and identities too often still marginalised and underrepresented in publishing. Challenging books and other published materials that perpetuate racism and other misrepresentations and stereotypes, intentionally or otherwise, is a vital part of that.

Editors and proofreaders can play an essential role in this. We are intermediaries between authors and their anticipated readership. We can highlight potentially harmful or problematic language and depictions, suggest alternatives, and alert publishers to the damage they do if they allow such things to get into print.

The CIEP is striving to provide resources and other support to enable our members to edit consciously and inclusively, to ensure diversity among editors is recognised as a strength, and to empower editors of colour to be heard, alongside writers of colour, in and beyond the publishing industry.