How we work
At Oxford University Press, our mission is behind everything we do: we create resources and services of the highest quality and distribute them worldwide to transform lives through education and knowledge.
We adhere to a number of codes and guidelines which help to frame our relationships with our suppliers, authors, customers and other partners.
Our codes and guidelines
Our Code of Conduct presents a set of values and principles that underpin all our work. We have two versions of our code; one for employees and one for our partners:
We are committed to carrying out business to the highest standards of integrity and in accordance with relevant legislation.
We have zero tolerance of bribery and fraud and believe the fight against bribery and fraud is in the broader interest of business and civil society.
Oxford University Press seeks to prevent acts of modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring within its business and supply chain.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and expect the same high standards and commitment from our business partners.
We are committed to protecting your personal information and respecting data privacy laws around the world. Our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy aim to provide transparency and clarity on how we use your personal information to provide you with our products and services.
OUP is committed to the protection and wellbeing of its employees and complies with all applicable health and safety laws wherever we operate. This policy and the supporting Global Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) Management Framework, guide our health and safety initiatives and actions.
We believe that education has the power to transform lives for the better. We aim to give people the opportunity to access knowledge, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.
We can only achieve this if we encourage diversity and inclusion within OUP, and give all of our people the chance to express their individuality at work. By empowering our people to make their mark and achieve their personal aspirations, we better reflect the markets we operate in, and the customers we work with. We have global Diversity and Inclusion objectives, as well as a specific work agenda throughout the organisation, with specific goals and priorities in each of our offices.
Oxford University Press Spain has, since 2014, been awarded the Family-Responsible Company (EFR) certificate. Driven by the Fundación Masfamilia, and approved by the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare, this certificate recognises organisations that strive to create a culture that supports and facilitates a work-life balance.
This recognition, which is renewed every 3 years, endorses OUP Spain’s commitment to adapting our culture to the work-life balance needs and wellbeing of our staff, through extraordinary work-life balance measures and benefits for our employees.
Sustainability is the backbone of our mission. We are committed to transforming lives through education so that people can aspire to a better future. That future depends on the commitment of everyone to live, work and operate in a sustainable way, while being conscious of how everything we do will impact future generations. This commitment is backed up by our 2030 targets and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
As part of this commitment to minimising our impact on both the local and global environment, we are dedicated to saving energy, recycling, and we work with suppliers that comply with environmental regulations and sustainable practices. We comply with current legislation, and we promote awareness of the importance of sustainability for our future, among both our employees and our collaborators.
Every year, OUP supports a number of charities across the world whose work aligns to our mission of excellence in research, scholarship, and education. We do this by donating funds and resources, such as books and learning materials, as well as giving our people the opportunity to make their mark and give back to the communities we work in through volunteering. Many help primary school children learn to read through ARCh (Assisted Reading for Children, in Oxfordshire), and book donations through Book Aid, for example, have allowed material to reach refugee camps in Greece to support the operation of small libraries, and reading and teaching workshops.
We also support several organisations in OUP Spain by helping to promote them and offering them our employees’ time and expertise: from supporting children with their homework, to helping them to improve their reading, organising storytelling sessions, and offering training (Capacis Foundation, Krecer, Idea Libre, and Tanu, among others). OUP Spain also supports Christmas campaigns such as Ningún Niño Sin Sonrisa (No Child Without a Smile), and we donate our materials to charities, hospitals and town halls throughout the country. Additionally, we sponsor teacher events and other educational projects.
Technological development has become a daily challenge for teaching. Because of this, as well as our commitment to the educational community, in Oxford University Press we help schools integrate technology in the classroom.
To help in this implementation, our publishing projects offers schools all the services, tools, and training needed to be put in practice in the classroom effectively. Click here to see an example.