Business leaders from across the UK gathered on Thursday 30 April 2026 to commit to long-term action on literacy, as Pilot Pen, London Luton Airport, and Penguin Random House were recognised for their leadership and impact at the Vision for Literacy Business Pledge awards.
Co-founded by the National Literacy Trust and supported by KPMG, The Vision for Literacy Business Pledge brings the business community together with charities, schools and the government to prioritise literacy and improve the literacy skills of children and young people who need it most.
This year, 116 businesses committed to placing literacy at the heart of their social responsibility work to create lasting impact across the country.
What difference can businesses make?
Literacy underpins social mobility, breaks cycles of poverty and fuels economic growth. Yet across the UK, too many children are still being left behind, with over a third of children from disadvantaged backgrounds are leaving primary school without the reading (37%) and writing skills (41%) they need to succeed.
Low literacy also generates a substantial cost to both the individual and the nation, with those who fall behind by age 5 going on to earn £5,300 less on average and costing the government £2,500 more in support.
Businesses have a vital role to play in supporting the literacy skills of the next generation, and the National Year of Reading 2026 offers even more opportunity to support the development of a future workforce that is inclusive and able to grow.
The Vision for Literacy Business Pledge Awards 2026
The inaugural in-person Vision for Literacy Business Pledge Awards recognised businesses demonstrating exceptional leadership, impact, and innovation through partnerships to support literacy across the UK.
Winner of the Award for Partnership Impact: Pilot Pen
Pilot Pen partnered with the National Literacy Trust’s Young City Poets programme, engaging nearly 800 pupils from disadvantaged communities to build confidence and creativity through poetry.
What set the partnership apart was its scale and visibility. Pilot Pen used its media expertise to showcase pupils’ poetry on digital billboards across the UK, turning their words into public art.
For pupils, seeing their work publicly displayed built confidence, pride and a lasting connection to writing. By combining creative education with high impact media, Pilot Pen’s partnership with the charity demonstrated how businesses can use their expertise to complement amplifying young voices and make literacy visible and valued in everyday life.
"Pilot Pen delivered a partnership that truly gave young people a voice. This partnership didn’t just support literacy; it celebrated it publicly, creatively and at scale. The confidence and pride this gave to young writers is exactly the kind of impact this award exists to recognise."
Judging panel
Winner of the Award for Literacy Changemakers: London Luton Airport
In the first year of its partnership with the National Literacy Trust, London Luton Airport embedded literacy at the heart of its social impact strategy – mobilising their colleagues to fundraise, donate books and champion literacy in their local community, engaging more than 1000 employees.
A network of Charity Champions, backed by executive leadership, activated colleagues across the airport through a dynamic programme of events. In just six months, they engaged employees, passengers and the local community to raise funds, including a flagship golf day and festive fundraising.
Beyond fundraising, the airport championed literacy through campaigns such as “Reading Takes Flight”, book donations, and school workshops – reaching thousands of children and promoting reading for pleasure.
"London Luton Airport showed what is possible when an entire organisation gets behind a cause with passion and purpose. From senior leaders to frontline teams, colleagues came together with incredible energy to champion literacy."
Judging panel
Winner of the Award for Literacy Leadership: Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House was recognised for demonstrating sector‑leading literacy leadership at a national level through its Libraries for Primaries campaign. The campaign has helped transform access to books and reading spaces and drive lasting, systemic change. The long running campaign has culminated in a UK Government commitment to provide a library in every primary school in England by 2029. This blend of practical action and national advocacy exemplified how business leadership can deliver lasting, structural change for children’s literacy.
"[Penguin Random House's] commitment to putting libraries at the heart of every primary school — and their success in turning that ambition into national policy — is extraordinary. This is literacy leadership at its very best: courageous, collaborative and driven by a belief that every child deserves access to books, stories and opportunity."
Judging panel
By bringing together public, private and charity sector partners, signatories of the Pledge are taking collective action to empower more children with the literacy skills they need to thrive.
Add your organisation’s voice - contact pledge@literacytrust.org.uk