By Bethan Wood, Beanstalk's Corporate Partnerships Manager

In what is a positive start to 2016, the Vision for Literacy Business Pledge, developed by the National Literacy Trust, Beanstalk and other members of the National Literacy Forum, with the support of KPMG, has been shortlisted for the Third Sector Business Charity Awards Consortium Award.

The Vision for Literacy Business Pledge unites businesses and charities around the literacy issue, with 44 businesses committing to taking action to help raise literacy levels in the UK.

The Pledge calls on each business signatory to take clear action in three areas: in their workforce, in their local community and at a national level.

This commitment from leading businesses is much welcomed as low literacy continues to undermine the UK’s economy. KPMG estimates that low literacy levels cost the taxpayer up to £2.5 billion every year and has direct costs to business, with research showing that 22% of employers have to provide remedial literacy training.

By being shortlisted for the Third Sector Business Charity Award Consortium Award, it will hopefully raise further awareness of the literacy problem which undermines the UK and inspire more businesses to play a part in removing what is a major roadblock to fairness in society. 

You can read the full short list here. Winners will be announced at an Awards Night on Wednesday 20th April.

Find out more about the Vision for Literacy Business Pledge at www.literacytrust.org.uk/businesspledge.