The winners of The London Book Fair (LBF) International Excellence Awards were announced on 11 April, with companies from Turkey and the US both taking home the top awards.
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) is the inaugural winner of the Sustainability Initiative Award, introduced this year. Judges recognized the organization’s “holistic approach… which covers their operations and their influence within staff, suppliers and through the content they publish.” The judges were also impressed by Bloomsbury Publishing’s solar-powered office and passionate staff who appear eager to embrace the changes needed to achieve net zero.
Minoa (Turkey) is the winner of the coveted Bookstore of the Year Award, which the judges highlighted for being an exemplary bookstore, as well as a beautiful “must-see” tourist attraction in Istanbul. The panel agreed that Minoa is “a lab our of love, serving their community through a team that is valued by both Minoa’s owners and its customers.” The bookstore, located in the Akaretler district, was also praised for its event space, cafe, and used-book library.
Following their International Excellence Awards shortlisting in 2022 (during which they received a Special Commendation), Macmillan Audio (USA) has taken home the Audiobook Publisher Award for 2023. The judges were impressed by the “breadth of their publishing and their commitment to diversity and new voices” and highlighted the US company’s casting workshops and dedication to building careers for audiobook narrators as particularly inspiring.
Returning to the UK, this year’s Inclusivity in Publishing Award has been handed to Bonnier Books (UK), which marks the second time the publisher has picked up the Award, following their win in 2020. The judges noted that the UK publisher has “embedded inclusivity in their values and genuinely invested in making an impact across their organization.” The panel also commended Bonnier Book’s focus on “improving access to those from lower socio-economic backgrounds to the sector, their efforts to remove financial barriers for those starting out and to increasing equity in family policies.”
Gareth Rapley, director of The London Book Fair, said: “We are proud to announce the winners of the International Excellence Awards 2023. Year after year, the book industry proves itself to be innovative and resilient during challenging times, and our 2023 winners represent an inspiring array of talent, from bookstores creating community hubs to major publishers advocating for greener and more inclusive working environments to those advancing the limits of audio production. We look forward to spotlighting our winners at The London Book Fair 2023.”
The winners of the International Excellence Awards 2023 will be acknowledged during an invite-only ceremony for Klaus Flugge, the recipient of this year’s LBF Lifetime Achievement Award, at Olympia London on Wednesday 19 April.
The full list of this year’s International Excellence winners:
Sustainability Initiative Award
- Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Bookstore of the Year Award
- Minoa (Turkey)
Audiobook Publisher of the Year
- Macmillan Audio (US)
Eligible for entries from the UK only:
Inclusivity in Publishing Award
- Bonnier Books
