Paul Hamlyn Foundation

Who we are

At Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we work collaboratively with organisations and individuals who are working to build a just society.

Paul Hamlyn arrived in the UK as a migrant in 1933. He started his first book selling business in 1949 and went on to make his fortune in publishing. When he died in 2001, he left most of his estate to the Foundation, creating one of the largest independent grant-making organisations in the UK.

Our mission for change

Our mission is to be an effective and independent funder, using all our resources to create opportunities and support social change. We partner with inspiring organisations and individuals to put them at the heart of leading change and designing solutions to overcome inequality.

Our vision for the future

Our vision for the future is a just society in which everyone, especially young people, can realise their full potential and enjoy fulfilling and creative lives.

Our culture and values

Our values

Our work is underpinned by a set of values that run through everything we do. We want these values to be felt by everyone who interacts with us – not just those who know us well.

Collaboration and connection

We believe in the power of working together to achieve a greater impact. Our aspiration is to capitalise on the connections between the different areas of our grant-making and to build communities that share a common interest.

This is about how we work across our team internally and how we connect partners and allies externally. To achieve this, we cultivate awareness and develop deep knowledge of the fields in which we operate.

Trust

Trust is at the heart of strong relationships. It is hard won and can be easily lost. 

With trust comes the possibility of collaboration. Without it, the power dynamic between funder and funded can undermine progress towards social change. To build trust we focus on delivering our commitments, and on being resilient and consistent over the long term.

Openness

Openness is key to building trust and enabling collaboration. We want our processes to be as straightforward and transparent as possible, and we are committed to sharing our data clearly. We welcome feedback and will change the way we work if it is undermining the quality of the relationships we want to create. And we communicate honestly, learning from mistakes and celebrating what works.

Thoughtfulness

Every decision we take has an impact on someone, so we strive to think about others with kindness. 

We want to be attentive and careful in exercising judgement and to create the time and space for deep conversations and learning. Being flexible and responsive to the needs of those we fund is critical if we are to demonstrate a thoughtful approach.

Commitment to anti-racism

As well as these values, we are also motivated by a shared commitment to being an anti-racist funder. We made this commitment in 2020, and believe it is foundational to our work.

To complement this work, we have a DEI Staff Forum, created by and for staff to explore issues relating to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, both in our own organisation and in the work that we do.