Pearson Education is a company that designs “education products and services to institutions, governments and direct to individual learners”. They have 40,000 employees in 80 countries. “Pearson is listed on the London and New York stock exchanges (LSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). In fact, Pearson is one of the few companies to have been a constituent of the FTSE100 ever since the index began in 1984. However, though the name has remained the same the
company behind it has changed beyond all recognition”.
The three main changes the company cites are as follows: (
www.pearson.com)
- “A corporate focus on ‘education in the broadest sense of the word’, a strategy of becoming the world’s leading learning company with heavy exposure to the growing global education market.”
- “A transformation from book publisher to digital services company.”
- “A significant expansion into fast-growing developing economies including China, India, Africa and Brazil.”
Pearson is a former member of the Advisory Council for the United Nations Global Compact. They continue to be a member. “Participation in the Global Compact continues to provide an important framework for Pearson as we develop and grow, and are pleased to continue our support and engagement,” Robin Freestone Chief financial officer (and Board member responsible for corporate responsibility)
Remember, the Gates Foundation also used the United Nations as one vehicle for funding the development and implementation of
Common Core in the United States.
Pearson appears to have a number of investors worldwide with one of the largest financial contributors being the Libyan Investment Authority that holds 26 million shares. According to the Financial Times of London, the Libyan Investment Authority was founded by Libyan dictator Muammer Gaddafi’s son Seif al-Islam with shares now belonging to more than five members of the Gaddafi family. In the Middle East; Turkey, Saudi Arabia, CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood have invested heavily in Pearson Education.
