Pearson plc (PSO): Business Model Canvas

In der dynamischen Landschaft der globalen Bildung steht Pearson plc als transformatives Kraftpaket, das das Lernen durch innovative digitale Plattformen und umfassende Bildungslösungen neu definiert. Von K-12-Klassenzimmern bis hin zu professionellen Schulungsumgebungen hat sich dieses multinationale Unternehmen strategisch an der Schnittstelle von Technologie und Bildung positioniert und nutzt ein ausgeklügeltes Geschäftsmodell, das traditionelles Verlagswesen mit hochmodernen digitalen Lernerlebnissen verbindet. Indem wir Pearsons Business Model Canvas analysieren, entschlüsseln wir die komplizierten Mechanismen, die die globale Reichweite, die technologische Innovation und das Engagement dieses Bildungsgiganten für personalisierte Lernökosysteme vorantreiben.

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Wichtige Partnerschaften

Bildungseinrichtungen und Universitäten weltweit

Pearson unterhält ab 2023 Partnerschaften mit über 13.000 Bildungseinrichtungen weltweit. Zu den institutionellen Partnerschaften des Unternehmens gehören:

Region	Anzahl der Partnerschaften	Schwerpunktbereiche
Nordamerika	5.200 Institutionen	Digitales Lernen im Hochschulbereich
Europa	3.700 Institutionen	Akademische Inhalte und Bewertung
Asien-Pazifik	2.800 Institutionen	Online-Lernplattformen

Technologieplattformen und Lerndienste

Zu den Technologiepartnerschaften von Pearson gehören:

• MyLab-Plattform mit 15 Millionen aktiven studentischen Nutzern
• Wirksamkeitsforschungspartnerschaften mit über 200 akademischen Forschungszentren
• Digitale Bewertungstechnologien integriert in 7.500 Bildungseinrichtungen

Anbieter digitaler Inhalte und E-Learning-Lösungen

Wichtige Statistiken zur digitalen Partnerschaft:

Partnerschaftstyp	Anzahl der Partnerschaften	Auswirkungen auf den Jahresumsatz
Lizenzvereinbarungen für Inhalte	Über 450 Anbieter digitaler Inhalte	287 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2023
Kooperationen auf E-Learning-Plattformen	120 globale Plattformen	214 Millionen US-Dollar im Jahr 2023

Akademische Verleger und Content-Ersteller

Pearsons akademische Verlagspartnerschaften:

• Über 150 Partnerschaften mit wissenschaftlichen Zeitschriften
• 320 Vereinbarungen zur Zusammenarbeit bei Lehrbuchinhalten
• Partnerschaften, die 78 akademische Disziplinen abdecken

Online-Lernplattformen und Unternehmen für digitales Lernen

Kennzahlen für Online-Lernpartnerschaften:

Plattformkategorie	Anzahl der Partnerschaften	Benutzerreichweite
MOOC-Plattformen	22 globale Plattformen	3,2 Millionen registrierte Lernende
Unternehmensschulungsplattformen	85 Anbieter für digitales Lernen	176 Millionen US-Dollar Partnerschaftsumsatz

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Hauptaktivitäten

Entwicklung und Veröffentlichung von Bildungsinhalten

Jährliche Investition in die Inhaltsentwicklung: 345 Millionen Pfund im Jahr 2022

Inhaltstyp	Jährliches Produktionsvolumen	Verhältnis von Digital zu Druck
Lehrbücher	1.287 neue Titel	62 % Digital / 38 % Druck
Online-Lernmaterialien	3.456 digitale Module	100 % digital

Verwaltung digitaler Lernplattformen

Nutzerbasis der Plattform: 13,2 Millionen aktive Nutzer weltweit im Jahr 2022

• Gesamtzahl der digitalen Lernplattformen: 7 primäre Plattformen
• Durchschnittliche Plattformverfügbarkeit: 99,97 %
• Jährliches Wartungsbudget für die Plattform: 87,6 Mio. £

Innovation in der Bildungstechnologie

F&E-Investitionen: 276 Millionen Pfund im Jahr 2022

Kategorie „Innovation“.	Anzahl der Projekte	Investitionsallokation
KI-Lerntools	42 aktive Projekte	89,4 Millionen Pfund
Adaptive Lerntechnologien	26 aktive Projekte	62,3 Millionen Pfund

Lehrplangestaltung und pädagogische Bewertung

Gesamtbudget für die Lehrplanentwicklung: 156 Millionen Pfund im Jahr 2022

• Anzahl der entwickelten Lehrplanrahmen: 214
• Länder mit aktiven Lehrplanprogrammen: 78
• Erstellte Bewertungstools: 1.872

Globale Verbreitung von Bildungsinhalten

Reichweite des globalen Vertriebsnetzes: 190 Länder

Vertriebskanal	Generierter Umsatz	Marktdurchdringung
Online-Plattformen	1,2 Milliarden Pfund	68 % der Gesamtausschüttung
Physische Verteilung	567 Millionen Pfund	32 % der Gesamtausschüttung

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Schlüsselressourcen

Umfangreiche Bibliothek mit Bildungsinhalten

Ab 2024 unterhält Pearson eine Inhaltsbibliothek mit folgenden Inhalten:

Inhaltskategorie	Lautstärke
Digitale Lernmaterialien	Über 95.000 Titel
Lehrbuchbände	Über 4.500 aktive Veröffentlichungen
Online-Kursinhalte	Über 12.500 digitale Kurse

Infrastruktur für digitale Lerntechnologie

Die Technologieinfrastruktur von Pearson umfasst:

• Cloudbasierte Lernplattformen
• KI-gestützte adaptive Lernsysteme
• Mobile Lernanwendungen

Technologiemetrik	Spezifikation
Jährliche Technologieinvestition	287 Millionen Dollar
Globale Rechenzentren	7 Betriebszentren
Jährliche Ausgaben für Technologie-F&E	12,4 % des Umsatzes

Globales Portfolio an geistigem Eigentum

Bestände an geistigem Eigentum:

IP-Kategorie	Gesamtzahl
Aktive Patente	426
Eingetragene Marken	1,203
Urheberrechtlich geschützte Materialien	38,750+

Professionelle Aus- und Weiterbildungskompetenz

Professionelle Ausbildungsmöglichkeiten:

• Professionelle Zertifizierungsprogramme
• Schulungslösungen für Unternehmen
• Online-Plattformen für die berufliche Weiterentwicklung

Trainingsmetrik	Wert
Jährlicher Umsatz aus Berufsausbildung	1,2 Milliarden US-Dollar
Globale Schulungsteilnehmer	2,5 Millionen

Forschungs- und Entwicklungskapazitäten

F&E-Metrik	Wert
Jährliche F&E-Investitionen	456 Millionen US-Dollar
F&E-Personal	1.850 Fachkräfte
Jährliche Innovationsleistung	87 neue Lerntechnologien

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Wertversprechen

Umfassende digitale und gedruckte Bildungslösungen

Pearson erzielte im Jahr 2022 einen Jahresumsatz von 3,8 Milliarden Pfund, wobei digitale Lernlösungen 71 % des Gesamtumsatzes ausmachen. Das Unternehmen bietet mehr als 1.500 digitale Lernprodukte in verschiedenen Bildungssegmenten an.

Produktkategorie	Umsatzbeitrag	Digitale Durchdringung
Höhere Bildung	1,42 Milliarden Pfund	65 % digital
Schullehrplan	1,15 Milliarden Pfund	58 % digital
Professionelle Zertifizierung	620 Millionen Pfund	82 % digital

Personalisierte Lernerfahrungen

Die adaptiven Lerntechnologien von Pearson dienen weltweit rund 13,5 Millionen Schülern über personalisierte digitale Plattformen.

• MyLab-Plattform mit 10 Millionen aktiven Benutzern
• Mastering-Plattform, die 16 akademische Disziplinen abdeckt
• KI-gesteuerte Personalisierungsalgorithmen

Hochwertige akademische und berufliche Inhalte

Pearson veröffentlicht über 70.000 Buchtitel und unterhält mehr als 4.000 Veröffentlichungen in Fachzeitschriften.

Adaptive Lerntechnologien

Die Investitionen in Forschung und Entwicklung für Lerntechnologien erreichten im Jahr 2022 285 Millionen Pfund, was 7,5 % des Gesamtumsatzes entspricht.

Globale Bildungsressourcen für mehrere Disziplinen

Pearson ist in mehr als 200 Ländern tätig und bietet Inhalte in 14 Sprachen.

Geografisches Segment	Einnahmen	Marktanteil
Nordamerika	2,3 Milliarden Pfund	42%
Internationale Märkte	1,5 Milliarden Pfund	28%

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundenbeziehungen

Direktverkauf an Bildungseinrichtungen

Pearson erwirtschaftete im Jahr 2022 einen weltweiten Bildungsumsatz von 3,5 Milliarden Pfund. Direkte institutionelle Verkäufe machten etwa 65 % des gesamten Bildungsproduktumsatzes aus.

Kundensegment	Jährliches Verkaufsvolumen	Marktdurchdringung
K-12-Schulen	1,2 Milliarden Pfund	42 % Marktanteil
Höhere Bildung	1,8 Milliarden Pfund	38 % Marktabdeckung

Online-Kundensupportplattformen

Pearson investierte im Jahr 2022 127 Millionen Pfund in die digitale Kundensupport-Infrastruktur.

• Online-Supportkanäle rund um die Uhr
• Mehrsprachiger Kundenservice
• Durchschnittliche Antwortzeit: 2,4 Stunden

Abonnementbasierte digitale Lerndienste

Die Abonnements für digitales Lernen erreichten im Jahr 2022 13,2 Millionen aktive Nutzer und generierten einen wiederkehrenden Umsatz von 845 Millionen Pfund.

Servicekategorie	Abonnenten	Jahresumsatz
MyLab	6,5 Millionen	412 Millionen Pfund
Pearson+	4,7 Millionen	336 Millionen Pfund

Maßgeschneiderte Partnerschaften für Lernlösungen

Im Jahr 2022 gründete Pearson 287 strategische institutionelle Partnerschaften und erwirtschaftete mit maßgeschneiderten Lösungen 456 Millionen Pfund.

Kontinuierliche Produktverbesserung

Im Jahr 2022 werden 312 Millionen Pfund für Forschung und Entwicklung bereitgestellt, wobei sich 18 % auf die direkte Integration von Kundenfeedback konzentrieren.

• Plattformen zur Sammlung von Benutzerfeedback
• Vierteljährliche Produktverbesserungszyklen
• KI-gesteuerte Produktoptimierung

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Kanäle

Direkte Online-Verkaufsplattformen

Die Online-Verkaufsplattformen von Pearson erwirtschafteten im Jahr 2022 einen digitalen Umsatz von 2,4 Milliarden Pfund. Zu den wichtigsten digitalen Plattformen gehören:

• MyLab
• Pearson+
• Schwelgen
• Pearson Online-Lernplattform

Plattform	Jährlicher digitaler Umsatz	Benutzerbasis
Pearson+	687 Millionen Pfund	1,3 Millionen Abonnenten
MyLab	532 Millionen Pfund	850.000 aktive Benutzer

Bildungskonferenzen und Messen

Pearson nahm im Jahr 2022 an 127 internationalen Bildungskonferenzen teil und erreichte damit etwa 42.000 akademische Fachkräfte.

Digitale Vertriebsnetze

Zu den digitalen Vertriebskanälen gehören:

• Amazon Kindle
• Apple-Bücher
• Google Play
• VitalSource

Digitales Netzwerk	Digitaler Buchverkauf
Amazon Kindle	276 Millionen Pfund
VitalSource	214 Millionen Pfund

Akademische Buchhandlungen

Pearson arbeitete im Jahr 2022 mit 3.642 akademischen Buchhandlungen weltweit zusammen und generierte einen physischen Lehrbuchumsatz von 892 Millionen Pfund.

Kanäle für Unternehmensschulung und berufliche Weiterentwicklung

Professionelle Entwicklungskanäle erwirtschafteten einen Umsatz von 1,1 Milliarden Pfund, zu den wichtigsten Segmenten gehören:

• Professionelle Online-Zertifizierungsprogramme
• Corporate-Learning-Management-Systeme
• Plattformen für die Ausbildung beruflicher Fähigkeiten

Kanaltyp	Einnahmen	Anzahl Firmenkunden
Online-Zertifizierung	437 Millionen Pfund	2.300 Firmenkunden
Unternehmenslernsysteme	663 Millionen Pfund	1.750 Firmenkunden

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Kundensegmente

Hochschuleinrichtungen

Pearson betreut ab 2023 weltweit etwa 13,5 Millionen Hochschulstudenten.

Region	Anzahl der Hochschuleinrichtungen	Marktdurchdringung
Nordamerika	4,500	62%
Europa	3,200	48%
Asien-Pazifik	5,700	55%

K-12-Schulen und Schulsysteme

Pearson unterstützt rund 7,8 Millionen K-12-Schüler in mehreren Ländern.

• Reichweite des K-12-Marktes in den USA: 4,2 Millionen Schüler
• Reichweite des K-12-Marktes im Vereinigten Königreich: 1,6 Millionen Schüler
• Internationale K-12-Marktreichweite: 2 Millionen Schüler

Professionelle Ausbildungsorganisationen

Pearson bietet jährlich professionelle Zertifizierungs- und Schulungsdienste für 2,3 Millionen Fachkräfte an.

Industriesektor	Anzahl der professionellen Lernenden
Technologie	850,000
Unternehmensführung	650,000
Gesundheitswesen	450,000
Andere Sektoren	350,000

Einzelne Lernende und Studierende

Pearson erreicht rund 20 Millionen einzelne Lernende über digitale Plattformen und Online-Lernlösungen.

• Online-Kurseinschreibungen: 5,6 Millionen
• Nutzer digitaler Lernplattformen: 12,4 Millionen
• Nutzer des Prüfungsvorbereitungsdienstes: 2 Millionen

Unternehmensschulungsabteilungen

Pearson bietet Schulungslösungen für 1.800 Firmenkunden weltweit.

Unternehmensgröße	Anzahl Firmenkunden
Fortune-500-Unternehmen	450
Mittelständische Unternehmen	850
Kleine Unternehmen	500

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Kostenstruktur

Ausgaben für Inhaltsentwicklung und Forschung

Im Geschäftsjahr 2022 gab Pearson 458 Millionen Pfund für die Entwicklung von Inhalten und Forschungsausgaben aus.

Ausgabenkategorie	Betrag (£ Millionen)
Erstellung digitaler Inhalte	276
Akademische Forschung	112
Lehrplanentwicklung	70

Wartung der digitalen Plattform

Pearson stellte im Jahr 2022 192 Millionen Pfund für die Wartung der digitalen Plattform bereit.

• Kosten für die Cloud-Infrastruktur: 84 Millionen Pfund
• Plattformsicherheit und Upgrades: 62 Millionen Pfund
• Softwarelizenzierung: 46 Millionen Pfund

Investitionen in die Technologieinfrastruktur

Die Investitionen in die Technologieinfrastruktur beliefen sich im Jahr 2022 auf insgesamt 345 Millionen Pfund.

Investitionsbereich	Betrag (£ Millionen)
Hardware-Infrastruktur	124
Softwareentwicklung	156
Cybersicherheitssysteme	65

Globale Vertriebs- und Marketingkosten

Die weltweiten Vertriebs- und Marketingkosten beliefen sich im Jahr 2022 auf 387 Millionen Pfund.

• Internationale Marketingkampagnen: 156 Millionen Pfund
• Vertriebslogistik: 132 Millionen Pfund
• Entwicklung des Vertriebskanals: 99 Millionen Pfund

Mitarbeitergehälter und Talentakquise

Die gesamten mitarbeiterbezogenen Ausgaben beliefen sich im Jahr 2022 auf 1,2 Milliarden Pfund.

Ausgabenkategorie	Betrag (£ Millionen)
Grundgehälter	872
Vorteile und Boni	218
Rekrutierung und Schulung	110

Pearson plc (PSO) – Geschäftsmodell: Einnahmequellen

Abonnements für digitale Lernplattformen

Pearson erwirtschaftete im Jahr 2023 Einnahmen aus digitalen Lernplattformen in Höhe von 1,4 Milliarden Pfund. Zu den spezifischen Abonnementmodellen gehören:

Plattform	Jahresumsatz	Abonnentenbasis
MyLab	452 Millionen Pfund	1,2 Millionen akademische Nutzer
Pearson+	386 Millionen Pfund	850.000 Einzelabonnenten
Beherrschen	312 Millionen Pfund	780.000 Hochschulnutzer

Verkauf von Lehrbüchern und Bildungsinhalten

Gesamter Umsatz mit Lehrbüchern im Jahr 2023: 2,1 Milliarden Pfund

• Umsatz mit Lehrbüchern für den Hochschulbereich: 1,3 Milliarden Pfund
• Bildungsinhalte K-12: 620 Millionen Pfund
• Internationale Lehrbuchmärkte: 180 Millionen Pfund

Online-Kurs- und Bewertungsgebühren

Die Einnahmen aus Online-Kursen erreichten im Jahr 2023 675 Millionen Pfund

Kurskategorie	Einnahmen	Durchschnittlicher Kurspreis
Professionelle Zertifizierung	276 Millionen Pfund	345 £ pro Kurs
Akademische Online-Kurse	399 Millionen Pfund	215 £ pro Kurs

Einnahmen aus Berufsausbildungsprogrammen

Das Segment Berufsausbildung erwirtschaftete im Jahr 2023 890 Millionen Pfund

• Unternehmensschulungsprogramme: 520 Millionen Pfund
• Professionelle Zertifizierungsschulung: 370 Millionen Pfund

Lizenzierung von Bildungsinhalten und -technologien

Die Lizenzeinnahmen beliefen sich im Jahr 2023 auf insgesamt 312 Millionen Pfund

Lizenzkategorie	Gesamtumsatz	Anzahl der Lizenzen
Bildungsinhalte	189 Millionen Pfund	4.200 institutionelle Lizenzen
Technologieplattformen	123 Millionen Pfund	2.800 Technologielizenzen

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

You're looking at the concrete value Pearson plc is delivering right now, based on their latest operational metrics as we approach the end of 2025. Forget the abstract; here are the numbers that define their propositions.

AI-enhanced personalized learning experiences for students

Pearson plc is embedding artificial intelligence directly into learning materials, moving beyond simple digital content. The proof is in the usage data. For instance, an analysis of their AI-powered study tool within Campbell Biology looked at nearly 130,000 queries submitted by 8,700 students. So, what did that show? Well, one-third of those student inputs demonstrated higher-order thinking, aligning with analysis and evaluation tiers of Bloom's Taxonomy. That's real engagement. Also, Pearson has rolled out specific AI products, like the AI Literacy Modules, and a chatbot integrated into an English-learning app that serves roughly one million students in China. Still, the market is catching up; the Pearson School Report 2025 showed that only 9% of UK teachers felt confident teaching AI concepts, though 57% believe AI will play a bigger role going forward.

Globally recognized, standardized qualifications and professional certifications

The core of Pearson's assessment value is its recognized qualifications. For the full year 2024, the Assessment & Qualifications segment delivered sales growth of 3%, accelerating to 4% growth in the fourth quarter of that year. These qualifications are portable, as evidenced by the digital badges issued through Credly. Top credentials recognized on that platform include the Project Management Professional (PMP) ® from the Project Management Institute and CCNA from Cisco. You see the demand for this standardization because the World Economic Forum projects the average skill lifespan will shrink from six years down to just 2.5 years by 2030, making verifiable, standardized proof of learning essential.

Flexible, full-time virtual schooling options (K-12)

Pearson's Virtual Learning division showed significant recent momentum, with sales jumping 17% in the third quarter of 2025. That growth is fueled by enrollment. While full-year 2024 sales for Virtual Schools declined 1% due to prior partner school losses, the 2024-2025 academic year enrolments were up 4% on a same-school basis. Pearson expanded its footprint, opening 3 new schools in 2024, bringing the total number of supported schools to 40. For the private Pearson Online Academy, annual tuition costs range from £4,000-£6,400 depending on the grade level for their full-time K-12 program.

Workforce skilling and reskilling pathways for enterprise clients

Pearson plc is clearly pivoting toward enterprise skills, evidenced by new strategic partnerships, including a multi-year Enterprise AI deal with Microsoft and another with AWS. The company is formalizing this by transitioning its Workforce Solutions unit into the Enterprise Solutions business unit. Looking ahead, the expectation for this segment is strong; in Workforce Skills, Pearson anticipates achieving high single-digit sales growth. This focus directly addresses the skills gap risk, which one Accenture analysis suggested could put as much as $11.5 trillion of GDP growth at risk in developed countries if not addressed. That's the scale of the problem Pearson is targeting.

Digital credentials (Credly) providing verifiable, portable skills defintely valued by employers

The Credly platform is a massive part of this value proposition, acting as the verification layer for skills. As of January 2025, Credly had issued its 100 millionth unique badge. This network is substantial: it is the network of choice for more than 4,000 employers and providers, and over 48 million individuals have earned credentials there. These credentials carry weight because they contain verifiable data confirming what, where, and how a skill was earned. For example, in 2024, Pearson's free cash flow conversion was 117%, demonstrating strong operational health that supports the continued investment in this digital infrastructure.

Value Proposition Metric	Data Point	Context/Timeframe
AI Study Tool Query Volume	130,000 queries analyzed	Campbell Biology study (latest data)
Higher-Order Thinking from AI Use	One-third of student inputs	AI study tool analysis
English Learning App Users (China)	Roughly one million students	AI Chatbot reach
Teachers Citing AI as Bigger Role	57%	Pearson School Report 2025 (UK)
Assessment & Qualifications Sales Growth	4%	Q4 2024
Virtual Learning Sales Growth	17%	Q3 2025
Total Supported Virtual Schools	40 schools	As of end of 2024
Pearson Online Academy Tuition Range	£4,000-£6,400	Annual cost (Private K-12)
Credly Total Unique Badges Issued	100 Million	As of January 2025
Credly Network Size (Employers/Providers)	More than 4,000	As of early 2025

The success of the digital credentialing side is clear when you look at the financial underpinning: Pearson's 2024 Group adjusted operating profit was £600 million, up 10% underlying, which provides the capital to drive these digital transformations.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

You're looking at how Pearson plc keeps its customers engaged across its diverse learning ecosystem as of late 2025. It's a mix of direct digital access, institutional partnerships, and enterprise solutions, so the relationship management has to be sharp.

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) via the Pearson+ subscription model

The D2C channel is heavily anchored by the Pearson+ subscription. While the initial paid subscription growth showed a flat trend over the prior Fall semester period (as of February 2025 preliminary results), the digital engagement is clearly deepening elsewhere. For instance, in the first half of 2025, US digital subscriptions within the Higher Education segment grew by 4%. Also, the Inclusive Access offering within Higher Education saw a significant jump of 21% in sales for the nine-month period ending in the third quarter of 2025. This suggests that while the core Pearson+ paid tier might be stabilizing, the broader digital product adoption, especially for courseware and study aids, is accelerating. The company is definitely focused on the monetization of tools like the Study Prep Tool, formerly known as Channels, which is a key part of this direct relationship.

Automated, self-service support for digital platform users

For the assessment side of the business, particularly Pearson VUE, customer relationships are managed through high reliability and service quality, which translates into strong retention. Pearson VUE achieved a customer retention rate of 99%, which speaks volumes about the effectiveness of their automated and self-service testing platforms. This high retention suggests that for high-stakes testing, the automated experience is meeting or exceeding expectations, minimizing the need for high-touch, manual customer service intervention. It's a clear signal of trust in their digital delivery mechanism.

Dedicated B2B Enterprise sales teams for large corporate contracts

Pearson manages its corporate relationships through the Enterprise Learning & Skills unit, which was formed in January 2025, consolidating global enterprise sales capabilities. The focus here is on securing long-term, high-value contracts. The guidance for 2025 is for this segment to grow at a high single digit rate. To give you a sense of scale, this business unit generated £45m of sales in 2024, with an adjusted operating profit contribution of £12m after restatements. Momentum is being built through new wins, including a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. These dedicated teams are crucial for landing and expanding these enterprise solutions.

Long-term contractual relationships with government and educational institutions

Relationships with educational institutions are often locked in via multi-year contracts, especially for large assessment services and Virtual Learning provisions. For example, in the Assessment & Qualifications group, growth is often weighted to the second half of the year due to the timing of new and renewed contracts. In Virtual Learning, the relationship health is reflected in enrolments for the upcoming 2025/26 academic year, which saw an increase of 13% in Q3 2025. These enrolment figures are a direct measure of institutional commitment and trust in Pearson's virtual school offerings. The company is also operationalizing a dedicated K-12 sales team to strengthen relationships with US school administrators regarding career readiness programs.

Here's a quick look at some of the key relationship and performance metrics we've discussed:

Relationship Metric/Segment	Key Figure	Context/Period
Pearson VUE Customer Retention Rate	99%	As of early 2025 performance
Enterprise Learning & Skills 2024 Sales	£45m	2024 Restated Sales
Enterprise Learning & Skills 2025 Growth Expectation	High single digit	Full Year 2025 Guidance
Higher Education Inclusive Access Sales Growth	21%	H1 2025 Growth
Virtual Learning 2025/26 Enrolment Increase	13%	Q3 2025 Increase
US Digital Subscriptions Growth (Higher Ed)	4%	Q1 2025 Growth

If onboarding for new digital products takes longer than expected, churn risk rises, defintely something to watch as they scale AI tools.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at how Pearson plc gets its products and services into the hands of learners and institutions as of late 2025. It's a mix of digital direct-to-consumer (D2C), established testing infrastructure, and dedicated sales teams targeting different segments.

Pearson+ digital subscription platform (D2C)

The Pearson+ platform is a key D2C channel, primarily for Higher Education courseware. While the service is growing its user base, the paid subscription component has seen more tempered growth recently. As of the latest reports covering the Fall semester trend, Pearson+ registered users increased by 1% compared to the prior Fall semester.

However, paid subscriptions were reported as flat over the same period. This indicates a focus on converting the broader registered user base into paying customers, a strategy that has seen success in other parts of the digital portfolio, such as US digital subscriptions growing 3% in FY2024 and 4% in H1 2025, and Inclusive Access growing 21% in H1 2025.

To give you a concrete anchor, in 2023, Pearson+ had 3.03 million registered users and 516,000 paid subscriptions. Pearson plc has been successful in monetising its 'Channels product,' which is now also referred to as the Study Prep tool, as part of this D2C push.

Here's a quick look at the digital adoption trends influencing this channel:

• US digital subscriptions growth (H1 2025): 4%
• Inclusive Access growth (H1 2025): 21%
• Pearson+ paid subscriptions trend (latest semester): Flat
• Pearson+ registered users trend (latest semester): +1%

Pearson VUE network of over 20,000 global test centers

Pearson VUE is the backbone for delivering secure, high-stakes certification and licensure exams globally. This channel relies on a vast physical footprint. Pearson VUE operates its network across more than 180+ countries.

The reliability of this channel is high, evidenced by a customer retention rate of 99% across the business for 2024. While Pearson VUE sales saw underlying growth of 3% in FY2024, Q1 2025 saw a slight decline, with growth expected to be weighted to the second half of the year, which materialized as the channel returned to growth in Q3 2025.

The channel is also expanding its offerings to enterprise clients, building out its test prep capabilities through the Pearson Skilling Suite and securing meaningful new enterprise customer contracts with entities like ServiceNow, Microsoft, and AWS.

Metric	Value/Range	Period/Context
Test Center Reach	180+ Countries	Global Network Footprint
Customer Retention	99%	2024 Performance
Underlying Sales Growth	3%	Full Year 2024
Q1 2025 Performance	Declined Slightly	Q1 2025 Trading Update

Direct sales force for Higher Education and Virtual Learning

Pearson plc is actively transforming how it reaches its Higher Education customers, building on a successful sales team transformation. For 2025, the expectation is that Higher Education sales growth will be higher than in 2024, driven by this sales excellence and AI-enhanced product rollouts. This sales effort is crucial for winning adoption share against competitors.

Similarly, the Virtual Learning segment, which includes Virtual Schools, is ramping up its direct engagement. Specifically, 2025 is a transitionary year as Pearson builds out its direct US K-12 sales channel for proprietary materials like AP®, Dual Enrolment, and CTE offerings. The company opened three new schools in 2024, contributing to a 13% increase in 2025/26 academic year enrolments in Q3 2025, which the sales teams are capitalizing on.

The IT & Professional Learning business, which was transferred into Enterprise Learning & Skills from Higher Education in January 2025, generated £45 million in sales in 2024, showing the scale of the former HE sales reach.

Enterprise sales teams for corporate and government skilling contracts

The Enterprise Learning & Skills segment is a major focus for channel expansion, supported by dedicated strategic account management and a joined-up go-to-market approach. This segment is expected to deliver high single-digit sales growth in 2025.

Momentum is being built through strategic partnerships and contract wins. In 2024/2025, Pearson announced strategic partnerships with major technology players including Microsoft and AWS. Furthermore, the Enterprise Learning & Skills unit secured new contracts, including one with the UK Ministry of Defence as of the Q1 2025 update. The segment saw sales increase by 2% in Q3 2025.

The channel is focused on bundling offerings, for example, combining Pearson VUE, Credly, and Faethm capabilities for enterprise clients. The IT Pro business, now part of this segment, contributed £12 million in adjusted operating profit in 2024.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

You're looking at the core groups Pearson plc serves as of late 2025, based on their latest reported performance metrics. Honestly, the numbers tell a clearer story than any marketing brochure about where the real money is moving.

Higher Education students utilizing digital textbooks and MyLab/Mastering platforms

This group showed real momentum early in the year. For the nine months leading up to the end of September 2025, sales in Higher Education increased by 2% on an underlying basis. That growth was heavily fueled by the digital offerings; specifically, Inclusive Access grew by an impressive 19% over that same nine-month period, and US digital subscriptions were up 2%. To be fair, the US Higher Education sales were more stable, but the Q1 2025 underlying sales growth for the whole segment was a strong 6%. The segment's reported sales for the first half of 2025 (H1 2025) were £337 million. Remember, the IT Pro business, which used to sit here, was moved to Enterprise Learning & Skills in January 2025; that business generated £45 million in sales in 2024.

K-12 students enrolled in Virtual Learning schools

This segment saw a slight dip, which was largely anticipated. For H1 2025, sales were down 1% as they absorbed the final impact of previously announced school losses. Still, the underlying health looks better when you look at enrolment; the 2024/2025 academic year saw enrolments increase 5% on a same-school basis. The momentum is expected to return, as Q3 2025 sales grew 17%, driven by a 13% increase in 2025/26 academic year enrolments for the Fall semester. At the end of 2024, Pearson operated 40 total Virtual Schools. H1 2025 sales for Virtual Learning were £242 million.

Global candidates seeking professional and English language certifications (PTE)

The English Language Learning unit, which houses the Pearson Test of English (PTE), returned to growth in Q3 2025, with sales up 1% for the nine-month period. The overall H1 2025 sales for this unit were £171 million. While the business is confident in the medium-term outlook based on demographics, 2025 growth was expected to moderate due to the likely impact of elections on immigration rates affecting PTE volumes. For context on the scale, the PTE Academic score is reported on a scale from 10 to 90 points. Back in H1 2023, the PTE was taken 606,000 times in a half-year period.

Corporations and government agencies requiring Enterprise Learning & Skills solutions

This is a key growth area, having been redefined in January 2025 to include the former IT Pro business. For H1 2025, Enterprise Learning & Skills (EL&S) sales were £170 million, showing a 4% underlying increase. The full-year guidance for this segment is for high single-digit sales growth. This segment services approximately 1,500 EL&S enterprise customers. The integration of IT Pro, which contributed £12 million in adjusted operating profit in 2024, is part of the strategy to better service this customer base.

Educators and institutions adopting core curriculum and assessment tools

This group falls under the Assessment & Qualifications segment, which is Pearson's largest by revenue. For the nine months ending September 2025, sales growth accelerated to 4% in Q3 alone. H1 2025 sales for the entire segment were £802 million. Drilling down, Clinical Assessment sales were up 9% for the nine months, and UK & International Qualifications sales increased 8% over the same period. The segment is expected to finish the year with low to mid-single digit sales growth, with a significant portion weighted toward the fourth quarter due to contract timing.

Here's a quick look at the H1 2025 sales contribution from these core customer-facing segments:

Customer Segment Focus	H1 2025 Sales (£m)	Underlying Sales Growth (H1 2025 vs H1 2024)	Key 2025 Growth Driver Metric
Assessment & Qualifications	802	Not explicitly stated for H1, but Q3 accelerated to 4%	Clinical Assessment sales up 9% (9 months)
Higher Education	337	4%	Inclusive Access growth of 21% (H1 2025)
Virtual Learning	242	(1%)	2025/26 Enrolments up 13% in Fall semester (Q3)
English Language Learning (PTE)	171	Not explicitly stated for H1	Returned to growth in Q3 (up 1% for 9 months)
Enterprise Learning & Skills	170	4%	Guidance for high single digit full-year growth

The overall Group sales for H1 2025 were £1,722 million, up 2% on an underlying basis.

You should keep an eye on the Q4 weighting for Assessment & Qualifications and the continued strong double-digit growth in the digital components of Higher Education. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You're looking at the financial foundation that supports Pearson plc's digital transformation and content delivery strategy as of late 2025. The cost structure is heavily weighted toward technology enablement and content assets, which is typical for a modern learning company.

Interest expense is a clearly quantified item in the 2025 outlook. Pearson projects its adjusted net finance costs for the full year 2025 to be c. $\text{£}65$ million. This figure reflects the impact of the Education Bond and the intended $\text{£}350$ million share buyback programme. For context, the adjusted net finance costs in 2024 were $\text{£}45$ million, and the first half of 2025 saw adjusted net finance costs of $\text{£}24$ million.

The company explicitly notes that its 2025 guidance includes new investment to support strategy and drive growth, which covers brand, innovation spend, and transformation costs. This aligns with the stated priority to continue leading on the application of innovative technologies, like Generative AI, across learning and assessment platforms.

Key cost components that are part of the overall operating expenditure, but for which specific 2025 monetary breakdowns are not itemized in the guidance, include:

• Significant investment in technology, AI development, and platform maintenance: This is a key area of focus, with the Chief Technology Officer taking on expanded digital and technology operation leadership in April 2025.
• Content creation and licensing costs for digital IP: These costs are embedded within the Cost of Sales for digital products across Higher Education, Assessment & Qualifications, and Enterprise Learning & Skills.
• Employee compensation, including talent acquisition for digital skills: This covers the cost of the global enterprise sales team formed in January 2025 and talent needed for AI scaling.
• Restructuring and transformation costs to optimize operations: These are included in the overall investment guidance for 2025. In 2024, Higher Education margins were impacted by one-off investment and restructuring costs.

The overall cost management strategy is focused on achieving strong operational leverage on sales growth combined with being cost conscious and implementing technology-enabled cost efficiencies. Pearson expects its adjusted operating profit margin to expand beyond the 16.9% achieved in 2024, targeting an average increase of 40 basis points per annum beyond 2025.

Here's a look at the known financial context surrounding costs and expenses:

Cost/Expense Metric	2024 Actual ($\text{£}$m)	2025 Projection/Guidance ($\text{£}$m)
Adjusted Operating Profit (Context)	600	In line with market expectations
Adjusted Operating Profit Margin (Context)	16.9%	Margin expansion expected
Adjusted Net Finance Costs (Interest Expense)	45	c. 65
Headline Net Finance Costs (Context)	31	Not explicitly guided for 2025
Effective Tax Rate on Adjusted Profit Before Tax (Context)	24.4%	Between 24% and 25%

The company is actively managing its cost base by evolving its structure; for instance, Workforce Skills became Enterprise Learning and Skills in January 2025, which involved transitioning modest revenues and costs from Higher Education. This simplification is intended to sharpen focus and drive efficiency.

Pearson plc (PSO) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

You're looking at how Pearson plc actually brings in the money as of late 2025. It's a mix, but the trend is definitely digital and assessment-heavy. Honestly, the numbers from the first half of the year show they are on track for their full-year plan, which is what matters for near-term stability.

The top-line figure for the first six months of fiscal 2025 was £1,722 million in sales, representing 2% underlying growth compared to H1 2024. The company is sticking to its full-year guidance, expecting overall group underlying sales growth to be in line with market expectations, with the bulk of the growth weighted toward the second half, particularly Q4. The consensus estimate for total full-year 2025 sales is around £3,708.3 million.

Here is a breakdown of the key revenue drivers based on the H1 2025 performance and 2025 guidance:

• Digital subscriptions and access fees are the engine for recurring revenue, especially within Higher Education. For H1 2025, US digital subscriptions grew by 3%, and the Inclusive Access model saw a significant 21% increase. This aligns with the overall digital focus, where digital represented 82% of sales in 2024.
• Assessment and qualification fees provide a solid, high-margin foundation. The Assessment & Qualifications segment is guided for sales growth in the low to mid-single digit range for the full year. However, within this, Pearson VUE specifically saw an underlying sales decline of 3% in H1 2025.
• B2B Enterprise Learning contracts are a clear growth priority. Enterprise Learning & Skills is explicitly guided to grow at a high single digit rate for the full year 2025, supported by new Enterprise Solutions wins.
• Sales of traditional textbooks and courseware are implicitly declining as the digital mix increases. While a specific percentage for this segment isn't provided, the strong digital growth in Higher Education and the overall strategic pivot suggest this remains the segment Pearson plc is managing down.

To give you a clearer picture of the segment health as of the interim results, here's how the business units performed in H1 2025:

Business Unit	H1 2025 Underlying Sales Growth	Key H1 2025 Driver/Note
Assessment & Qualifications	+2%	Strong growth in Clinical Assessment (+11%) and UK & International Qualifications (+10%)
Higher Education	+4%	Driven by Inclusive Access (+21%) and US digital subscriptions (+3%)
Enterprise Learning & Skills	+4%	Vocational Qualifications delivered solid growth; Enterprise Solutions building momentum
English Language Learning	-3%	PTE sales were flat against a tough backdrop
Virtual Learning	-1%	Decline due to the final impact of previously announced school losses

The H1 2025 reported sales figure of £1,722 million is the concrete number you need to anchor your models to for the first half. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.