Some statistics from the approximately 2600 people who had pledged by April 7, 2009.

The largest number of people pledging are from the United States, but in proportion to population, Canada has a pledging rate about three times that of the U.S., and Australians are pledging at an even higher rate. (This could be due to the fact that Peter Singer is Australian and is better known there than anywhere else. In addition, the book was published in Australia at the beginning of February, a month before it was published anywhere else.) In Europe the two countries in which the book has already been published – the UK and Sweden – are well represented. Apart from them, Germany has the highest number of pledges, followed by the Netherlands and then Poland and Italy. Outside North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, there are also some pledges from Asia – especially Singapore – as well as a small number from Latin America and Africa. The extensive areas of the former Soviet Union have so far yielded few pledges, but there are some from remote regions such as Kazakhstan.

About half of those pledging left us some further information about themselves. In respect of the amount that they earn, they mirror the population as a whole. Unsurprisingly, the great majority is from the first income bracket. So far no one who has pledged has indicated that they are in the highest income bracket, but we have had one from the 2nd highest bracket. Most of those pledging have a university degree, and a considerable number have a postgraduate qualification. About 50% more women pledge than men. The pledgees list many kinds of occupations. People who have retired or are on disability pensions have also pledged, as have some clergy. So too have people who are not yet at the stage of life in which they can earn a normal salary, including high school students and university undergraduates. We are especially happy to report that even a few philosophers have taken the pledge.