Awards, programs, guidelines, policies, codes of conduct and charters are developed and adopted by WIN members around the world, serving as tools for implementing tangible change. From promoting gender equality and embracing diversity to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and combating racism, independents are at the forefront of progressive movements.
Below is a roundup of our members’ work in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and some great flagship initiatives they have created or support: projects that are making a positive difference in the music sector and can serve as inspiration for others.
IMPALA (Europe) count on a task force implementing their work in this area, including the Diversity and Inclusion Charter, surveying members and offering them training, setting out the business case for EDI, as well as practical guidance for businesses and associations. IMPALA’s latest EDI annual report provides insights into their ongoing efforts. European associations and label members are instrumental in developing, feeding into, and applying IMPALA’s strategy and projects.
Next to their own many great initiatives (see more below), AIM (UK) is part of UK Music, the collective voice of the UK’s music industry, and as such supports a wide range EDI initiatives including the Diversity Taskforce, biannual Workforce Diversity Survey, Ten-Point Plan and Five Ps Action Plan, as well as masterclass series.
CIMA (Canada) have published an Equity Statement against community violence and commitment to equity and inclusion. They also host a very extensive resource section on their website on a range of equity topics.
PMI (Italy) promote the Carta della Diversità & Inclusione (Diversity and Inclusion Charter), a program made up of 6 objectives aimed at fostering a culture oriented towards reducing inequalities and promoting talents in their diversity.
IMCJ (Japan) held its first Global Diversity Standards Summit in June 2024 under the theme “Creating New Business Opportunities through Diversity” to deepen awareness of EDI issues in Japan. WIN contributed with a presentation on our members’ initiatives worldwide. On this occasion, IMCJ established its Global Diversity Standards Subcommittee to promote EDI issues within the industry.
IMICHILE (Chile) is involved in several initiatives including ROMMDA, a collaborative space addressing gender disparities in Chile’s music sector with several partners and over a thousand members spanning over 20 countries. Their Compromiso Morado initiative supports organizations committed to tackling gender imbalances. The Autotest Morado is a self-diagnosis on gender gaps in the workplace. IMICHILE has also developed a Gender Protocol to contribute to the integration of the gender perspective in their Fluvial conference.
MEWEM Europa implements and manages mentoring programs for women in the music industry in Europe. It promotes access to management positions, entrepreneurship and skills among young women. Project founders include FÉLIN (France) and VUT (Germany).
The Amplify Apprenticeship Scheme, launched by AIM in partnership with Women in CTRL, aims to boost diversity and inclusion in the UK independent music sector. Successful applicants fill Label Assistant roles and collaborate with A&R teams to spotlight and nurture women and non-binary talent on rosters.
Launched by AIM Ireland (Ireland) with a pilot event ‘Empowering Women in Music’, In The Round is a roundtable format, which aims to spotlight and amplify the voices of independent music industry professionals with a dedicated focus on diversity and inclusion.
The Women in Music Mentor program was a mentoring and professional development program aimed at empowering women in the Australian music industry. Created by AIR (Australia). It concluded in 2024 with a total of 375 mentees matched with industry mentors. AIR is now working on a new program for its label members to be rolled out later this year.
In collaboration with Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), ADISQ (Quebec) organized in 2023 an important Summit on sexual violence and harassment in culture in Quebec, to discuss these issues and avenues for improvement/solutions in all cultural sub-sectors. A report gathering all takeaways shall be published in Fall 2024.
Keychange is a global network and movement working towards reaching full gender equality. It offers a career development program, a gender balance pledge and a manifesto. Supporters include FÉLIN (France), VUT (Germany), IMNZ (New Zealand), AMAEI (Portugal), AIM (UK) and A2IM (USA).
Merlin Engage mentorship program pairs executive-level mentors with the next generation of talent, creating a unique environment for growth, learning, and empowerment. It is developed by Merlin, the independents’ digital music licensing partner.
Breaking Down Racial Barriers was initiated as a roundtable series on anti-Black racism in the Canadian music industry where CIMA served as a facilitator. The findings have been compiled into the BDRB Report Volumes 1 and 450 music companies have signed the BDRB Declaration.
POWER UP supports Black music creators and industry professionals, addressing anti-Black racism and racial disparities in the UK music sector. It is co-founded by PRS Foundation and AIM‘s Director of Business Development & Partnerships, Ben Wynter, and managed in partnership with YouTube Music, Beggars Group and the Black Music Coalition.
IMPALA has also worked on the question of equity in streaming reform, highlighting the risks of potentially discriminatory two-tier systems and opposing approaches that risk harming artists from underrepresented groups like “equitable remuneration”.
IMICHILE promotes dialogue with the First Nations and the Pan-American circulation of Mapuche and Rapa Nui music through the initiative El Águila y el Cóndor (“The Eagle and the Condor”). A fundamental aspect of Fluvial conference, it combines panels, workshops and showcases of indigenous artists, as well as collaboration with Canada’s International Indigenous Music Summit and other projects.
The Felix Award for Indigenous Artist of the Year is an annual award presented as part of the Félix Awards to honor music by First Nations and Inuit musicians in Quebec, created in 2019 by ADISQ.
Artist Pro is a paying benefit program offered by A2IM. It consists of a healthcare plan like Affordable Care Act options with slightly more favorable pricing. Artists who pay a $99 yearly fee have access to benefits including health plans, pet protection, life insurance, vision and dental coverage.
The Mental Health Webinar Series, hosted by CIMA, features six insightful sessions covering stress management, burnout prevention, dismantling anti-Black racism, boundary setting, conflict resolution, and time management.
AIM provide a set of resources on various topics including LGBTQ+ mental health support, musician’s mental health, approaching disability as successful employer and funding advice for disabled musicians. They also work closely with Attitude is Everything, an organization which connects disabled people with the live industries to improve access to music events.
IMPALA’s Changemaker Award puts the spotlight on projects which champion work on EDI and have an impact on the independent music sector in terms of making change happen and inspiring others to take action. Prizewinners include Black & Irish, POWER UP and Women in CTRL.
The Music Week Women in Music Awards, in association with AIM and UK Music, is an annual celebration of the great careers of women and female-identifying people in the music business.