UK Music has today unveiled a 10-point plan for the industry based on its 2020 Workforce Diversity Survey in its UK Music Diversity Report.
This year, a record 3,670 people working in the music industry took part in UK Music’s survey.
Since its launch in 2016, the survey tracks progress to boost diversity and inclusion in the UK’s music industry that contributes £5.2 billion a year to the UK economy and sustains 190,000 jobs.
Among the key findings of the 2020 Music Industry Workforce Diversity Survey are:
- Representation of Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities among those aged 16-24 in the music industry stands at a record 30.6% – up from 25.9% in 2018.
- Proportion of women increases from 45.3% in 2016 to new high of 49.6% in 2020.
- Number of people from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities at entry-level rises from 23.2% in 2018 to new high of 34.6% in 2020.
- Number of women in the 45-64 age group drops from 38.7% in 2018 to 35% in 2020.
- Representation of Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities at senior executive levels rises from 17.9% in 2018 to 19.9%.
The survey findings from UK Music come in the wake of a year of action, triggered by the death of George Floyd and the protests in support of Black Lives Matter.
The music industry reacted with initiatives including Black Out Tuesday. The survey results will also inform industry initiatives to build on the work that followed the #MeToo campaign to highlight sexual abuse and harassment.
The survey collates data from across the music business including studios, management agencies, music publishers, major and independent record labels, music licensing companies and the live music sector.
The need for faster change has driven the creation of UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce’s 10-point plan, outlined below:
- Urban classification to be replaced in all reports and communications – either by genre such as soul or rap; UK Music members will commit to support those who wish to use the term “black music”. Members to stop using the acronym BAME – use Black, Asian or ethnic minority background rather than acronym.
- UK Music members to compile a database of persons accountable and responsible for diversity across organisation.
- UK Music members to commit and spend an allocated amount of their annual recruitment budget to ensure a diverse candidate pool.
- UK Music members to allocate a certain amount of their annual training budget on a 12-month diversity Continuing Professional Development / training programme to ensure fair career opportunities for all.
- UK Music members to allocate budget and implement a programme to increase diverse representation in middle and senior management.
- UK Music members to help UK Music implement better transparency around gender and ethnic pay gap – move towards lower reporting rate of 50+ employees.
- Each UK Music member to identify a socially engaged organisation whose work relates to gender or race whom they can invest in on a long term basis.
- Each UK Music member to develop diversity policies and internally set diversity targets for core staff. Targets to be published and reported to UK Music and updated annually in order to assess progress. Member bodies to promote diversity and inclusion to partners and stakeholders ensuring industry standards are met.
- UK Music members to amplify their work with UK Music Diversity Taskforce to increase the response rate and ultimately the data collected in the Biennial UK Music Workforce. Diversity Survey with both their own employees and membership. Aim to have 80% of core staff respond to next survey.
- Each UK Music members to work towards increasing diversity on its executive bodies and boards – 30% diverse (race) and 50% (gender). Progress towards these goals is to be reported to UK Music as part of annual progress audit.
The 10-point plan was devised following widespread consultation by members of the UK Music Taskforce with stakeholders right across the music industry, as well as an analysis of the survey data. A series of focus groups were also held to gauge opinion.