UK Music responds to the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

UK Music, its members and Diversity Taskforce are united in our determination to increase diversity, representation and inclusion in the music industry and tackle the racism and inequality that evidence and experience tell us exist.

We are disappointed by the contents of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report. The report does not go far enough in recognising the extent of structural and systemic racism.

There are missed opportunities in not making ethnic pay gap reporting a legal requirement. The report also missed the chance to adequately reflect the lived experience of ethnically diverse communities in the music industry and across society.

We believe much more can and should urgently be done to tackle racism and boost diversity and inclusion.

We urge the Government to act at speed to implement the Commission’s recommendations where those recommendations echo proposals made in previous reports on this subject.

But the Government must also go further in addressing the racial and structural inequalities that persist across society.

Our industry also has much more to do, and we are taking steps on that journey with commitment and pace.

UK Music’s Ten-Point Plan, developed by our Diversity Taskforce and published last year, sets out one clear way forward. The blueprint is already being implemented across the music industry.

The Government should work to deliver real improvements with robust timelines, investment, key performance markers and accountability.

We would urge the Government to work with us to achieve meaningful and sustainable change to ensure our society is as diverse and inclusive as we are striving to make the UK music industry.

About UK Music

UK Music is the umbrella organisation which represents the collective interests of the UK’s commercial music industry – from artists, musicians, songwriters and composers, to record labels, music managers, music publishers, studio producers, music licensing organisations and the live music industry. The members of UK Music are: AIM, The Ivors Academy, BPI, FAC, MMF, MPA, MPG, MU, PPL, PRS for Music and the Live Music Group. www.ukmusic.org