UK Music publishes 2020 Music Diversity Survey and unveils a Ten Point Plan to put the music business ‘front and centre’ of the drive to tackle racism and boost diversity in Britain. Since its launch in 2016, the survey has tracked 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.
Key findings of the 2020 Music Diversity Survey
- Representation of Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities among those aged 16-24 in the music industry stands at 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 new high of 19.9% – but that means they fill just one in five senior posts.
- The survey findings from UK Music – the collective voice of the UK music industry – 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 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 survey reveals the music industry continues to make good progress on improving diversity and the work done to boost inclusion in the four years since the surveys started is paying off. However, more work is needed and the urgent need for faster change has driven the creation of UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce’s Ten-Point Plan, led by its chair Ammo Talwar MBE and Deputy Chair Paulette Long OBE.
UK Music’s Ten-Point Plan
- 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 & 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 full report can be downloaded here.
