IMPACTS
IMPALA’s Climate Training and Standards project (IMPACTS) aimed to build new climate literacy capacity for independent music companies in Europe to help them achieve a net zero carbon footprint.
IMPALA has developed hands-on advice for its nearly 6000 members, SME music companies and self-releasing artists, as well as tools such as a bespoke carbon calculator (the first of its kind within in the music sector) with Julie’ s Bicycle, for members to track their footprint.
As the next step for the sector, IMPALA delivered training on how to use these new tools, to develop new capacity and skills at scale. IMPACTS offered customised climate literacy training by international and local experts in 6 territories across Europe. You can find more information on exact territories of all six climate training sessions here.
In addition, the IMPACTS project raised awareness of positive stories and best practices, as a catalyst for further change to promote climate optimism and the value of both individual and collective actions, see here.
The project also established a framework to start looking at how sector-wide benchmarks and standards might be developed, find out more about the work of our climate analysis group and find the final standards report here.
IMPALA members can sign up to the tool here.
Training
Our sixth and final climate workshop in cooperation with Indieco, the Finnish Association of Independents, took place online on March 7th, focussed on Finland.
Our fifth and climate workshop in cooperation with DUP, the Danish Independent Record Companies, took place online on February 28th, focussed on Denmark.
Our fourth climate workshop in cooperation with PMI, the Italian association of Independent Music Producers, took place online on December 12th, focussed on Italy.
Our third climate workshop in cooperation with RUNDA took place on December 1st, during Runda Digital Day in Zagreb.
Members of RUNDA, the Regional Association of Independent Discographers Balkans, were able to register and attend the workshop for free. The recording of the workshop is available here.
Our second climate workshop in cooperation with UFI and BIME took place on October 28th, at 11:50am CET, focussed on Spain.
Members of UFI, the Spanish Independent Phonographic Union, were able to register and attend the workshop for free.
Find more info about the workshop here.
Our first climate webinar took place on September 29th, and focussed on Germany. The webinar was open to VUT members who can get more information about the webinar and find the recording on the VUT website.
Best practice examples
The Music Climate Pact is a global platform, initiated by the UK’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) and record labels association the BPI, as a response to COP26 and the urgent call for collective action to combat the climate crisis.
PMI, the Italian Association of Independent Music Producers, created the Sustainable Music Manifesto: a programme of 10 targets.
The Manifesto can be signed by all actors in the music industry and artists who want to take on the environmental sustainability of the sector as a primary objective of their activities.
You can sign the Manifesto here.
Music Declares Emergency has partnered with Evolution Music, Secretly Group and Ninja Tune to release tracks from on a new bioplastic vinyl alternative.
The release is the first publicly available example of a bioplastic vinyl alternative, developed by Evolution Music as part of their mission to decarbonise the production of physical product in the music business.
Music Declares Emergency is a group of artists, music industry professionals and organisations that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth.
!K7 Music believes in a shared responsibility to tackle the climate crisis. They urge our governments to urgently put in place the best structural and legislative frameworks required to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. !K7 Music also want to take responsibility for their own carbon footprint and reduce it wherever possible. They have developed a company-wide target to decarbonise and significantly reduce the environmental impact of our operations and created a carbon report.
Beggars are committed to becoming a carbon negative business – this means that they will aim to reduce their carbon footprint to less than zero, to have the net effect of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than adding to it. Taking action on sustainability issues is important to their stakeholders – including artists and employees – and to the continued success of their business. The climate and ecological crisis is one of the great challenges facing humanity and Beggars want its impact as a business to be beneficial to the environment.
Environmental sustainability is a priority for Ninja Tune. Like a lot of people they are worried about the climate and ecological emergency, the impending weather, food, water catastrophes caused by greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution.
The band organised a plastic-free tour, aiming at reducing emissions to zero, and moves from small villages in the Alps to ones in the south. As well as playing their music, the band looks for a dialogue with the residents to discuss and understand their difficulties in living in a sustainable way, what is needed to make their villages once again vital and alive.
Climate Analysis Group
The work of IMPALA’s climate analysis group is a focussed continuation of IMPALA’s sustainability programme.
The group is made up of industry experts and external advisors.
As part of the IMPACTS project, the climate analysis group met on a monthly basis, which led to the creation of a standards report in April 2023.
