Sustainability

With the help of its sustainability task force IMPALA has a full sustainability programme for members, including a bespoke carbon calculator for members. We are also one of the founding supporters of the Music Climate Pact, which we encourage all members to sign up to, see more below.

IMPALA’s sustainability programme was published on 8th April 2021 and revised in November 2022 to be in line with relevant climate science. IMPALA’s updated plan includes carbon goals for 2030 (to halve greenhouse gas emissions before it) and 2050 (achieve net zero emissions before it, or sooner if feasible), and measure and disclose greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis. By 2026, we hope that a majority of our members will have adopted our Climate Declaration for Individual Companies. The programme also comes with a climate charter, tips for members and more. These are the first music sector carbon targets. The programme is voluntary for members – the targets are sector level. We have also updated our current policy on offsetting and climate investment.

One of IMPALA’s aims was also to produce the first carbon calculator for recorded music to help labels assess the impact of their own business and their supply chain, and we looked to the sector to join us in this endeavour. The calculator was developed together with Julie’s Bicycle, thanks to contributions from a range of forward thinking companies and associations across Europe who got together to crowdfund the project and is supported by Merlin through the Weidenmüller Sustainability Fund and Murmur. The calculator officially launched in April 2022 and is available to all IMPALA members here. In June 2023, following the European Green Week, IMPALA released its first membership Carbon Calculator report, accessible here.

In June 2022, IMPALA received EU funding for its IMPACTS initiative – IMPALA’s Climate Training and Standards project. The project is complementary to our work with the calculator, as it helped support climate literacy training sessions and standards development work. In 2025, a new four year training programme of work and other works started, thanks to EC funding.

IMPALA’s work also focuses on supporting sector initiatives like Music Declares Emergency (MDE) and promoting its work. MDE received IMPALA’s outstanding contribution award at the end of 2019. We also signed MDE’s declaration committing to share expertise, speak up and work towards making our business ecologically sustainable and regenerative. We also spoke to Maddy Read Clarke and Fay Milton from MDE for our 20MinutesWith podcast. Find it here.

IMPALA’s first qualitative survey for sustainability in the independent music sector, in 2024, highlighted the clear business benefits of taking sustainability action. In the business case, companies reported financial savings, greater innovation, stronger brand appeal, and improved ability to attract artists, fans, and employees. Sustainability was seen as a core part of responsible business, helping labels prepare for future reporting obligations, access tax incentives, and influence industry standards. Collaboration was also viewed as essential to driving sector-wide change and building a more resilient, sustainable music industry.

With Music Declare Emergency and Julie’s Bicycle, IMPALA met EC Vice President responsible for climate action, Frans Timmermans as well as Mariya Gabriel, the commissioner responsible for culture, youth, research and innovation.

IMPALA also supports the UN’s sustainable development goals, known as SDGs. We are a partner to the Guide to Music and the SDGs covering each of the 17 Global Goals, published by the Center for Music Ecosystems. The guide offers examples and guidance, as well as suggesting a new framework, building on the role music can play in achieving sustainable development goals.

IMPALA is calls on all interested members to join the #WeMeasureTogether campaign and use the calculator to produce carbon reports. This will allow IMPALA to create an overview of the sector and develop a carbon baseline. From this understanding it will be possible to develop more targeted pathways for action that will benefit the whole independent music sector. IMPALA also calls on the EU and national governments to provide support for sector programmes that provide transition pathways. IMPALA points to the need to put culture at the heart of development policies. Besides making up about 4% of the European Union’s GDP and providing about 7.6m jobs in Europe, culture and music can act as catalysts for a just and sustainable transition of the society as a whole due to their unique ability to reach wide audiences. The value of culture should be reflected in all high-level initiatives, including future COP summits, for example by incorporating a theme day for culture and investigating how culture can be perceived as part of the solution.

Ahead of COP 26, IMPALA called on the EU and governments to “Step up, promote solidarity and support sectors leading the way”. During the week of Earth Day 2021, IMPALA released a special 20MinutesWith podcast on April 22nd with Horst Weidenmüller and Alison Tickell on IMPALA’s recent announcement, including its carbon targets, climate charter and more. IMPALA also published guidance for members on April 23rd, with practical and effective solutions for members to make their businesses more sustainable

Are you a member of IMPALA? Sign up for free and start tracking your footprint today and join over 100 users who are already tracking their impact.

IMPALA members can join the WeMeasureTogether campaign by publishing the visual below and their carbon report, with the #WeMeasureTogether hashtag.

In June 2023, following the European Green Week, IMPALA released its first membership Carbon Calculator report, accessible here.

As an alternative to carbon offsetting, IMPALA is investigating how its members can support projects that have more immediate systemic impact. Murmur is a climate investment initiative founded by leaders in climate strategy and the creative industries, which enables the worlds of visual arts and music to play their part in combatting the climate crisis. Overseen by a panel of experts, Murmur’s strategic climate fund will direct finance towards the most impactful climate mitigation work they can find.

As mentioned above, IMPALA is a supporter of the Music Climate Pact, initiated by the UK 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.

Find out more and join the pact here.

IMPALA’s sustainability task force consists of: Peter Quicke, chair of Ninja Tune as its chair and Alison Tickell Founder and CEO of Julie’s Bicycle as adviser, Ian Stanton (Head of Sustainability at Beggars Group), Danko Stefanović from Balkans association RUNDA, Nina Radojewski from UK association AIM, Zsolt Jeges from Hungarian association HAIL, Chris Webb from Anjunabeats, Sami Güven and Tanya Varer from the Turkish association BMYD, Giles Drew from State 51, Fabienne Schmuki from the Swiss association IndieSuisse, Guillaume Warmerdam representing LAB Music in the Netherlands and the Dutch association STOMP, Caroline Hansen, Lucy Sharatt, Dan Minchom and Rob Soma-Lewis from WARP, Frances Pollitzer from Domino, Agnete Hannibal as the representative of the Danish association DUP, IMPALA’s treasurer Geert de Blaere from News and Belgian association BIMA, Joerg Heidemann from VUT, Julia Voekel from EDEL/ Optimal and additional input from Jacob Bilabel from German THEMA1.

See here for IMPALA’s climate ambition paper.
See here for IMPALA’s climate charter.
See here for IMPALA’s practical guidance for members.
See here for IMPALA’s voluntary declaration for members.
See here for IMPALA’s actions to reduce our own carbon footprint.
See here for IMPALA’s carbon calculator.
Sign the MDE declaration here.
See MDE’s tips for labels to improve their carbon footprint.
See Julie’s Bicycle’s template for businesses to develop their own climate polic

IMPALA – Independent Music Companies Association

Rue des Deux Eglises 37-39, 1000, Brussels, BELGIUM

+32 2 503 31 38