Sustainability Programme
IMPALA’s sustainability programme was published on 8th April 2021 and reviewed in November 2022. The programme sets an overall goal for the European independent music sector, with voluntary targets and voluntary tools, see more below.
- The overall ambition is to halve greenhouse gas emissions before 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050 (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.
- IMPALA’s work is defined by its IMPALA climate charter, see below and also available here in long form and implemented by the IMPALA sustainability task force.
- We are also one of the founding supporters of the Music Climate Pact, which we encourage all members to sign up to.
- IMPALA makes voluntary tools available to members:
- Voluntary guidance on reducing carbon, other sustainability tips.
- Climate declaration (voluntary) for individual companies, aligning themselves to the IMPALA target.
- A carbon calculator specific to the recorded music sector, powered by Julie’s Bicycle and with the financial support of a core group of members who volunteered to help pay for the tool to be developed, see more here. The calculator is supported by Murmur and Merlin, as part of their broader sustainability scheme.
- IMPALA’s current policy on climate investment can be found here.
To read more about IMPALA’s task force and other sustainability work, click here.
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 is now calling 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 members can join the 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.
The second report will be released in December 2024.
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.
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.
Emissions from downstream digital distribution (the distribution of digital recordings through Digital Service Providers [DSPs] and consumption by fans through streaming services or digital download) are excluded from the responsibility of labels and their carbon footprints – find the full explanation here.
Digital distribution is a vital part of our industry and makes up a significant portion of income for our members. We’re therefore working closely with DSPs to encourage greater transparency and will support towards measuring and reducing the impact of streaming. As part of the Music Climate Pact and our own Climate Charter, we call on DSPs to work collaboratively to share data and knowledge on this issue.
IMPALA’s Climate charter
IMPALA commits to:
1. Hold framework for European independent music sector targets
2. Convene and administer a Sustainability Task Force
3. Appoint a climate advocate for IMPALA’s board and each committee
4. Develop carbon reporting tool for members, disclose aggregate statistics
5. Transparently monitor and report own climate impacts
6. Map and share examples of best practices across Europe
7. Make climate literacy training available twice a year
8. Produce guidance for members with practical tips
9. Recognise no one size fits all, each company & country is different
10. Engage with suppliers to promote change across the supply chain
11. Work with digital music services to assess & reduce carbon footprint
12. Explore possible collective offsetting solutions for the sector
13. Support initiatives using music & culture to mobilise climate action
14. Inform members about EU funding for climate projects, help them apply
15. Speak out where we support specific issues and use our voice in Brussels
To see this charter in long form, click here