Music leaders launch MICC to develop sectoral guidance to measure scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions

Santa Monica & New York, November 29, 2023 – In advance of the November 30 opening of the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (or “COP28”), music companies Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group and Warner Music Group today announced the establishment of the Music Industry Climate Collective (“MICC”), a new, music industry alliance to address the pressing challenges and profound changes in global climate.

In a statement, MICC’s founding members said: “This initiative demonstrates what can be achieved when music leaders come together with a shared vision and commitment to sustainability. We are proud to collaborate to amplify environmental stewardship and offer practical recommendations and strategies tailored to the unique needs of music companies, regardless of their size or scale of operations. Together, we must continue to make progress on this vital priority. We welcome all to join us in reducing our industry’s carbon footprint by working together to ensure an environmentally responsible future for music and our planet.”

The American Association of Independent Music (or A2IM), the not-for-profit trade organization representing a diverse community of more than 600 independently owned record labels operating within the United States, has been named as an advisor to MICC. MICC is looking to A2IM to assist with a number of issues, beginning with recommendations on how best to include small-to-medium-sized businesses by connecting the indies’ critical perspective to the initiative.

In a significant step towards addressing music’s environmental impact, MICC’s first initiative will be the deployment of comprehensive sectoral guidance for measuring scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. For the music sector, the vast majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are in scope 3.

Scope 3 refers to indirect emissions that occur in the value chain, such as those from product manufacturing, distribution, and licensing. However, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol ‒ the internationally accepted method for companies to account for value chain emissions ‒ does not provide guidance for measuring the indirect emissions specific to the music industry’s nuanced and complex ecosystem.

To date, MICC’s members have worked with scientific experts to complete their first draft of the guidance, which will be made available for industry participants’ consideration. MICC’s members have initiated calls for wider industry input through an advisory council composed of independent record labels, value chain partners, and climate experts. To ensure consistency and broad applicability, MICC will further develop the guidance through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder process.

The establishment of an industry-specific approach to calculating scope 3 emissions will provide a science-based standard that will help catalyze climate resilience within the music sector, provide critical guidance to partner companies seeking to initiate measurement of their own emissions, and encourage consistency in how music companies develop and disclose GHG inventories.

MICC’s member companies are also members of the Music Climate Pact, which sets out the music sector’s commitments to combat climate change. The member companies are committed to continued collaboration promoting sustainability within the music sector, including by fostering partnerships and sharing knowledge and emission reduction strategies while promoting innovation.

About Universal Music Group
At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information on Universal Music Group N.V. visit www.universalmusic.com

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