Anti-Racism Code of Conduct launched for UK Music Industry

Black Lives In Music Announce: Anti-Racism Code Of Conduct

A Landmark Initiative Driving the Future of an Equitable Music Industry

Coming Soon:
EquiTrack - Revolutionary Software to Measure the Success of Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is spearheading transformative change with the launch of their groundbreaking Anti-Racism Code Of Conduct. This game-changing initiative is poised to reshape the music industry, creating a future where equity is the standard.

Endorsed by the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), BLiM’s internationally acclaimed Anti-Racism Code of Conduct is set to become the definitive framework for driving impactful change across the industry. Pivotal industry organisations have already committed to the Code, including Independent Society of Musicians, Attitude Is Everything and Musicians’ Union - a collective pledge to dismantle racial discrimination within the UK music sector.

Read the Anti-Racism Code of Conduct HERE

Black Lives in Music launched in 2021 to help tackle racial inequality in the UK music industry. Through their lauded ‘Being Black in the Music Industry’ survey - the largest ever survey of data focused on the experiences of black musicians and industry professionals - BLiM found conclusive evidence supporting the long-held beliefs about racial discrimination in the industry.

BLiM findings also included: significant effects on the mental health of Black women and the disabled, disproportionate disparity in earnings for Black women, and the desperate need for the music industry to create an Anti-Racism Support Service.

Read the report ‘Being Black in the Music Industry’ HERE.
To tackle this, the Anti-Racist Code of Conduct has been developed for companies in the music industry to hold themselves to account on their diversity and inclusion efforts.

It includes commitments around transparency, education on rights for employees, behaviour and reporting of discrimination, types of discrimination, training, support, collaboration and much more. It is a comprehensive guide to eradicating discrimination in companies and for spreading the practice around the music industry

Unveiled at the prestigious WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) conference, the Anti-Racism Code represents a dynamic ecosystem where no individual, group, or organisation will experience or engage in discriminatory practices based on race, a Protected Characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

As a strategic advisory partner for WOMEX 24, BLiM has been working with Manchester Music City and Piranha Arts to deliver a range of impactful programmes and initiatives that champion anti-racist narratives within the music industry, from workforce representation practices to leadership and empowerment workshops for underrepresented professionals.

The launch of the Anti-Racism Code of Conduct, along with the forthcoming introduction of EquiTrack, is a part of Brighter Sound’s pioneering ‘WE, THE LEADERS: Future Forming Symposium’ at WOMEX 24. This forward-thinking event unites visionaries from across the global music landscape to challenge the status quo, tackle systemic barriers, and co-create a reimagined, inclusive future.

To be unveiled soon, EquiTrack will be transformative for the music industry - a cutting-edge digital tool that allows organisations to assess, track, and measure their progress toward achieving diversity and inclusion goals. By providing real-time insights, it will enable music leaders to break through long-standing barriers to equity and take actionable, measurable steps to build inclusive workplace cultures, driving meaningful and sustained transformation across the industry.

Quotes:
Roger Wilson, Co-founder and Director of Operations, Black Lives in Music
"Black Lives in Music is thrilled to be attending WOMEX 24. This is a flagship event in the industry calendar, and this year we're both pleased and proud to be a national delivery partner. It's fitting that at the 30th anniversary of this magnificent event, BLiM will launch its Anti-Racism Code of Conduct and introduce EquiTrack, an upcoming digital tool crucial in supporting organisations to drive change. EquiTrack highlights the innovative side of BLiM, utilising technology to support the sector. I'm convinced its launch later in the year will be a game changer for shifting the dial in the fight against racism while informing best practice on inclusive culture."

Alexander Walter, director, WOMEX
"Today marks a pivotal moment in the journey toward an equitable music industry. As a global platform for the exchange of ideas, music and cultural innovation, WOMEX is proud to serve as the launching pad for Black Lives in Music’s transformative Anti-Racism Code of Conduct. This game-changing initiative aligns with our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable music industry."

On behalf of Manchester Music City, Kate Lowes (Director, Brighter Sound):
"Thank you to Black Lives in Music for their advisory support in the development of WOMEX 24 in Manchester; it's been a real privilege to have worked with such a passionate and forward-thinking team. We're delighted that they have chosen this event - and Manchester - as the platform to launch their Anti-Racism Code of Conduct and pioneering EquiTrack tool. We are committed to continuing our learning journey beyond WOMEX, and as sector lead for Manchester Music City we will ensure this important resource is integrated into city-wide practice."

Celia Makin-Bell, Managing Director, Attitude is Everything:
"Black Lives in Music are key partners in our work to tackle inequity and discrimination across the music and live events industry. We welcome their Anti-Racism Code of Conduct, which we see as a vital part of ensuring inclusion and safe working environments for black disabled people. We encourage the industry to engage with BLIM's new Equi-Track tool and believe it can be a key resource in tackling discrimination within the industry across all protected characteristics."

Jen Smith, CIISA:
"As well as endorsing Black Live's in Music Anti Racism Code, CIISA will be using EquiTrack as we view it as an essential tool to embed more equitable working environments within the creative industries. EquiTrack is cutting edge, including the most relevant range of resources within it, including anti-racism training. This new tool will underpin and enable businesses to assess progress through tailored data and analysis and improve the impact and effectiveness of all our inclusion strategies and collective efforts."

Jon Collins, Chief Executive, LIVE
“We all understand the powerful, positive role that music plays in our society and how live music, in particular, delivers wonderful, uniting communal experiences. However, too often the opportunity to build those experiences is reduced or removed by racism in our systems and processes. From informality in how we recruit and retain to racial inequalities in licensing there is still much to be done. Data is vital to informed decision making, shaping new policies and procedures and measuring our progress. EquiTrack will provide the platform to allow us all to assess the steps required to take and measure our progress. LIVE is strengthened by its work with Black Lives in Music and we are committed to being a truly anti-racist organisation across all our work. Together we can continue to make progress and deliver positive change.”

Cassie Raine, Co-CEO and Executive Director, Parents and Carers in the Performings Arts (PiPA)
"Without a structured framework anti-racist initiatives risk being ad-hoc, failing to address the systemic inequalities that we must dismantle in order to embed change. Parents and Carers in the Performing Arts (PiPA) wants to be an effective anti-racist organisation and also make an impact on the partners and industries we work with. EquiTrack will be an invaluable tool to help us progress and hold ourselves to account."

Sarah Woods, Chief Executive, Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter
Music is a force that unites people around the world and we are all poorer if we fail to recognise and address the obstacles that prevent that force from thriving. Evidence shows that Black musicians and musicians from the Global Majority face increased challenges in their careers and it is the duty of all of us to ensure racism has no place within music. Data from EquiTrack will support us as individuals, organisations and ultimately as an industry to identify where we can do more and do better. By committing Help Musicians to being a truly anti-racist organisation, we understand we’re on a journey of continual learning and we’re grateful to Black Lives in Music for leading positive change in this area.