The Beggars Group and Ninja Tune announce plans to become carbon negative companies 19 Apr 2021
In advance of Earth Day 2021, The Beggars Group and Ninja Tune - two of the largest independent record label groups - have announced ambitious, industry leading environmental targets that will soon see both companies transform to a carbon negative position.
These announcements come at the start of 'Turn Up The Volume', a week curated by Music Declares Emergency which aims to highlight the amazing work on sustainability already taking place across UK music and bring together artists and fans to create a better, greener, fairer future for all.
The Beggars Group and Ninja Tune are founding members of IMPALA's Sustainability Taskforce which, having been established in March 2021, aims to encourage European independent labels to work together to address sustainability issues in a collaborative manner. The programme consists of a climate charter, overall targets and voluntary tools for IMPALA members.
Both companies are focussing action on areas where they have the largest environmental impacts. Initiatives include encouraging pressing plants to switch to renewable power, reducing the impact of freight operations and minimising business travel. In addition, both companies have installed renewable energy systems at their London offices.
The Beggars Group, which comprises some of the world's most recognisable independent record labels in 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, XL Recordings & Young, have established a strategy rooted in climate science. As a priority, the company will reduce internal and supply chain-related carbon emissions at a rate aligned with the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. This means reducing total emissions 46%, by 2030, with Beggars seeking external validation for decarbonisation targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative. This transition is being managed by the company's first Head of Sustainability, Will Hutton, who has spent the last six months evaluating all UK-based operations first; "We've worked hard to make sure the pathway we have established is science-based and built on rigorous analysis of available data," he says.
Full details inc. the company's first emissions report at https://beggars.com/group/sustainability
Ninja Tune, who also incorporate scene defining labels like Big Dada and Technicolour and work closely with Brainfeeder, are committed to becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2021 and carbon negative beyond that. The label will measure its environmental impacts, continue to work on reductions, and balance the remaining using tree planting, rainforest protection and other carefully chosen and audited real world actions. This builds on a series of changes including the removal of CD jewel cases from all their releases 12 years ago, switching to 140g vinyl and using sustainably sourced FSC card and paper in packaging, and long running support for environmental groups including Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion and The Rainforest Trust.
Full details at https://ninjatune.net/sustainability
Ninja Tune Chair Peter Quicke said: "The climate crisis is already affecting millions of people, governments need to act now. Ninja Tune's net zero commitment reflects an active drive towards sustainability, but it's also a call for widespread change."
Beggars Group CEO Paul Redding said: "Music has the power to help catalyse societal action on the climate crisis so it's vital that businesses like ours do all we can to help protect the environment. We can't do it alone. We're just one small part of a broader community made up of artists, music associations and suppliers, and it's essential that we work in a coordinated way to address sustainability issues together as an industry.
NEWS & PRESS
emPawa Africa co-founder Ikenna Nwagboso to exit role as global head of label services and partnerships
EXECUTIVE CO-FOUNDED COMPANY WITH AFROBEATS SUPERSTAR MR EAZI IN 2018 Global entertainment company emPawa Africa has announced that Ikenna Nwagboso, co-founder and Global Head of Label Services and Partnerships, will step down from his role effective January 2025. Nwagboso was instrumental...more
Darina Connolly named as General Manager of Rhino UK
Warner Music has announced today that the widely-respected industry executive, Darina Connolly, has joined Rhino UK as the label's General Manager. She will report directly to Warner Music's SVP, Global Catalogue, Dirk Ewald, with a dotted line to WMUK's COO, Isabel Garvey. Connolly...more
Egg London Nightclub Undergoes Extensive Renovation Under New Management Company
Egg London is one of the capital's longest-running and most influential clubs and it is now heading into a fresh era under all-new management company Chapter 1 Creations. The Loft, Middle Floor and Garden arenas have all been extensively renovated with upgraded...more
Kids' audio platform Yoto teams up with Elton John to release new version of Diamonds album as the first-ever Collector's Edition Yoto cards
Only 1,000 of each Collector's Edition design will be produced, using illustrated Elton John characters as album artwork for the first time Yoto, the audio platform for kids behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning screen-free Yoto Player and Yoto Mini, is...more
Abbey Road and Because Music announce season one of new series Live Cuts
Celebrating the crafts of recording and mastering Season one of ‘Live Cuts’ is in association with Because Music celebrating the label’s 20th anniversary LISTEN TO AMADOU & MARIAM ‘LIVE CUTS’ WATCH DOCUMENTARY FILM Today (8th Nov) Abbey Road Studios has announced ‘Live Cuts’, a...more
Lekeisha Irion named as new Head of A&R at WCM Benelux
Lekeisha Irion has been appointed as Head of A&R at Warner Chappell Music (WCM) Benelux, part of the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group (WMG). She will be based in the company’s Amsterdam headquarters and report to Niels Walboomers,...more
Streaming service On Air announces global licensing deal with Mercury Studios
Streaming service On Air has announced a global licensing deal with production studio Mercury Studios. Under the agreement, On Air will distribute content from the UMG-owned Mercury Studios’ catalogue of live concert video performances. A premium streaming service for on-stage entertainment,...more
PRS for Music responds to false accusations by PACE
The recent statements regarding the ongoing litigation between PACE and PRS are false and are unfortunately aimed at being deliberately divisive. We have enormous respect for everyone in the music industry, who work tirelessly to support and provide opportunities for the...more
TikTok launches 'Share to TikTok' feature
Today, TikTok is pleased to announce the launch of 'Share to TikTok', a new music promotion feature which will allow users to share from Apple Music and Spotify to TikTok. 'Share to TikTok' gives users of music streaming services (DSPs) the...more
Gigantic Tickets announces wave of staff promotions forming new leadership team
Gigantic Tickets is today pleased to announce a raft of staff promotions in its senior management team, signalling a new era for the ticket agency. Simon Carpenter – who for the last nine years has led Gigantic’s commercial team, as part...more
Red Bullet and Pythagoras Music Fund partner with Collabhouse on pre-cleared artist music library
Move comes less than two weeks since Dutch company unveiled platform’s latest arm Less than two weeks after launching its industry-disrupting Pre-Cleared Artist Music Library, Collabhouse today confirmed a new partnership with prestigious label Red Bullet and the Pythagoras Music Fund. The...more
PACE: PRS accuses the majority of managers and venues of being inefficient and unprofessional
In response to an ongoing court action concerning the licensing of live performance rights, the Performing Right Society (PRS) has attempted to justify the existence of a preferential scheme for large-scale live events (the Major Live Concerts Service, or MLCS)...more
Audio and Video Collaboration Superapp Pibox Expands Financing to $1.2m
Los Angeles-based Pibox (pibox.com) has secured $1.2M to launch its audio and video collaboration tools for the creative industries. Investors include Presto Ventures, Globalive Capital, and Startup Wise Guys. Techstars alums with customers ranging from Sony Music Publishing to Universal Music Publishing Group,...more
93 Feet East Marks 25 Years With Host of Audio-Visual Upgrades
www.93feeteast.co.uk Layout and bar changes also usher in the next chapter 93 Feet East on Brick Lane has been at the heart of London's underground music scene for a quarter of a century. This iconic East London institution is now marking its...more
The BRIT Awards 2025 with Mastercard announce hosts for brand new content series
The BRITs POV The BRIT Awards with Mastercard today announce Chloe Nattrass, Krystal D'Anjou, and Maya Egbo as the presenters for The BRITs POV, a new content series bringing fans closer to the latest in music, showbiz and entertainment and pop...more
Music Leaders Network announces September 2024 cohort
The September 2024 cohort includes participants from Sentric, peermusic, AEI and PRS Foundation. This is the biggest cohort of the transformative leadership programme yet, with 14 music leaders from across the industry taking part. Led by Remi Harris and Tamara Gal-On, the...more
White Label Auction in aid of The BRIT Trust achieves £26,845 hammer price
Signed test pressings by The Cure, David Gilmour, Rag'n'Bone Man, The 1975, Jamiroquai, and Wham!, among the hundred-plus lots sold, takes the total raised for the charity since 2019 to more than £160,000 The White Label Auction in Aid of The...more
Music Industry Trusts Award 2024
JASON ILEY MBE HONOURED WITH MITS AWARD AT STAR STUDDED CEREMONY In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the music industry Major artists came together to celebrate Jason Iley: Calvin Harris, George Ezra, Jade Thirlwall, Joy Crooks, Paloma Faith, Perrie Edwards, Rag'n'Bone Man, Tom...more
BBC to mark the 40th anniversary of Band Aid
BBC Four and BBC Radio 2 will be marking the 40th anniversary since the recording of the first ever Band Aid single, Do They Know It's Christmas?, which took place on Sunday 25th November 1984. The programming includes footage from that day which has never...more
Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim) to Receive Top MPG Award
Ceremony to take place 24th April 2025 The Music Producers Guild in association with Dolbyand Mix With The Mastersare delighted to honour iconic DJ and Producer Norman Cook with the PPL Present The MPG Award For Outstanding Contribution To UK Music. This is...more
Connyct App Emerges from Stealth with Dream Team of Tech, Social and Media Veterans
Tech pioneers, media and social innovators, and finance industry veterans join forces to reinvent personalized social communities A coalition of digital pioneers and entertainment innovators have emerged from stealth mode to unveil Connyct, bringing together a team of proven innovators in viral...more
Soundstripe taps best-in-business partners to create industry-first product
Partners Orfium, Tuned Global, Music Reports, and Cyanite team up to streamline commercial music licensing Soundstripe, the go-to music licensing company for creatives, is teaming up with established industry leaders to bring a vital upgrade to commercial music licensing. In partnership...more
SOPHIE and Cymande to be recognised at the Artist & Manager Awards 2024
Barry Can’t Swim, Jalen Ngonda, The Last Dinner Party & Rachel Chinouriri feature on our Breakthrough Artist shortlist, sponsored by TikTok Other previously announced winners include Pet Shop Boys and Angela Becker, Chase & Status and Sophie Kennard, and Yungblud &...more
BBC Radio 6 Music names its Artists of the Year 2024
Today (Monday 4th November) on the BBC Radio 6 Music Breakfast Show (7.30am-10.30am), Nick Grimshaw, sitting in for Lauren Laverne, announced 6 Music’s Artists of the Year 2024. Announced each November, the list features ten acts who, over the past year, have...more
Ivors Academy members elects new Senate to champion songwriters and composers at the heart of its governance
The Ivors Academy has announced the election of 40 songwriters and composers to its Senate. Elected by members, the Senate plays an essential role in representing the interests and rights of songwriters and composers. Through the body, the views and...more
Musexpo 2025 to celebrate 25 years of industry transformation with a groundbreaking keynote panel featuring Bob Bowen & Amazon MGM Studios' global music team
MUSEXPO (www.musexpo.net), “The United Nations of Music,” is thrilled to announce its 25th global edition, scheduled to take place from March 16 - March 19, 2025, in Burbank, California “The Media & Sync Capital of the World.” Over the past...more
Quincy Jones Statement - From Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall
“We join billions of music fans around the world, as we mourn the loss of the great Quincy Jones, and celebrate his immeasurable contributions to culture. Words like titan, genius, GOAT, will be used today and he deserves it all....more
Sony Music Publishing Promotes Racheal Conte to VP, Sample Clearance
Sony Music Publishing today announced the promotion of Racheal Conte to Vice President, Sample Clearance, Legal & Business Affairs In her new role, Conte will be responsible for leading the company’s US sample clearance team, driving modernization across the business function,...more
R-Trybe Launches New Artist-Driven Label and Community for Electronic Music Creatives
R-Trybe is hyped to announce the launch of its label alongside an inclusive artist-driven community, a concept inspired by Huxley (Defected, Toolroom, Aus), Ramin Rezaie (Solid Grooves, Silky), and BAKKIS (Dumb Safari). With a combined mission to create a welcoming space...more
Nicholas Salomone Promoted to SVP, Business Development and Revenue at CD Baby
Salomone will drive revenue growth and partnerships at CD Baby, while advancing cross-company initiatives at Downtown to expand services for independent artists. Downtown Music’s direct-to-creator division, CD Baby, today announced the promotion of Nicholas Salomone to SVP, Business Development and Revenue,...more
THE HEADLINES
PRS for Music responds to accusations by PACE (see News)
PRS under fire over its Major Live Concerts Service (see News)
Proposed UK copyright amendment will see US performers frozen out of equitable remuneration deal (see News)
Is music stardom in decline? (see Analysis)
Believe pledges to ‘fight’ Universal Music copyright suit (see News)
Tributes pour in for Quincy Jones (see Features)
Universal Music accuses Believe of rampant piracy via knockoff tracks (see News)
Jason Iley presented with the 2024 MITS Award (see News)
Greatest hits albums, once a must purchase, have lost their mojo (see Comment)
Universal reported year-on-year growth (see Business)
Virgin Music Group acquires Outdustry (see Business)
Nina Nesbitt shares the ‘honest truth’ of starting her own record label (see Features)
FAC & MU publish an open letter to the Government and UK live music industry on the "cost of touring crisis" (see News)
‘Responsibly-Trained AI’ gives a Brenda Lee Christmas classic a Spanish makeover (see Digital)
Ditto Music signs a direct deal with TikTok (see Digital)