UK Music has launched its 'Five Ps' action plan, which it hopes will help organisations across the music industry put diversity and inclusion at the heart of how it operates.
Following on from its ten-point plan, published back in 2020, UK Music began developing the Five Ps in 2022 and sees them as a toolkit members can use to help shape their policies around DEI.
“It is not about ticking boxes. It is about rewriting the rules.", says UK Music's Diversity Taskforce Chair, Ammo Talwar, MBE. "The Five Ps offers a roadmap for every organisation, big or small, to be part of a cultural shift that makes diversity not just visible, but foundational".
Each of the Ps (People, Policy, Partnerships, Purchase, and Progress) represents a key area that organisations should develop to deliver lasting improvements to the way they work, with the plan offering specific guidance in each area to help entities effectively develop their policies.
“The Five Ps empowers organisations of every kind with the tools they need to break down barriers that prevent diverse talent from flourishing", says the Vice-Chair of UK Music's Diversity Taskforce, Paulette Long, OBE.
"By continually embracing the five principles of People, Policy, Partnerships, Purchase, and Progress, organisations can drive meaningful change, laying the foundations for a more inclusive industry for generations to come.”
The plan builds on several years of research and consultation across the music industry, including diversity reports carried out in 2016 and 2018, qualitative data drawn from focus groups in 2019, and the body's ten-point plan, published in 2020.
Included in the 5Ps are calls for organisations to develop fairer hiring processes, provide platforms for new and under-represented voices, conduct operation-wide policy audits, and publish DEI data annually to increase transparency.
Also among the recommended measures are the review of supply chains and procurement processes, giving challenge where partners do not champion EDI best practice, and the creation of five-year DEI strategies, with long-term diversity goals that go beyond legal requirements and take action to remove barriers to entry.
UK Music is also encouraging organisations to share their skills, knowledge and expertise by forging long-term partnerships with entities in other geographical locations and outside of their usual networks, as well as offering mentoring to less-established businesses.
The expected result? “The Five Ps is a practical, powerful model designed to help music companies move beyond pledges and embed inclusion into every part of their organisation", says Ammo Talwar, MBE.
UK Music hopes that by engaging with the Five Ps, organisations can incorporate diversity and inclusion into their every action, better tracking their progress and celebrating their successes, and growing together to the benefit of the industry as a whole.
“There is great appetite across the music industry to integrate UK Music’s approach to diversity and inclusion across businesses and organisations to achieve equity across the sector", says CEO Tom Kiehl. "This action plan responds to huge demand for the 5Ps and provides vital tools to make this happen.”
You can find out more about the Five Ps Action Plan on the UK Music website
