The Five Ps: Music Industry’s Action Plan maps out five key areas that UK Music and the UK Music Diversity Taskforce hope the music industry can use as a framework to deliver enduring results for diversity and inclusion – people, policy, partnerships, purchase and progress. Discover more here. 

What Does The Action Plan Say On Policy? 

Policy change is an important step in improving outcomes and having lasting impact. It is crucial for organisations and businesses to create a vision that will sustain positive, long-term diversity goals. 

The Five Ps: Music Industry Action Plan suggests focusing on:

1. Shaping policies and procedures: Work towards a five-year equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) vision and strategy.
2. Beyond legal framework: Identify barriers to entry or inclusion beyond legislation and action appropriately – for example, by considering socio-economic background and regional inequalities.
3. Sustain delivery: Incorporate EDI into every part of an organisation’s structures and systems for systemic change. 

Below we have collected some useful examples that may help you in developing your EDI vision and strategy.

What Are The Legal Requirements? 

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.

Discrimination can be direct discrimination, which is when someone with a protected characteristic is treated less favourably than others.

The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. 

Discrimination can also be indirect discrimination, which is when rules or arrangements are put in place that apply to everyone but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage. 

The Equality Act also covers harassment, which is when unwanted behaviour linked to a protected characteristic violates someone’s dignity or creates an offensive environment for them.

It also covers victimisation, which is when someone is treated unfairly because they’ve complained about discrimination or harassment. 

Find out more here: Equality Act 2010: guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Diversity and Inclusion Workplace Policy 

Music industry organisations and businesses should have robust EDI policies in place to support groups who are more likely to experience discrimination and who are underrepresented in workplaces. 

These are examples of workplace EDI policies from the music industry that cover a general approach to diversity within organisations. 

• Spotify, Diversity, Equity, Impact & Belonging Policy: Spotify’s policy includes their definitions of diversity, equity and inclusion, the theoretical framework of growth mindset that their policy is based on, data on the gender of their workforce and ethnicity of their US workforce, their goals, their global approach, and their community groups. Read here: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging | Life at Spotify
• Musicians’ Union Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy: The Musicians’ Union (MU) is committed to achieving equality in workplaces. The policy includes an outline of its aims, how it is implemented and monitored, roles and responsibilities. Read here: Musicians’ Union – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and its Equality Action Plan on how it implements its policy.

Here are some examples of workplace EDI policies from outside the music industry:

• ACAS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Template: This template can be adapted by employers for use in their organisations. Read here: Equality, diversity and inclusion policy template

Disability Policy 

Disability is one of the protected characteristics. Below is some guidance on how to best support people with disabilities in the workplaces, as well as performers, crew, audiences and freelancers. 

• Attitude Is Everything DIY Access Guide: This is a guide for artists, promoters, venues and festivals that includes tips on how to make live events more accessible to everyone, but could be helpful to anyone running an event. Read here: DIY Access Guide – Attitude is Everything.
• Attitude Is Everything Access Starts Online: This is a guide for venues and festivals that includes tips on how to make a website more accessible, but could be helpful to all music industry organisations and businesses. Read here:  Access Starts Online – Attitude is Everything
• Attitude Is Everything Access Guide: Online Music Events: This is a guide that includes tips on how to make online events more accessible to everyone. Read here: Access Guide: Online Music Events – Attitude is Everything
• Musicians’ Union Access Rider: The MU have produced a template access rider, which is a document that details a performer or crew member’s access needs. Read here: Access Rider. 

What Does Reasonable Adjustments Mean?

The Equality Act states that employers must make reasonable adjustments to make sure workers with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions, are not substantially disadvantaged when doing their jobs.

This can include changing the recruitment process so a candidate can be considered for a job, doing things another way, such as allowing someone with social anxiety disorder to have their own desk instead of hot-desking, making physical changes to the workplace, like installing a ramp for a wheelchair user or an audio-visual fire alarm for a deaf person. 

You can find out more about reasonable adjustments here.

Neurodiversity Policy

Ensuring workplaces are accommodating neurodiversity is a growing concern. It enables workplaces to get the best out of all their employers by making reasonable adjustments and increasing education on neurological conditions such as AD(H)D, dyslexia, autism, dyspraxia and more. Below is some guidance on how to best support neurodiversity in the workplaces, as well as performers, crew, audiences and freelancers. 

• Universal’s Creative Differences: This is a handbook that features a range of practical solutions companies can adopt to make their workforces more accessible in areas including recruitment, mentorship and career progression. Read here: #CreativeDifferences | Umusic – The official home of Universal Music UK

Mental Health Policy

A person may not classify their mental health issue/s as a disability but may require extra support in order to help them at work. Below is some guidance on how to best support mental health in the workplaces, as well as for performers, crew, audiences and freelancers. 

• Spotify Mental Health Initiatives: This document details how Spotify is part of the global mental health initiative Heart & Soul. This initiative hopes to raise awareness and build knowledge, enable proactive self-care and professional support and normalize the conversation surrounding mental health to reduce stigma. Read here: Spotify – mental health initiatives 

Here are some examples of policies from outside the music industry: 

• Mind: Mind, the mental health charity, has some workplace mental health guidance. Read here: Mental health at work | Mind – Mind
• ACAS Bereavement Policy Template: This is an example of a bereavement policy that employers can adapt for their workplace. Read more here: Bereavement policy template
• Trades Union Congress Developing A Drugs and Alcohol Policy: This guidance is intended to assist workplaces in developing policies to deal with alcohol and drug problems in the workplace. Read more here: Developing a drugs and alcohol policy

LGBTQIA+ Policy

Sexual orientation and gender reassignment are both protected characteristics. Below is some guidance on how to best support LGBTQIA+ employees, as well as performers, crew, audiences and freelancers. 

• TransForm: The report outlines issues facing trans people in live music spaces, and gives guidance to venues, festivals and promoters as to how to support trans people. Read here: [insert link when document is launched]

Here are some examples of policies from outside the music industry: 

• TransGender Europe Trans Inclusive Workplaces Guidelines For Employers and Businesses: This guide includes case studies, advice on making a trans-friendly workplace and how to develop policies and procedures. Read more here: workplacepride.org/download/tgeu-trans-inclusive-workplaces
• Stonewall Inclusive Workplaces: Stonewall has a variety of services, including their Diversity Champions programme, as well as workplace training and events. Read here: Build a workplace that works for LGBTQ+ people. | Stonewall
• GIRES (Gender Identity Research & Education Society) Guide for Employers: This document provides a guide for an employer on supporting trans people, as well as those who are non-binary and non-gender in the workplace. Read more here: Gender Diversity Policy Guide for Employers: looking after trans, non-binary and non-gender employees in the workplace
• Gendered Intelligence Trans Inclusion At Work Policy: Anyone looking to develop a trans inclusion workplace policy can contact Gendered Intelligence to get a copy of their template. You can also find other useful trans inclusive workplace resources on their website. Read here: Trans Inclusion at Work policy
• UNISON Transitioning at Work Policy Example: General advice as well as a sample workplace policy. Read here: Transitioning at Work Policy example

Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Parental Rights and Menopause Policies

These policies help support people facing particular issues that might make it harder for them at work. Gender is a protected characteristic, as is pregnancy and maternity, and these issues largely affect women, but also impact  non-binary, trans-men and women, and men. Below is some guidance on how to best support parents, people who have experienced miscarriage, people experiencing menopause, and pregnant employees, as well as performers, crew, audiences and freelancers. 

• MPA M³ (Menopause, Menstruation & Miscarriage) Guidance for Managers: The M³ document outlines advice for managers to support their employees going through either the three stages of menopause (menopause, perimenopause and post menopause), period related health issues or pregnancy loss and promotes an inclusive workplace environment. Read here: MPA Launch M³ (Menopause, Menstruation & Miscarriage) Guidance for Managers – Music Publishers Association (mpaonline.org.uk)
• PPL PRS for Music Menopause in the Workplace Policy: PPL PRS have chosen to sign the Wellbeing of Women Workplace Pledge to confirm their commitment to supporting our colleagues who are experiencing any signs of the menopause. Read here: PPL/PRS Menopause in the Workplace Policy
• Sony Music Parental Policy: Sony Music revealed a new policy that entitles parents to claim a significant financial contribution towards the cost of childcare for pre-school age children. Read here: landmark parental policy and Sony music parental policy
• Spotify Parental Policy: Spotify has introduced a new global parental leave policy, with six months’ leave available to all full-time employees. Read more here: Spotify – parental policy. 
• Musicians’ Union Sample Breastfeeding at Work Policy: The MU’s sample policy for breastfeeding at work is designed for anyone working in the music sector. Read here: Sample Breastfeeding at Work Policy 
• Parents and Carers in Performing Arts (PIPA): The PiPA Toolkit is a collection of case studies, resources and ‘how to’ guides designed by the industry. Read here: News, Toolkit & Resources | Parents & Carers in Performing Arts (pipacampaign.org)

Here are some examples of policies from outside the music industry: 

• Wales TUC Menopause Policy Sample: The aim of this toolkit is to provide information to help people to represent those affected by the menopause. Read here: Menopause Policy sample. 

Ethnicity/Race Policy 

These are policies relating to supporting traditionally underrepresented ethnicities within the music industry. Ethnicity and race are protected characteristics.  

• Black Music Coalition Resource Pack: The Resource Pack is a growing list of businesses, charitable and community organisations, and opportunities (primarily though not exclusively based in the UK), which can be used by individuals or organisations to begin to advance change in their workspaces and organisations. Read here: Resource Pack – The Black Music Coalition
• Power Up: A good overview of some of the aims that a policy can look to overcome and how. Read here: POWER UP Movement – PRS for Music Foundation (prsfoundation.com)

Religion/Belief Policy

These are policies relating to supporting employee’s religious needs. Religion and belief are protected characteristics. 

• TUC Guidance on Supporting Muslim Workers During Ramadan: Practical steps employers can take to help support Muslim workers during Ramadan. Read here: Guidance on supporting Muslim workers during Ramadan

Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination Policy

These are policies relating to supporting employees who have experienced workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination, as well as education and prevention. 

• Musicians’ Union Developing A Sexual Harassment Policy: The MU provide guidance on developing a sexual harassment policy. Read here: Developing a Sexual Harassment Policy.
• Musicians’ Union Music Sector Code of Practice: To tackle and prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination in the music sector the MU developed a Code of Practice. Read here: Music Sector Code of Practice 
• Musicians’ Union Appropriate Behaviour At Work Advice: The MU have developed guidance for freelance musicians to challenge inappropriate behaviour and promote good practice. Read here: Appropriate behaviour at work advice.
• Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA): The purpose of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) when it launches next year will be to uphold and improve standards of behaviour across the creative industries and to prevent and tackle all forms of bullying and harassment, including bullying and harassment of a discriminatory nature. Find out more here: ciisa.org.uk

Intersectionality Policy 

When developing your EDI policies you need to consider intersectionality. Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how a person’s various social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege.

• She Said.SO Intersectionality Style Guide: In this style guide, you will learn more about unconscious biases you might have and how to address them through language. Read here: Intersectionality Style Guide (notion.site)

HR Policy

Your EDI policy should influence every part of your organization or business’s structure and systems in order for you to achieve systemic change.

• Musicians’ Union Orchestral Auditions: Many orchestras are working to improve diversity within their organisations. The MU have developed guidance for creating a transparent and fair recruitment process. Read here: Inclusive auditions guidance for orchestras. 

Here are some examples from outside the music industry:

• ACAS Flexible Working Policy: ACAS has a flexible working policy template that you can adapt for your organisation or business. Read here: Flexible working policy template 

Find out more about UK Music’s diversity work here. 

This page was created by the UK Music Futures Group. Find out more about the Futures Group here: UK Music Futures Group – UK Music