100 Percenters, an advocacy group for musicians, announced Wednesday (April 24) that several music organizations have signed a pledge aimed at holding companies accountable for ensuring workplace safety.
Signatories to the pledge, which was devised by The 100 Percenters, include the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), the Recording Academy, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), EVEN, Artistry Group, Eat Predators, HRDRV, Industry Blackout , LVRN, Love Pulse Music.
Called the Safe Music Business Pledge, the agreement asks signatories to abide by the following rules:
- We are committed to keeping artists, songwriters, producers and staff safe in their workplace and studio sessions
- We are committed to reporting sexual harassment, bullying or violence to the appropriate places in the workplace or studio sessions and taking action
- They do not tolerate inappropriate behavior in their workplace or studio sessions
- Have or create a safe space to support artists, songwriters, producers and their staff who do not feel safe
- Have or hire safe space leadership to support artists, songwriters, producers and their staff who do not feel safe
The organization hopes the pledge will help protect artists, songwriters, producers and staff members who work for or with these organisations. Safety is a particularly pressing concern for women and non-binary creatives working in male-dominated spaces in the industry. The 100 Percenters, founded by a songwriter Tiffany Redfocuses primarily on initiatives that protect the most marginalized creatives and music professionals.
If a signatory violates the pledge, a representative from The 100 Percenters says it will have a private conversation with company executives, asking them to be held accountable and take meaningful steps to ensure the workplace is safer in the future. Such cases will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and the organization that breaks its pledge could be removed from the pledge — with that removal possibly being publicly announced.
The organization announced the pledge to signatories with a corresponding open letter from Red, which highlighted recent allegations of alleged abuse perpetuated by music professionals such as Sean “Diddy” Combs and Russell Simmons. “The truth remains to be determined in a court of law,” the letter states. “Yet can't we recognize the troubling pattern of alleged abuse of power in music?”
The letter continues: “Despite finding allies in these companies who have recognized the need for initiatives such as the Safe Music Business Pledge, the response has been dishearteningly silent. We encountered considerable reluctance throughout the process of reaching out to secure commitments. It's a disappointing reality. It shouldn't be such a difficult task for companies to adopt a more transparent, proactive approach to dealing with sexual misconduct and violence in the music industry.”
“We are extremely grateful for the companies and organizations that have made the commitment to SMBs,” the letter adds. “Their commitment to creating safer working environments in the music industry is commendable and represents an important step towards positive change. By committing to making workplace safety a priority, these companies demonstrate leadership and a genuine dedication to the well-being of music creatives and professionals. Their actions serve as an inspiring example for others to follow and we sincerely appreciate their efforts to foster a culture of respect, safety and inclusion in our industry.”
To read the entire letter, visit the 100 Percenters website here.
