As world leaders meet in Glasgow to address climate change, BMG is working to find a solution to recorded music’s largest climate impact, the manufacturing and distribution of product.

In February 2021 BMG became the first major music company to announce the offsetting of all of its global site and employee-related greenhouse gas emissions as it pursues carbon neutrality.

But it also acknowledged it needs to address not just the impact of its own operations – offices, staff and business travel – but also that of the recorded product it creates.

For BMG these product related emissions, typically from third party suppliers such as CD and vinyl manufacturers, printers, warehouses and transportation, are estimated to generate more than twice as much CO2 as the company’s own operations.

Now, with the support of shareholder Bertelsmann, BMG is working on a soon-to-be-announced pan-industry initiative in the UK which will attempt to tackle the entire recorded music supply chain.

BMG's VP Global Digital Partnerships & Strategy and member of Bertelsmann’s group-wide environmental committee be green Christopher Ludwig says, “These initiatives shows the benefit of belonging to a company with a strong sense of corporate responsibility such as Bertelsmann. The work of our fellow Bertelsmann division, Penguin Random House, arguably helped shape the environmental policies of the entire book industry. We are delighted to follow in their footsteps to help achieve the same in music.”