Today, some of the biggest and most central commercial players in Danish music are launching a new industry standard. It aims to prevent and address offensive actions, which is a broad term that includes discrimination and sexual harassment. Some companies and organizations in the music industry already have standards in this area. However, many people in the music industry are not in actual employment relations. They are freelancers or independent contractors with connections to companies in the industry. With the introduction of an industry standard, the aim is for everyone – including those without traditional employment contracts – to achieve the same protection in the industry. 

With the industry standard, the leading companies in the industry set very clear expectations for how to interact, while committing to prevent and follow up on conditions that do not comply with the industry standard.  

Ole Dreyer (Chair of the Board) is pleased with the new initiative: 

„Music publishers have long focused on ensuring diversity and equal access in the music industry. Our members are often smaller companies that are provided with a valuable tool to ensure safe working environments and proper conditions for their close collaborators, such as composers, lyricists, and producers. It is gratifying that we have been able to collaborate closely with the Danish Agents‛ Association, the record companies in IFPI, and several larger management companies, because a broad foundation among the commercial actors in the industry is necessary to ensure that it has an effect.‟ 

The participating companies will initially share the industry standard to all partners in the first half of April. Afterwards, the companies behind the initiative will continuously evaluate the effort throughout 2025 and decide on the next steps. 

The initiative is initially supported by Live Nation, Warner Music, Sony Music, Universal Music, United Stage, Luger, Labelmade, PDH, GL Music, Wilhelm Hansen, The Bank, The Danish Music Publishers Association, Danish Agents Association, and IFPI. The initiative is backed by the Partnership for Sustainable Development in Music. 

See the Industry Standard  

See the Commitment document