BMG En Route Toward Carbon Neutrality
BMG has offset the 3,000 tons of CO2 generated in 2019 by investing in certified climate protection projects. The music company intends to become the world’s first carbon-neutral major music company. To this end, BMG is developing a long-term strategy to avoid, reduce, and offset CO2 emissions.
On the road to climate neutrality, BMG is the first major music company to announce the offsetting of all of its global site and employee-related greenhouse gas emissions. In line with Bertelsmann’s climate protection strategy, which aims to make the entire Group climate-neutral by 2030, BMG has evaluated the global carbon footprint of its operating business and is now defining a long-term strategy to avoid, reduce, and offset CO2 emissions. As part of this process, the company has offset the 3,000 tons of CO2 produced in 2019 by investing in certified climate protection projects. These include the reforestation of degraded land, i.e. increasingly nutrient-poor soil, in Campo Grande, Brazil. According to BMG, offsetting the company’s carbon footprint will require planting around 42,000 trees per year.
‘A Big Step Forward Towards Carbon Neutrality’
BMG COO Ben Katovsky says: “BMG is unique in the music industry in defining itself first and foremost by its commitment to its values – fairness, transparency and service. Being committed to fairness means being fair not just to your clients and your staff, but also to the planet. Offsetting our operating business is a big step forward for BMG en route towards carbon neutrality.“ Christopher Ludwig, BMG’s VP Global Digital Partnerships & Strategy and member of Bertelsmann’s group-wide environmental initiative “be green”: “We have already made significant progress, but there is still a lot more to do. We look forward to working with the local BMG teams around the world on our ambitious plan to become the first carbon-neutral major music company.”
BMG is currently collecting data for its 2020 carbon footprint. The company is planning extensive measures in the current year to reduce this footprint, such as the complete conversion of all its offices to electricity from renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and alternative mobility concepts for employees. BMG says the remaining emissions will be offset again. In addition, suppliers will also be included in the measures in future, to further reduce emissions in manufacturing and distribution across the physical and digital supply chains.
