IMPALA's sixth EDI report: a new sector survey, a free toolkit for labels, examples of initiatives, and how diversity links to discoverability on streaming services.
On 29 October 2026, IMPALA, the European association of independent music companies, published its sixth Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) report, six years after adopting its EDI Charter. The report was coordinated by IMPALA's EDI taskforce, co-chaired by Eva Karman Reinhold (SOM, Sweden) and Gee Davy (AIM, UK), with adviser Keith Harris OBE.
Survey and toolkit
On 30 April 2026, IMPALA launched its second EDI survey of the independent music sector. The survey is built into the new EDI Toolkit, developed with IMPALA's EU network grant.
The toolkit includes:
- a survey whose depth depends on the participant's type and size;
- a self-assessment tool that tracks progress and generates reports with recommendations;
- an online training platform for the music sector with short courses such as “Why Inclusion Matters in Music” and “Inclusive Practice & Leadership”, with a certificate on completion.
The toolkit is confidential and suits companies of all sizes, from self-releasing artists to small and medium labels. Training is free for IMPALA members. Survey results will feed into IMPALA's second sector report, planned for spring 2027, and IMPALA encourages all associations and independent businesses to take part.
Also in the report
- New research on diversity, inclusion and innovation, including why training needs to be combined with other measures to change workplace practice.
- Examples from AIM UK, FÉLIN, Believe, Spotify, SonoSuite, beatBread, Merlin and others, plus UK Music's “Black Music Means Business” report.
- How diversity connects to discoverability on streaming services and market concentration. One of the priorities of the Digital Music Plan 2026 is support for new and diverse music on platforms.
- Awards: Swedish non-profit Popkollo received the 2026 Changemaker Award for its music camps and workshops for girls and trans youth, and the fifth edition of 100 Artists to Watch, which included three Ukrainian artists, brought the number of featured artists to 500.
“Over the past six years, the focus of the taskforce has moved from intentions to impact. (…) We call on labels across Europe to take part in building a better music sector.”
— Gee Davy, co-chair of IMPALA's EDI taskforce and CEO of AIM UK
Read the full report on the IMPALA website.
The EDI Toolkit and survey are part of IMPALA's 2025–2028 network programme, co-funded by the European Union.