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The BPI has today announced the formation of the BPI Equality and Justice Advisory Group.
The Group will advise and challenge the BPI on matters initially focused on race and gender in order to further support and promote equality and inclusion in music alongside other industry initiatives. It is an expansion of the existing Brits Diversity Advisory Group, which was created in 2016 after criticism of a lack of diversity in the Brit Awards and its voting body.
Largely made up of industry executives of colour with a background in music and media, the Advisory Group is co-chaired by Paulette Long, Kwame Kwaten and overall BPI chair Ged Doherty.
It also comprises Amanda Maxwell, Arit Eminue, Ayesha Hazarika MBE, Indy Vidyalankara, Jasmine Dotiwala, Matt Ross, Meenal Odedra, Mervyn Lyn, Naz Hussain and Sharon Brooks. The Group is supported by an Internal BPI Equality & Inclusion Committee.
Paulette Long OBE, co-chair, BPI Equality and Justice Group, said: ‘The BPI Equality & Justice Group is in the right place at the right time. Ready to tackle inequalities in the music industry having already proved that meaningful engagement, a strategic plan of action and a desire to do what is right can bring about real lasting change.’
Kwame Kwaten, co-chair, BPI Equality and Justice Group, said: ‘It’s been a long road and many meetings, but I feel being part of The Equality & Justice Advisory Group has been worth it and will grow to help bring more diversity to The BPI. There is still much work to do but I’m hopeful that we can make a difference. The Equality & Justice Advisory Group stands for just that! EJAG all the way.’
Ged Doherty, co-chair, BPI Equality and Justice Group, said: ‘This group originally began its work in 2016 in the wake of BRITsSoWhite, helping to better reflect diversity and the depth of British Black music through The BRIT Awards. However, there is clearly a bigger job to be done in promoting equality and inclusion more widely across our industry, and, reconstituted as the BPI Equality & Justice Group, this group can play a broader role in advising and challenging the BPI to help ensure lasting and meaningful change.’
