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A more sustainable music industry:
In 2024, we have taken new and important steps to embed sustainability throughout our business. We have strengthened our strategic work on sustainability, further developed internal systems and implemented concrete measures with the goal of contributing to a more responsible and inclusive music industry.
/ 30/06/2025 / Willy MartinsenOur work stems from TONO's social role: We will ensure that music creators receive fair payment for their work and for the use of their music, while at the same time making it easy for users to use protected music. This is the core of our business. It is also a model for cultural sustainability. In 2024, we have broadened our perspective. We see the connection between our social mission and the social, environmental and ethical challenges that both we and our surroundings face.
Sustainability is now established as one of TONO's strategic key areas. We have carried out a simplified maturity analysis with the assistance of Sopra Steria and a double materiality analysis in a Nordic collaboration with other collective management companies. This lays the foundation for further work. It is our goal to move from individual measures to a holistic approach – where sustainability characterizes management, priorities and collaboration.
During the year, we have further developed our business ethics guidelines, published a new procurement strategy and established a more structured practice for due diligence assessments in line with the Transparency Act. We have also improved our internal routines, including through digital solutions for risk assessment and supplier follow-up.
Diversity, equality and mental health are among the areas in which our members and stakeholders believe we should take a clear role. We have listened to this. In 2024, we have, among other things, continued our multi-year collaboration with the songwriting camp LOUD, which gives girls and non-binary youth the opportunity to explore and develop as music creators. We have had dialogue meetings with, among others, Øyafestivalen, Norske Kulturarånjør, and individual artists, we have met with Oslo Pride and we have participated in a diversity workshop organized by the University of Oslo. We have participated in the seminar Værekraft, which spotlighted mental health as a key to a more sustainable working life. Sustainability is not only about external structures, but also about internal carrying capacity.
Internally, we are concerned about diversity in hiring processes, and we follow the development of the membership closely. The fact that only two out of ten TONO members are women is a clear challenge. We want to contribute to change, including through the visibility of statistics and cooperation with the Balansekunst network, of which we are a member.
TONO is part of an extensive international collaboration through reciprocal agreements with 82 sister societies worldwide. This collaboration gives us both opportunities and responsibilities. In some countries, administrative practices are characterized by weak rights and regulations. We want to be a driving force for better standards and higher ethical awareness in the industry – not only in Norway, but also internationally. In our work with the Transparency Act, we have therefore emphasized developing tools and structures that provide insight, predictability and verifiability.
We have, among other things:
• Conducted risk assessments among suppliers
• Revised and published our business ethics guidelines
• Established a new, anonymous reporting channel. We see this as a natural part of our social responsibility.
Environmental sustainability is an area where we have long worked on continuous improvement. We digitized both the member magazine in 2014, and have done the same with our annual reports. We have reduced our use of postal mail and unnecessary travel. In the work on TONO's new head office in Kongens gate 12, emphasis is placed on solutions that meet BREEAM standards for environmental certification.
Sustainability is about wholeness. It is about building structures that last – for artists, audiences, partners and society. In 2024, we have begun work that will be continued and strengthened in the years to come. We will become clearer, braver and more concrete – in how we live up to our own ambitions and in how we collaborate with others. Our members want us to take greater responsibility. We take that seriously. Our goal is to be a driver of change.
The text is taken from TONO's annual and transparency report for 2024, which you can read in full here.
Read about TONO's work related to ethical and responsible operations, linked to the requirements of the Transparency Act here.