Collection society PPL and independent body Action for Diversity & Development (ADD) said they have partnered to tackle underrepresentation at senior levels in the music industry.

The two groups said the aim of the alliance is to support those with “protected characteristics” – particularly race, gender, disability and religion – who are not progressing within organisations.

PPL will provide funding to help with start-up and outreach costs, while ADD will provide PPL with tailored mentoring with mentors from diverse communities within the music and creative industries.

ADD was established in 2020, off the back of the Alliance for Diversity in Music & Media (ADMM), which had been operating since 2009. ADMM brought together music industry executives to address the lack of diverse senior teams across the business and created the Diversity Charter, which was adopted by UK Music and signed by its members in 2012.

ADD will offer seminars and Q&As for employees and similar, tailored sessions to executive and senior staff to reinforce the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). It will also provide assistance with recruiting for senior management roles and career development workshops.

PPL chief people officer Kate Reilly said, “We hope that, by providing financial support to the organisation, ADD can support as many skilled professionals from underrepresented backgrounds as possible and lay the groundwork for more diverse leadership teams in the near future both within PPL and the wider UK music industry.”

ADD director and co-founder of Stellar Songs, Danny Poku (Danny D) said, “We know there is a long way to go and how critical it is to ensure that equity stays front of mind when the media noise relents, but this is an important start.”

PPL’s support of ADD is a part of its response to the Black Music Coalition’s five calls to action and the ten-point plan to improve inclusion and diversity set out by UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce, of which PPL is a founding member.