An Autumn Check-In: Is the Music, Media & Entertainment Industry on Track for Net Zero?

As October settles in and the days shorten, it’s a natural moment for pause and reflection. For the music, media and entertainment industries, October is more than just a seasonal marker. It’s the start of the final quarter, the time when ambitions are tested, strategies are reviewed, and the reality of looming net zero commitments comes into sharper focus.

At Hope Solutions, we believe October is the perfect moment to take stock. Are your net zero ambitions keeping pace with reality? Or is there still a gap between what’s been promised and what’s being delivered?

Where the Industry Stands

The media and entertainment industries have set bold ambitions. Net zero strategies are now common, and businesses are making public pledges to demonstrate their commitment. From large studios to touring companies to broadcasters, the language of sustainability has become part of the conversation.

Take Netflix: In their 2024 ESG update, they note that they have reduced their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50 % compared to 2022. Their stated climate strategy is clear: optimise → electrify → decarbonise, with concurrent investments in natural climate solutions to offset what cannot yet be eliminated. They also commit to “modernising our operations and productions … engaging with business partners and vendors to decarbonise our value chain.” 

In the music space, Warner Music Group is similarly putting concrete goals on the table. Their 2023 Impact/ESG report pledges that all their offices globally will be powered by 100 % renewable energy by 2030. Robert Kyncl, WMG’s CEO, summarised it: “We’re sharpening our focus … reducing our impact on the planet” as part of their mission.

Beyond individual companies, sector-wide collaboration is also gaining momentum. Through initiatives such as the Carbon Accounting Alliance, which Hope Solutions chairs, organisations across the creative industries are coming together to share knowledge, align on best practices, and build more consistent approaches to carbon measurement and reduction.

Yet despite these commitments, much of the industry still struggles with fragmented measurement, incomplete data (especially for Scope 3 and supplier specific activies), and coordination across the many moving parts of production, distribution, touring, and supplier ecosystems.

As Luke Howell, Founder & Director of Hope Solutions explains:

“We’re seeing an appetite for change across the industry, but what’s missing is the bridge between ambition and delivery. Without consistent measurement and a practical roadmap, targets risk becoming soundbites rather than real change.”

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Why October Matters

October is not just symbolic. It marks the final quarter of the year: the last opportunity to review, recalibrate, and set priorities before budgets reset and planning cycles lock in for the year ahead. For organisations with net zero ambitions, this is a critical moment to ask:

• Do we know where our emissions are coming from?
• Do we have the right systems in place to measure them?
• Are we on track to meet the commitments we’ve made?

At Hope Solutions, we encourage clients to treat October as a “check-in” point: a chance to assess progress and set a focused sprint before the year closes. 

As Izzy Mills, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Hope Solutions puts it:

“As we move into autumn, we encourage the industry to pause and reflect on whether you’re on track to achieving your net zero targets. If not, now’s the time to look at what’s working, what’s not, and refocus your efforts where it counts before the year wraps up.”

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The Barriers to Progress

Through our work across the music, media and entertainment industries, we see recurring challenges that slow progress:

1. Scope 3 Complexity

The majority of emissions in these industries sit outside direct control of the main reporting organisation, from international touring logistics to production suppliers to audience travel. Capturing this data is complex, but ignoring it leaves organisations blind to their activities' real impact.

2. Measurement Gaps

Too often, sustainability strategies and plans are built on incomplete or inconsistent data. Without credible baselines, businesses can’t measure progress or communicate it with confidence.

3. The Digital Footprint

Streaming platforms, post-production workflows, and high-resolution content all contribute to rising energy demand. And as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in creative and operational processes, from content recommendation algorithms to generative tools and automated production systems, its energy requirements are adding a new layer of complexity. While the digital world feels “weightless,” the infrastructure that powers it, including AI-driven technologies, data centres, and cloud computing, carries a significant and growing carbon footprint.

4. Supply Chain Fragmentation

From staging companies to transport providers to venues, responsibility is spread across multiple partners. Without coordination, progress stalls.

5. Cost Pressures & Priorities

Sustainability investments often compete with creative, operational, or commercial pressures. Without leadership alignment, sustainability risks being deprioritised.

Hope Solutions in Action

Our client work demonstrates what’s possible when ambition is matched with action.

Live Events: Turning High-Profile Moments into Sustainable Milestones

Within the live events sector, Hope Solutions has become a trusted partner for some of the world’s most high-profile productions, from global environmental initiatives to national celebrations and premium immersive experiences. 

Our ongoing role with the Earthshot Prize Awards has seen us capture the full environmental and social impact of the ceremony and its surrounding events year after year, working across international supply chains and supporting stakeholders with training and data collection to drive continual improvement. 

We brought the same expertise to the King Charles III Coronation Concert, where we worked closely with BBC Studios Events to embed sustainability into every stage of planning and delivery, from strategic guidelines through to on-the-ground implementation and transparent reporting. And with Lapland UK, we helped a growing live events company take a proactive step towards long-term leadership in sustainable event management by developing a comprehensive sustainability and ESG strategy, engaging hundreds of stakeholders and setting them on a pathway towards certification. 

Supply Chain: Embedding Sustainability Across the Industry Ecosystem

Sustainability in media and entertainment doesn’t stop with the headline events or productions: it runs through the entire supply chain. Hope Solutions has worked with leading suppliers and industry bodies to embed sustainable practices into their operations, from rigging and technical services to wearable technologies and global industry conventions. 

With Unusual Rigging UK, we carried out a comprehensive sustainability review and carbon reduction roadmap, helping the company benchmark against peers, strengthen governance, and enhance accountability. For PixMob, creators of the light-up wristbands seen at events like Coldplay’s world tour, we built a bespoke calculation tool that enables them to measure and communicate the real impact of their Recycling Programme, showcasing tangible outcomes to clients and partners. And with IBC, one of the largest international broadcasting conventions, we developed a Sustainability & ESG Strategy that established clear goals, measurable carbon reduction targets, and a framework for educating and influencing the wider industry. 

Together, these projects highlight how Hope Solutions is driving sustainability not just on stage or screen, but through the suppliers, technologies, and infrastructure that underpin the entire media and entertainment ecosystem.

Conclusion: From Ambition to Delivery

The media, entertainment, and music industries are uniquely powerful: they shape culture, influence behaviour, and inspire audiences. But with that influence comes responsibility. Net zero cannot remain an abstract ambition. It must become a measurable reality.

This October, the question is simple: is your organisation on track?

If not, Hope Solutions can help. We specialise in bridging the gap between ambition and delivery, turning complex challenges into practical, actionable strategies. With our expertise, your organisation can move confidently towards net zero - and help shape a more sustainable industry for the future.

Ready to take the next step? Get in touch with Hope Solutions today.

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