ESG Explained: A Quick Guide for Live Events & Media

ESG is everywhere.

Investors ask about it. Sponsors reference it. Regulators enforce it. Audiences increasingly expect it.

But in music, media and live events, ESG can feel like corporate language that doesn’t quite translate to production schedules, touring logistics or broadcast realities.

So let’s simplify it.

This is ESG: explained clearly, and in the context of our industry.

What Is ESG?

ESG stands for:

• Environmental
• Social
• Governance
  

It’s a framework used to assess how responsibly and sustainably an organisation operates.

Originally rooted in finance and investment risk, ESG is now embedded across supply chains, sponsorship agreements and procurement frameworks - including in the creative industries.

If you work in live events, touring, production, broadcast or entertainment, ESG increasingly affects you whether you use the term or not.

E: Environmental

In music, media and live events, this is often the most visible pillar.

It includes:

• Carbon emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3)
• Energy and power systems
• Freight and logistics
• Travel and transport
• Materials and waste
• Sustainable procurement
  

For a festival or awards ceremony, environmental ESG performance might include:

• Measuring full event carbon footprint
• Reducing generator reliance
• Optimising freight planning
• Engaging suppliers on emissions reporting
• Publishing impact reports
  

This goes far beyond recycling bins backstage.

Environmental performance is now part of investor due diligence, sponsor expectations and public scrutiny.

S: Social

This pillar is often misunderstood in the events space.

Social ESG covers:

• Workforce welfare
• Inclusion and diversity
• Health and safety
• Community impact
• Accessibility
• Supply chain labour standards

In live events and broadcast, that might mean:

• Fair crew conditions and pay
• Accessible venue design
• Local community engagement
• Safeguarding policies
• Responsible audience management
  

For organisations working at scale, social performance is as commercially material as environmental performance.

G: Governance

Governance is the backbone of ESG: and often the least discussed in creative industries.

It includes:

• Board oversight
• Ethical policies
• Anti-corruption measures
• Risk management
• Data transparency
• Accountability structures
  

For example:

• Who is responsible for sustainability at board level?
• Are environmental claims reviewed before publication?
• Is there a documented risk strategy for climate-related disruption?
  

Strong governance prevents greenwashing and ensures ESG isn’t just a marketing function.

Why ESG Matters in Live Events & Media

You may not consider your organisation “corporate”, but ESG expectations still apply.

Here’s why:

1. Sponsors Are Under ESG Pressure

Major brands must report on scope 3 emissions.
Events, tours and productions sit within that supply chain.

If you cannot provide data, you create risk for them.

2. Investment and Funding Scrutiny Is Increasing

From private equity to public grants, ESG performance influences funding decisions.

3. Regulation Is Tightening

Environmental claims, reporting standards and due diligence requirements are expanding across the UK and EU.

4. Reputation Is Immediate

Music and media operate in real time.
Claims that don’t stand up to scrutiny can travel globally within hours.

ESG vs Sustainability: What’s the Difference?

They are related, but not identical.

• Sustainability often focuses on environmental performance.
• ESG is broader. It formalises environmental, social and governance accountability into measurable frameworks.
  

You can run a “green” event without having a robust ESG structure. But long-term resilience requires both.

If you want a deeper dive into reporting requirements and UK frameworks, see our comprehensive guide to ESG reporting basics in the UK. 

What ESG Looks Like in Practice for Events

For music, broadcast and live productions, credible ESG integration typically includes:

• Full carbon measurement (including scope 3)
• Clear reduction targets
• Supplier engagement frameworks
• Transparent reporting
• Inclusion and accessibility strategies
• Board-level oversight
  

It is not:

• A sustainability logo
• A one-off initiative
• A marketing headline
  

A Quick ESG Health Check

Ask yourself:

• Have we measured our full carbon impact?
• Do we have documented sustainability governance?
• Are our environmental claims substantiated?
• Can we provide ESG data to sponsors if requested?
• Is responsibility clearly assigned at senior level?
  

If the answer to most of these is “no”, ESG risk may already be present.

ESG Is About Resilience

At its core, ESG is not about ticking boxes. It’s about future-proofing organisations in industries that depend on:

• Global mobility
• Complex supply chains
• Energy-intensive production
• Public trust
  

For music, media and live events, ESG is not an abstract corporate concept. It is an operational, financial and reputational strategy. And increasingly, it’s expected.

Ready to Strengthen Your ESG Approach?

Whether you’re producing a global tour, delivering a broadcast, or planning a major live event, ESG is no longer optional: it’s operational.

At Hope Solutions, we work exclusively within music, media and live events to turn ESG from a reporting burden into a practical, measurable strategy.

If you’d like clarity on where you stand, and what credible progress looks like, speak to our team.

Contact Hope Solutions to start the conversation.