At Reckless Yes we are committed to working ethically. This means we offer a fair deal to our artists and advocate for other parts of the industry to update their practices and approach to do the same.
But it also means we have a responsibility to give back to the world, proactively work toward minimising any negative impact we have on the environment, and being active allies to those who are under-represented in music. We recognise we are not an isolated organisation but part of community of artists and fans, as well as part of the system – politically, socially, and environmentally.
Our environmental commitments
Our environmental commitments include:
- reducing the negative environmental impact of manufacture, distribution, sale and promotion of music and our other activities (there is no plastic in our CD packages, and limited single-use plastic in our vinyl packages – we’re looking to reduce this further. We use eco vinyl where possible to reduce waste in a problematic supply chain)
- making greener choices for packaging and mailing (all our mailers are now from certified sustainable card stock and wrapped with recyclable paper tape)
- giving a percentage of label profits to causes actively working to protect or repair the environment
- supporting our artists to make greener choices for their music, merchandise, and touring
- supporting music fans to make greener choices in their listening and buying habits
- using our platform to advocate for change and action.
As Music Declares clearly states, ‘there is no music on a dead planet’ and while we may not be able to save the planet through our efforts alone we are committed to and prioritise the actions we can take as a label, a collective of artists, and individuals to protect and repair our environment.
We have signed up to Offset Earth to make sure we’re doing something every month toward our environmental commitments. If you’d like to help then visit our profile and you can plant trees with us.
Our societal commitments
We are committed to actively supporting under-represented groups in our music and other activities, and acting ethically and politically to take real action and not just talk the talk.
Our societal commitments include:
- challenging aspects of the industry which work unfairly for artists and actively seeking and promoting fairer alternatives (eg streaming services)
- supporting and educating music fans so they understand how the choices they make impact on artists and the wider environment
- actively curating an inclusive roster which is supportive and safe for all artists and is aware of issues they may face around gender, race, sexual orientation, or nationality
- making wellness and mutual respect a non-negotiable aspect of our contracts to protect, nurture and support our artists and the Reckless Yes team
- working only with artists who share our values and are accountable for their actions
- working only with partners and suppliers who share our values and can show they are working ethically
- holding ourselves accountable (and open to others holding us to account) as a business and individuals for our views and actions
- donating a percentage of label profits to charities and causes which are inclusive and supporting values aligning with our own
- playing our part in advocacy and activism to work toward a better music industry, society and environment for all.
Keychange Pledge
We have signed the Keychange EU Pledge as part of our actions toward gender quality. We have pledged to: On an annual basis achieve gender equality in our roster and management.
We have reported:
- in 2021 68% of our roster were were women (inclusively cis and trans), non-binary, or other gender minority artists. This was up from 62% in 2020
- our management structure remains 50/50 gender balanced.
More about the Keychange Pledge here.
Latest news on our commitments
- Offset Earth: toward a climate positive team at Reckless Yes
- Introducing our social good commitments
Not just a record label – a force for social good
We don’t think we have all the answers, we are sure there is more we can be doing, and we’re aware that context is everything and most societal and environmental issues are complex and interwoven. We’d love to hear your views on what we’re already committed to but also your suggestions on what we can do to do even better. Please do get in touch.
