Pollstar (07/14/20) Speer, Deborah

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino on July 9 unveiled a comprehensive diversity initiative in a memo to global staff, including plans to appoint more women and people of color to leadership positions, festival lineups and boards of directors, along with greater investment in minority artists and vendors by 2025. "We have an opportunity and a responsibility to amplify the conversation around anti-racism and Black Lives Matter in order to be a part of the solution," Rapino wrote. "We also recognize the need to expand our efforts across race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability and other underrepresented groups." Rapino emphasized that Live Nation is dedicated to ensuring employees, artists and fans are valued, respected and treated equally. "We plan to nominate more Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and women (board) candidates as we strive towards having at least 30% of our directors be diverse by 2025," he said. "When it comes to our leadership representation (Director and above), we are setting representation goals on a country-by-country basis in order to acknowledge local dynamics and best serve each region." Rapino continued that the company will raise spending with Black and minority-owned vendors, and "look for opportunities to support minority-owned business wherever possible, from stage lighting companies to our 401k investment managers, and more." Other initiative components will include corporate accountability measures such as anti-bias education training, global diversity data tracking, ongoing pay equity analysis, linking goals to leadership compensation and creating an Equity Accountability Board.

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