WIPO for Creators Welcomes Universal Music Group as First Corporate Sponsor

October 28, 2021

Geneva and Santa Monica - Jointly released by: Universal Music Group (UMG) & WIPO for Creators

Universal Music Group has become the first corporate Sponsor of WIPO for Creators, an initiative that aims to ensure that creators around the world are recognized and fairly rewarded for their work by increasing knowledge and awareness of their intellectual property (IP) rights.

Launched by WIPO and the Sweden-based Music Rights Awareness Foundation, WIPO for Creators is a public-private partnership supporting IP rights for creators across the arts, including music, literature, audiovisual creation, and the dramatic and visual arts.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome UMG to the WIPO for Creators family and to see a music company of UMG’s stature take a leading role in our efforts to promote awareness of IP rights among creators around the world,” said WIPO Director General Daren Tang. “The benefits of this partnership will be far-reaching and critical, especially to creators in developing countries where artistic talent abounds. We look forward to working with UMG on involving other major players to make sure the benefits of WIPO for Creators are felt near and far.”

“It’s really uplifting and hope-inspiring that UMG has decided to support the important work that WIPO for Creators is going to do. Sir Lucian and Jody Gerson are music people who have a deep understanding of creators and what makes them tick,” said Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and the Music Rights Awareness Foundation, noting “I know that from personal experience, so knowing that this global music company is behind this is such great news. It will give impetus to the project and hopefully entice other players in the industry to give as generously as UMG has.”

UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said, “Creators—songwriters, recording artists, or those who express themselves through other forms of art—are at the core of everything we do at UMG. Creators have the potential to move culture on a global scale through the power of their talent. No one knows this better than Björn; he has dedicated his life to creating iconic, genre-defining music and at the same time being a tireless advocate for songwriters. We are very pleased to join with Björn and all of our friends at Music Rights Awareness and WIPO to support WIPO for Creators’ important work.” 

Universal Music Publishing Group Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson said, “UMPG fights every day to ensure that creators are properly recognized and fairly compensated for their work. In partnering with Music Rights Awareness Foundation and WIPO as part of WIPO for Creators, we continue our mission of protecting songwriters while also increasing transparency around the rights process. As always, I encourage everyone, especially the music and arts communities, to stand with us in safeguarding creators and their IP rights.”

As a Sponsor, UMG will help fund selected WIPO for Creators deliverables in development, in particular the Creators Platform, an online rights awareness platform to support creators across the arts through high-quality interactive “microlearning” videos, featuring high-profile creators and regularly updated information. The texts and videos will be designed to quickly provide answers to creators' questions as they arise in real-time, often during the creative process, throughout their career.

About Universal Music Group

At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information, visit www.universalmusic.com.

About WIPO for Creators

WIPO for Creators aims to raise awareness and increase knowledge of creators’ rights and related management practices, ensuring recognition and fair reward for all creators regardless of their geographical, cultural or economic conditions.