Warner Music Group
At a Glance
Industry
Arts, Media and Entertainment
Project Types
Data Analysis, Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy
Year
2023
Location
New York, NY
Summary
Lukas Gutierrez oversaw Warner Music Group's 2023 global scope 1 and 2 GHG data collection efforts, pioneered its ESG audit controls and processes, and successfully collected data points for WMG's FY23 ESG Impact Report.
Goals
Warner Music Group (WMG) is a global music company and a leader in the industry advancing ethical, equitable, and environmental sustainability practices. Integral to WMG’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy is the effective oversight and disclosure of emissions and other relevant data points. WMG partnered with Climate Corps fellow Lukas Gutierrez to propel these data-driven sustainability efforts forward, promoting transparency and responsible management by:
- Enhancing outreach efforts to collect scope 1 and 2 primary data from global facilities
- Developing an ESG audit process to ensure the effectiveness of controls and the verifiability of data.
- Collaborating with internal stakeholders and external consultants to compile a thorough set of quantitative and qualitative data points for WMG's ESG Impact Report
Solutions
Building upon WMG's previous Climate Corps fellows' work, Lukas engaged with various internal facility stakeholders and facilitated their onboarding to Watershed, a SaaS carbon accounting platform. As part of this partnership, Lukas worked with various teams to streamline data collection and processing for Scope 1, 2, and 3 data sources.
To support the auditability of carbon and social impact data, Lukas partnered with the Global Risk Management team to develop six Internal Control Documents (ICDs). These documents delineated the procedures, from data request to data utilization in the ESG report, implementing controls at each stage of the process. In support of developing WMG’s 2023 ESG Impact Report, Lukas gathered narratives and anecdotes from across the organization. This involved conducting surveys, reaching out directly to individuals, and scanning a list of over 230 newsletters to capture the various social impact initiatives happening across WMG.
Potential Impact
By driving improvements in data quality and encouraging active participation in primary data sourcing from WMG’s global facilities, business travel partners, and finance teams, Lukas played a key role in enabling WMG to harness actionable data informing the ESG strategy, GHG reporting, and renewable energy planning.
Lukas’s efforts to enhance the quality and completeness of ESG data offer valuable insights into WMG’s carbon footprint but also reflect a forward-thinking approach to data collection and assurance. This readiness is crucial as it anticipates forthcoming regulations from the SEC, CA SB 253 and SB 261, and EU CSRD, set to take effect in 2025.