Corporate social responsibility or sustainability in music festivals

Purpose – To establish whether social considerations are valued within UK music festivals. Methodology – A case study featuring 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders delivering 7 music festivals. Thematic analysis enabled identification of insights into differences between organisers and suppliers. Findings - The respondents were positive towards sustainability however CSR had little recognition. Both stakeholder groups adopted ‘ethical’ practices. Suppliers want organisers to be transparent and fair. Organisers want supplier to comply with their approaches. All stakeholders need to improve their communications. Practical implications - Festivals operate in increasingly competitive environments hence the insights herein should improve stakeholder and festivalgoer engagement. Originality - Few studies of the adoption of social considerations exist within the creative industries. Research limitations – As a small qualitative study, it is not representative of the sector. Furthermore suppliers may be unwilling to critique festivals. Social desirability bias may be evident. Key words – Sustainability, CSR, Music Festivals, Stakeholders, Suppliers, Perceptions, Awareness Paper type - Research