News

WEA Corp. Recognized With Inaugural Green Award for Environmental Responsibility, Atlantic Records Won for Business Innovation, Rhino Records and ILG/ADA-Distributed Hopeless Records Tied for Community Service and Fueled by Ramen Honored for Packaging at NARM’s 1st Annual “Outstanding Achievement” Awards
 
Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) was recognized by NARM in four out of six “Outstanding Achievement” categories at this year’s annual convention held in San Diego last week. The 1st Annual NARM Outstanding Achievement Awards were created to recognize the new and creative ways member companies are doing business and advancing the industry while acknowledging members’ efforts to be more responsible to the greater community at large.

NARM, an industry trade association, is comprised of music wholesalers and retailers, online and mobile music delivery companies, record labels, multimedia suppliers and technology companies among others.

In making the announcement, John Esposito, President and CEO of WEA Corp., Warner Music Group’s U.S. sales, marketing and distribution division said, “As a company, we define success in numerous ways: fostering a rich roster of recording artists and songwriters, delivering innovative music-based content, connecting fans and artists in new ways, working to protect the environment and giving back to our communities. We are honored to be recognized by NARM and our industry peers for our continued hard work and dedication in these important areas.”

The six categories that reward excellence include: Business Innovation, Marketing, Packaging, Collaboration, Green and Community, and Warner Music Group operating companies were recognized in the following four areas:

• Green – Since 2004, Warner Music Group has been recognized as the industry-leader for its comprehensive environmental initiatives with its WMGreen campaign. WMG has taken a unique, multi-faceted approach to reducing its impact on the environment by using more environmentally-friendly paper packaging; implementing an extensive nationwide waste reduction and recycling program at all of its U.S. offices; offsetting carbon emissions at its global headquarters in New York City as well as all large-scale company-sponsored events such as its annual Grammy after-party; removing the majority of plastic water bottles from all WMG domestic offices and supporting numerous employee-led initiatives. 

• Business Innovation - Atlantic Records received NARM’s Business Innovation award for its Fanbase digital experience, a groundbreaking, highly functional, interactive desktop application that pulls content about bands from multiple sources into one central location. Fanbase includes a music player allowing fans to listen to the latest music from their favorite Atlantic Records’ artists as well as a chat feature allowing fans to communicate with others. 

• Community – Rhino Records was recognized for its decades-long commitment to giving back to the community through employee volunteer efforts such as reading with local elementary schools and sending employees to help clean up New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina as well as including public service announcements in its CD booklets to lend a voice to non-profits. Tied for the award was ILG/ADA-distributed Hopeless Records, an indie record label that has donated more than $1.8 million to various charities since the creation of its philanthropic label Sub City, a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. In addition, Hopeless' Take Action Tour, has allowed them to help non-profit organizations while spreading social awareness for various causes for the past eight years.

• Packaging - Fueled by Ramen received NARM’s Packaging award for its creative vinyl/CD/DVD deluxe set for Panic at the Disco’s Pretty.Odd.

About WEA Corp.
WEA Corp. was the first major music distribution company in the U.S. and has continued to set the standard for sales and marketing in the music industry for more than 37 years. WEA Corp. distributes audio and video content for all Warner Music Group labels, including Atlantic, Warner Bros. and Rhino Entertainment, as well as for third-party film, television and video game companies across an array of physical and digital platforms including online, mobile and wireless networks. Since 2004, WEA Corp. has been recognized by a number of national conservation and advocacy organizations for its industry-leading environmental efforts which formally became Warner Music Group’s comprehensive environmental campaign, WMGreen, in 2008.

Headquartered in New York, WEA Corp. has regional offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Minneapolis.

Source: Warner Music Group