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“We’re doing this because there's no music on a dead planet”: Cambridge Audio becomes first audio brand to join Brian Eno’s EarthPercent environmental initiative

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Earth Percent

Leading British hi-fi brand Cambridge Audio has become a Founding Donor of EarthPercent, the environmental charity co-founded by Brian Eno to fund meaningful climate action. The move will see Cambridge Audio supporting EarthPercent’s operating costs over a three-year period, while advocating for other hi-fi and music manufacturing companies to donate a percentage of their profits to the charity. This new support of EarthPercent comes alongside significant, ongoing environmental focus across the business. 

Cambridge Audio is the first brand to join the music industry initiative – alongside luminaries including Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Merck Mercuriadis, Fraser T Smith, and Eno himself.

Cambridge Audio Managing Director, Stuart George, says: “We’re doing this because there's no music on a dead planet. There are many things currently taking the climate topic off the agenda, and that’s unbelievably dangerous for all of us. So, it’s crucial we all try and do what we can, to make things better. We’re committed to change at Cambridge Audio, to finding solutions, to live and work in more environmentally friendly and sustainable ways. I urge every one of us to do the right thing for the only planet we have.”

Cathy Runciman, Executive Director, EarthPercent: "We're delighted to have Cambridge Audio on board as a Founding Donor of EarthPercent. They're the first audio company to support us directly and their donation will make a huge difference. The Cambridge team have been amazing to work with so far and have shown a real keenness and sincere approach to looking after mother nature."

EarthPercent aims to raise $100 million from the music industry by 2030, investing in efforts towards the following goals:

•    Securing climate justice and fair environmental stewardship.
•    Protecting, conserving and restoring nature.
•    Reducing greenhouse gas emissions & supporting clean energy.
•    Advancing systemic economic, legal & policy change.
•    Improving environmental impacts of the music industry.

Even before joining up with EarthPercent, Cambridge Audio had already taken major steps to lower its carbon footprint, including dramatically cutting down on the use of air freight, which was the biggest single contributor. Further actions include reducing the lifetime power consumption of products, making them with more sustainable materials, like the Richlite panels of the Evo streaming amplifier, and over time, taking the plastic out of packaging.

The brand also has its own Climate Change Taskforce, with sustainability an essential consideration in all decision-making processes, across every area of the business. This includes partnerships, as shown by the recent announcement of its in-car audio plans for DeLorean’s new Alpha5 electric vehicle.