Music Publishers Association

Helen Choudhury, Champion for M³ and Head of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion – MPA Staff Member

Our new MPA M³ Employee Network is focused on creating a working and learning environment which is inclusive of people impacted by menopause, menstruation, miscarriage and related health matters. We want to ensure that our colleagues are treated with dignity and respect and are given the support they need to thrive. We want to listen to and learn from the needs, concerns and experiences of our colleagues and our members and take informed action to be more inclusive and supportive.

Our M³ Employee Network will be a safe place for members of it to discuss topics, share best practices, share experiences and concerns, celebrate events, raise awareness on issues and challenges faced by people impacted by menopause, menstruation, miscarriage and related health matters and to provide feedback to the Champion for M³. All of this engagement and input will help the MPA positively influence the Music Publishing Sector’s awareness and strategies to assure a safe, welcoming, well-maintained and inclusive industry in which to work.

Introducing Helen Choudhury…
Hi, I am Helen Choudhury and I work for the MPA as their Head of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. I have a legal background in public law and human rights. I went into DEI by ‘accident’ and ended up working in global EDI for over 20 years. Working for various organisations, I have learned what works well and what doesn’t. I have also witnessed the many positive changes throughout my career but there is still a lot to do. I believe that we all have something to contribute to DEI, regardless of our backgrounds and that nobody should be left out of the conversation. What I enjoy most is bringing people together through shared experiences, education, understanding and raising greater awareness about topics that can impact them directly or indirectly.

The M³ employee network is very important to me, it has been created from my personal experience of living with two chronic, debilitating and progressive gynaecological diseases known as endometriosis and adenomyosis. I am also perimenopausal. These experiences and the extensive research I had done around them made me realise that an employee network and a guidance for employees and managers could help create more supportive workplaces. I spent some part of my working life pretending these issues didn’t impact me, smiling and delivering work whilst in chronic pain. I didn’t know if this was something I could discuss with my colleagues or manager, or whether doing so would affect my career progression. I want others to have the tools they need to ensure they don’t have to do this too. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can help others open up and share their personal stories too. That we can help raise awareness and understanding around menopause, menstruation and miscarriage.