Sony Global Relief Fund

On April 2, 2020, the $100 million Global Relief Fund launched, and is designed to bring relief to medical workers on the front lines; protect children and educators facing challenges arising from school closures; and support creators, artists and other partners in the entertainment community who have been impacted by COVID-19. 

Rob Stringer, Chairman of Sony Music Group, commented about Sony Music Group’s work as part of the Global Relief Fund here.

Employee Matching Program

On April 14, 2020, a 1:1 matching program was implemented, dedicated to helping the communities most directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sony Music matched full-time employee charitable donations dollar-for-dollar to a select group of more than 100 global organizations throughout the months of April and May.

Giving Tuesday launched the following week. Every Tuesday, during the months of April and May, Sony Music Group matched 2:1 any employee donation made to a select group of food banks around the world, helping to feed families facing food insecurity.

Community Cares

On May 18, 2020, Community Cares launched, with a goal of bringing awareness and aid to communities around the world that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The support from Community Cares will come in the form of financial assistance, outreach programs and opportunities for employee and artist engagement and ongoing connections between Sony Music and music communities around the country. 

Beginning in the U.S., Sony Music Group partnered with leading national and international organizations: Operation USA and The National Urban League. Each partnership is designed to raise awareness and provide relief aid to vulnerable communities throughout the United States. 

Through individual grants, Operation USA will support local Black and Hispanic community-based nonprofit organizations with relief efforts that focus on music and the arts as well as education, mental health and food insecurity in the hardest hit areas across the country. Current grant recipients include organizations within Austin, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans and New York. Additional cities and communities in the U.S. and abroad will continue to be added. 

Season of Giving

Beginning November 17, 2020, Sony Music Group brought back the Giving Tuesday employee donation matching program through the end of the year. The Season of Giving campaign occurred every Tuesday as part of SMG’s COVID Global Relief Fund.

A list of charities around the world – ranging from food banks to shelters to educational services – was provided. All full-time regular employees were eligible to have their donations matched, without a minimum or maximum donation.

The Giving Tuesday initiative joined the Company’s previous successful campaigns as well as additional philanthropic impacts we’ve made to effect change in 2020.

Sending Support to India

In May 2021, Sony Group announced a $1 million US dollar donation to support the COVID-19 crisis in India, where the recent surge in infections is leading to shortages of medical supplies and overwhelming the country’s health system. Read more about the support here.

Support for Flood Disaster Victims in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

To support the victims of the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Sony Music Group donated to the German Red Cross and Aktion Deutschland Hilft as part of a collective Sony fundraising initiative.

In addition, Sony Music artists participated in a fundraising concert via livestream at Sony Music’s recording studios CIRCLE STUDIOS in Berlin. Artists such as Joris, Silbermond, badchieff, Olga Scheps, Marina Marx, Noah Levi, Kelvin Jones, King LX, Sharaktah and Levent Geiger performed across Sony Music TikTok and YouTube channels “Songpoeten” and “Filtr Germany” respectively.

Sony Music Group’s New Employee Engagement Platform

Over the years, SMG has been humbled by our employees’ commitment to making a difference in their communities. On November 18, 2021, the Company launched a new way to make it even easier — with an employee engagement platform.  

Now employees will be able to find ways to volunteer, donate to a Sony Music Group-approved charity, participate in disaster relief campaigns, and help us share meaningful community impact stories everywhere that our company, employees, artists and songwriters have a presence.

Sony Music Group Commemorates #GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and support their communities. It’s a day when everyone comes together to give back in all forms – acts of kindness, gifts of voice, time, talent or treasure.

To commemorate #GivingTuesday, SMG invited employees to participate in a matching program, Season of Giving, November 30, 2021 through January, 10, 2022. During this period, employee contributions made to a Sony Music Group-approved organization will be matched – dollar for dollar – per employee.

Global Social Justice Fund

On June 5, 2020, Sony Music Group announced the launch of a $100 million fund to support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world. The Company, inclusive of all of its recorded music and content divisions and music publishing company, immediately began to donate to organizations that foster equal rights. 

In making the announcement, Rob Stringer, Chairman, Sony Music Group, said, “Racial injustice is a global issue that affects our artists, songwriters, our people and of course society at large. We stand against discrimination everywhere and we will take action accordingly with our community fully involved in effectively using these funds.”

Equal Justice Employee Matching Program

Throughout the month of June, the Company reinstated its Giving Tuesday program, branded Equal Justice. The initiative was designed to raise awareness and support anti-racist initiatives around the world. All employee donations were matched – every Tuesday – to a list of more than 80 organizations dedicated to fostering equal rights and impacting long-term change.

Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote

In August, Sony Music Group launched a U.S. voter campaign committed to empowering and energizing communities around the electoral process and strengthening democracy. With Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote, the Company invited everyone to exercise their right to vote and offered critical tools and information for employees, artists and songwriters to share across their networks.

To ensure all U.S. SMG employees had the opportunity to vote and encourage others to vote, the Company observed a full paid day on Election Day, November 3.

As part of the campaign’s work to close the race and age voting gap, Sony Music partnered with key partners including Rock The Vote, When We All Vote, Color of Change, Voto Latino, Movement Voter Fund, Black Futures Lab, APIA Vote and The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC).

3T – Tour Tech Training Course for Black Women in Live Music

Founded by Nao and Mura Masa in partnership with Native Management and Sony Music UK, the inaugural 3T (Tour Tech Training) course supports 10 talented Black women to discover what it takes to break into the live music and production sector. 

Black women are not only under-represented in the live music and production sector, they are almost entirely absent from the crew call sheet. The 3T course was designed to address the imbalance and provide visibility and confidence for Black women by teaching the broad set of technical skills and knowledge required to break into the live music and production sector, and assist across all departments during a final, pass-out ‘Big Weekend’ performance. 

National Museum of African American Music Partnership with SMG

NMAAM announced a new partnership with SMG, making them the first music company to support the museum’s mission and values. As part of the partnership, developed through Sony Music’s Global Social Justice Fund, a Sony Music Scholars Black Music Certification Program and Scholarship will be created to make an impact on the community through music education.

The scholarship program was developed to introduce students to the music industry through the lens of African American history and culture. Together, the NMAAM and SMG will partner on a curriculum, course and certification dedicated to Black music culture and business providing students a window into all facets of the music business and related careers.

Additionally, SMG will underwrite the museum’s “Business Behind the Music” exhibit at launch. The exhibit will feature Black music executives as well as record labels and publishers that have played a significant role throughout American history.

Sony Music Germany’s Turning Tables Partnership

Sony Music Germany announced a new partnership with non-profit Turning Tables, providing coaching and mentoring in music industry skills for local and refugee children and young people in Berlin. 

The new program kicked off in March 2021 and focused on young people between the ages of nine and 27 and was jointly funded by Sony Music Germany and the Federal Government backed Fonds Soziokultur (Socioculture Fund). 

Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund

Seven new organizations have received funding from Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund, as part of the global Sony Music Group commitment to support anti-racist initiatives and educational opportunities in under-served communities. Grantees funded in this round tackle a range of social justice issues, from broadening access to education and skills, to improving representation, to providing holistic support for people of color.

The partnerships launched in April 2021, with a third round of funding in June. Social Justice Fund beneficiaries are chosen by a diverse advisory board representing labels and divisions across Sony Music UK, from label presidents to members of Sony Music’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee, HUE (Helping Unite Everyone).

90+ New Organizations to Receive Funding from Social Justice Fund

In May 2021, (SMG) announced more than 90 new international, national and regional community organizations will receive funding from SMG’s $100 million Global Social Justice Fund, as part of the Company’s global commitment to take action against inequality and injustice around the world.

Recipients funded in this round include community partners that help advance nonpartisan solutions in the areas of civic engagement, criminal justice reform, educational programming and youth advocacy. Organizations will impact communities across the African continent, Australia, Canada, the Latin America region, New Zealand, U.K. and the U.S. All Global Social Justice Fund beneficiaries are chosen by a diverse, global advisory committee representing divisions across Sony Music Group.

Read more about this rounding of funding, as well as a conversation with Towalame Austin, Executive Vice President of Philanthropy and Social Impact here.

The Doe Fund Announce Global Social Justice Fund Donation

The Doe Fund announced that it received a $350,000 donation from Sony Corporation of America (SCA), which will go to supporting the nonprofit’s commitment to ending mass incarceration while supporting its new culinary arts and skilled trade job training programs. The donation is part of a larger social justice campaign, and comes from Sony’s Global Social Justice Fund on behalf of Sony Group Corporation and Sony’s companies in the United States, including Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sony Electronics.

Sony Music Group “Week of Action” Series

In recognition of the one-year anniversary of Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fund on June 5, the Company hosted a “Week of Action” employee education series that included live, virtual conversations with multiple philanthropic partners making an impact in the civic engagement, criminal justice reform and education space. The goal of the discussions? A chance to remind us all of the continued threats against Black lives and the importance of supporting racial initiatives and advocacy efforts to push for real change around the world.

SMG Commemorates 1-Year Global Social Justice Fund Anniversary

June 5, 2021 marks one year since Sony Music Group helped launch our Company’s $100 million global fund to support social justice and anti-racist initiatives worldwide, thanks to the generosity of Sony Group Corp. To better support these organizations, every one of SMG’s global divisions created task forces and advisory committees to identify and begin the granting process of distributing funds to grass roots organizations doing crucial work in communities worldwide. Watch a special video recap of our philanthropic work with our sister Sony companies below.

Seven Organizations in Australia Named Beneficiaries of Global Social Justice Fund

Seven organizations are set to receive funding from Sony Music Group’s Global Social Justice Fund in Australia. This is the first round of funding for local beneficiaries that forms part of Sony Music Group’s global commitment to support social justice and anti-racist initiatives around the world.

Grantees funded in this first of many rounds range from those who address the preservation of culture, criminal justice reform, education and the fight against racism. Learn more here.

Sony Music UK Awarded Prestigious YOUNITED Flag for Commitment to Hiring Ex-Offenders

Sony Music is one of fifteen UK companies to have been awarded the YOUNITED Flag, in recognition of our commitment to hiring ex-offenders. 

Launched in September 2019 by Nile Rodgers and crime prevention charity Key4Life, the YOUNITED Flag award encourages companies to employ ex-offenders, rewarding those that do with the prestigious kitemark. Flag-bearing former convicts on horseback paraded at Mansion House for the awards ceremony last week, where Alderman William Russell, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, presented the accolades. Learn more here.

Save The Music Partners with SMG to Jumpstart Music Programs for Latinx Students

Save The Music announced a partnership with Sony Music Group designed to jumpstart music programs in communities that serve Latinx students. Together with SMG, Save The Music will provide a Mariachi Grant to Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School in the Los Angeles Unified School District; a J Dilla Music Tech Grant to Hialeah Gardens High School in Miami-Dade; and an Intro to Music Grant to MacQuiddy Elementary school in Watsonville.

SMG Global Social Justice Fund Update

We’ve taken action and provided funding to support communities that need it most, inside and outside the music industry. Now, the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund is on track to connect with nearly 400 community partners around the world. Together with these groups, we aim to help advance bipartisan solutions in the areas of civic engagement, criminal justice reform, and education. 

And that list is about to grow—because on November 23, 2021, we shared the news that we’ve started outreach to organizations for the fourth round of funding from the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund. Our global task force leaders and their teams are hard at work determining the next pool of community partners to receive support. 

Neon Hum Announces Second Annual Podcast Editors’ Bootcamp

Neon Hum Media, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, announced the launch of its second annual free Editors’ Bootcamp on December 15, 2021.

Created as a free podcast training bootcamp for aspiring podcast editors from underrepresented groups, the eight-week course led by Neon Hum’s Executive Editor Catherine Saint Louis is designed to provide an opportunity for Black and Indigenous storytellers, the LGBTQ, Latino, AAPI, people with disabilities and all communities of color, to help drive their rarely heard, yet critical, stories in podcasting.

Beyond The Instrument

Sony Music Group (SMG) announced Beyond The Instrument, a new, annual program designed to stimulate creativity, advance educational resources and promote career development within the music industry. 

Save The Music and Music Forward are SMG’s first nonprofit partners for the program. In collaboration with Grammy® nominated artist Noah Cyrus, the initiative kicked off with a virtual classroom discussion with Metropolitan Nashville’s Public School students, led by Music Forward, where Cyrus will share her journey to becoming a hit singer-songwriter. It will also consist of a four-week series of music industry education workshops with students from Antioch High School in Nashville and will culminate in the delivery of musical instruments and technology equipment to the schools later this year.

The educational workshops provided by Music Forward are a series of music industry readiness programs and will cover topics ranging from Music Business 101 to Music Marketing, Monetizing Creativity, and more.

Designed to ensure all children have equity and access to in-school music education, the Beyond The Instrument program will fund the Save The Music J Dilla Music Technology Grant, a comprehensive package of musical instruments, sound engineering equipment, and technology software. Upon delivery at the start of the 2021-22 school year, this new program will empower Antioch High School students through learning the fundamentals of electronic music creation, recording, and production.

Music Industry to Cut Carbon Emissions to Zero by 2050

Sony Music Entertainment and more than 200 music industry organizations are expected to sign on to a global Music Climate Pact. The pact pledges that by February 2020, signatories will be required to choose between two climate schemes, either the Science Based Targets Initiative or the United Nations-backed Race to Zero SME Climate Commitment. Both schemes require a commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050.

Partner Organizations

COVID-19 Relief Fund

The list below identifies partner organizations that Sony Music Group has dedicated funds to in order to help communities most directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social Justice Fund

Together with our community partners, Sony Music Group has donated funds to help strengthen the fight against social injustice. A list of charities working with the Company can be found below.