Tokyo-based Sony Corporation, owner of Sony Music Group, has launched a $100 million fund to support those around the world impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
Through the fund, Sony says it will provide support in three areas:
- Assistance for those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus;
- Support for children and educators who must now work remotely, and
- Support for members of the creative community in the entertainment industry, which has been greatly impacted by the spread of the virus.
in terms of the creative community – covering music, film/TV, games and animation, together with Sony’s group companies engaged in the entertainment industry – Sony says it will “seek ways to support up-and-coming creators, artists and all those in professions supporting the industry, who have been impacted by the cancellation or postponement of concerts and live events, or the shutting down of film and television productions”.
“we will do all we can as a global company to support the individuals on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19, the children who are our future, and those who have been impacted in the creative community.”
Ken Yoshida, Sony (pictured)
Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO, Sony Corporation, said, “Sony extends its condolences to the families of those who have passed away as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, and extends its sympathies to all those who have been impacted. In order to overcome the unprecedented challenges that as a society we now face around the world, we will do all we can as a global company to support the individuals on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19, the children who are our future, and those who have been impacted in the creative community.”
Sony’s $100m fund joins other relief fund and initiative launches from companies including Netflix ($100m), Warner Media ($100m), Tencent ($100m), GEMA (up to $43m), Spotify (up to $10m) and Live Nation (up to $10m), plus the likes of Universal Music Group, PRS For Music and SACEM.
Meanwhile, everyone from UMG to Warner Music Group, Amazon Music, Spotify, TIDAL, the Jackson Estate, Pandora / SiriusXM and YouTube Music have made sizeable contributions to US-based industry relief body MusiCares.
In terms of medical support from Sony’s $100m fund, $10 million will be devoted first to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the UN Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist medical workers and others on the frontline of response efforts to the virus. Sony will also work with its external partners to explore ways that it can support activities that prevent the further spread and contribute to treatment of the COVID-19 virus.
In the area of education, where children are losing education opportunities as a result of school closures, Sony will explore ways to leverage its technologies in support of education activities, and cooperate with educators to implement these measures.
Sony has also announced that employees will be able to provide their support through a matching gift program that is scheduled to be offered to its approximately 110,000 employees worldwide.
Going forward, Sony says it will “work together with its partners and stakeholders to explore ways to further extend these initiatives”.Music Business Worldwide
